Interview with Dr. Abigail Weissman

Abigail (“Abi”) Weissman is a California clinical psychologist, earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PSY 27497) with a dissertation on helping psychologists to be supporting, respectful, and effective with their transgender Jewish clients. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Sexuality studies that focused on femme lesbian identity and completed a Certificate in Sex Education. She serves as a Member At Large – Professional Practice, of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Psychological Association. She is also the Chair of the LGBT Committee for the San Diego Psychological Association. A self-proclaimed “super queer” she loves to empower others, especially those who wish they could be their full queer, transgender, religious, liberal, activist, polyamorous, and/or kink selves, but hold themselves back because they are scared they will be unloved, unemployed, and rejected by their loved ones and communities. Abi provides individual and group therapy for LGBTQIQAP-identified clients as well as training for other professionals on how to be more LGBTQIQAP-affirming in clinical practice and in business. Her pronouns are she, her hers. You can learn more about Abi and her group practice Waves, A Psychological Corporation, at www.wavespsych.com.

In this episode we talk about:

Vulnerability during the recent events as a member of impacted, marginalized communities
Abi’s comfort level with talking about being Jewish, queer, lesbian, trans (or “trans-esque” in her parlance)
How she decides how to present herself, how she tells her story, her level of safety
How Abi “leans in” whenever she feels unsafe – how sharing who she is first, makes her feel safer
Civil and social justice advocacy as a therapist
Her hesitation to talk about LGBTQ as a single community and the problem with “lumping” them all together. The importance of hearing all the different, unique perspectives.
Sitting as a leader in your therapy room and feeling vulnerable as the events in society impact you personally
Holding hope for therapy clients as well as for society, and grieving for her own losses and feeling her own fears and her own despair
Reflecting on the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooting as well as reactions to the memo seeking to make gender binary – both how Abi is reacting personally and what she is hearing (and not hearing) from her clients
Where Abi is finding her hope, healing, and getting her support
The ways that antisemitism still shows up in daily life (even in small ways)
Having to choose how she shows up as an activist with these intersectional needs that aren’t respected
How thoughtful she is about where she lives and what she stands up and does for her community
What therapists often get wrong related to LGBTQ
The frequent problem of othering people within the therapist community who happen to be LGBTQ

Resources mentioned:

We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.

Waves, A Psychological Corporation: www.wavespsych.com

Abi’s availability for consultation: https://www.wavespsych.com/contact

The book Abi was talking about related to bringing ancestors into the room: Native American Postcolonial Psychology By Eduardo Duran, Bonnie Duran

Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

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