Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (QACP): Foundations & Applied Skills
a live, experiential training program designed to help psychology students and mental health professionals build practical queer-affirmative counselling skills through case discussions, role-plays, reflective learning, and real-world application.
About This Programme
The Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (QACP) program is a 6-week live online professional training designed for psychology students, aspiring therapists, counsellors, and mental health professionals who wish to develop ethical, culturally responsive, and affirmative practice with LGBTQIA+ clients. Unlike traditional lecture-based programs, this training follows an experiential learning approach where participants actively engage through role-plays, case conceptualization, reflective journaling, discussions, therapy demonstrations, and practical exercises. The focus is not only on understanding queer-affirmative practice but also on developing the confidence and competence to apply these principles in real therapeutic settings. Throughout the program, participants will examine personal biases, understand minority stress and intersectionality, learn affirmative therapeutic principles, explore work with LGBTQIA+ individuals and relationships, and integrate their learning through case-based practice and supervised experiential activities. By the end of the training, participants will have developed a stronger understanding of affirmative counselling practice, improved clinical confidence, and practical skills that can be ethically integrated into their professional work.
Program Dates
6 live sessions
- 9 August 2026Sunday
- 16 August 2026Sunday
- 23 August 2026Sunday
- 30 August 2026Sunday
- 6 September 2026Sunday
- 13 September 2026Sunday
Who This Programme Is For
Designed for learners ready to grow with facilitator-led live training.
No prior experience in queer-affirmative counselling is required. This programme is designed for learners who are committed to developing safer, more inclusive and ethically grounded practice.
Psychology Students
Build a strong foundation before beginning clinical practice.
Mental Health Professionals
Strengthen affirmative, ethical and evidence-informed clinical practice.
Psychiatrists
Support collaborative and inclusive mental healthcare.
Psychology Educators
Bring inclusive perspectives into teaching and training.
Social Workers
Create safer and more affirming support environments.
Anyone New to Affirmative Practice
Gain an evidence-informed introduction to queer-affirmative counselling.
Your Learning Journey
A structured progression, each session building thoughtfully on the last.
unlearning & self-awareness
understand your own identities, assumptions, social conditioning, and how personal beliefs and experiences can influence therapeutic practice.
examining bias
identify conscious and unconscious biases, explore heteronormative and cisnormative assumptions, and begin moving beyond neutrality towards affirmative practice.
foundations of queer-affirmative practice
understand what queer-affirmative practice means, explore its core principles and clinical language, and learn how to create inclusive and psychologically safer therapeutic spaces.
minority stress & mental health
explore minority stress, discrimination, family rejection, and other social factors that can shape LGBTQIA+ clients' mental health and therapeutic experiences.
working with LGBTQIA+ clients
explore identity development, coming out and disclosure, family and social concerns, minority stress, and the application of affirmative approaches through practical case discussions.
relationships & couples
understand queer relationships and diverse relationship structures, explore relationship concerns and family contexts, and learn to work with couples without heteronormative assumptions.
integration & practical application
apply queer-affirmative principles to clinical and counselling scenarios while exploring microaggressions, subtle bias, and practical ways to integrate affirmative practice into broader mental health work.
reflection & continued practice
reflect on personal and professional learning, identify areas for continued growth, and develop ways to carry queer-affirmative principles into ongoing mental health practice.
What You’ll Walk Away With
Tangible capabilities and reflective skills you can carry into life and practice.
Evidence-informed learning
Experiential role-plays
Case discussions
Reflective journaling
Affirmative clinical skills
Ethical practice
Inclusive communication
Minority stress framework
Intersectional understanding
Assessment-based certification
Meet Your Guide
Gaurangi Gupta
Queer-affirmative therapist trauma-focused counsellor | APA international affiliate | Counselor at TISS University · M.Sc. Queer & Kink Affirming Trauma-Focused Counselling
Gaurangi Gupta is a queer-affirmative therapist and trainer dedicated to advancing inclusive, ethical and evidence-informed mental healthcare. Her work focuses on equipping psychologists, counsellors and mental health professionals with the knowledge, skills and self-awareness needed to work confidently with LGBTQIA+ individuals, couples and families.
Drawing from affirmative practice, trauma-informed care and experiential learning, Gaurangi believes that competent therapy goes beyond learning terminology. It requires therapists to examine their own assumptions, understand the impact of minority stress and systemic discrimination, and create therapeutic spaces where every client feels genuinely seen, respected and understood.
Her teaching style combines psychological theory with practical application through case conceptualisation, role-plays, reflective exercises and clinical discussions. Rather than offering passive lectures, she creates an interactive learning environment that encourages curiosity, critical thinking and meaningful professional growth.
Over the years, she has worked with diverse individuals across a range of concerns, helping clients navigate identity exploration, relationships, trauma, self-esteem, family dynamics and emotional wellbeing through an affirmative and culturally sensitive lens.
Through this programme, Gaurangi aims to help participants develop not only clinical competence but also the confidence to practise in ways that are ethical, compassionate and affirming of diverse identities.
How Certificates Are Awarded
Assessment-based certification.
80% minimum attendance.
Active participation expected.
Clinical role-play assessment.
Reflective practice submission.
Certificate issued by Your Brain Buddy.
Attendance Tracking
Attendance is recorded for every live session. Participants must maintain at least 80% attendance to remain eligible for certification.
Participant Communication
All programme communication, announcements, session links and learning resources will be shared through the official WhatsApp group and email.
Reserve Your Spot
Everything you need to know before joining the next live cohort.
Course Details
Duration
6 Weeks • 12 Hours Live Training • Weekend Sessions
Dates
2026-08-08 – 2026-09-13
Time
8:00 PM IST
Platform
Google Meet (Live Online)
Batch Size
Small Cohort
Language
English
Certification
Assessment-Based Certificate
Support
Reach out anytime at contact.
Tuition
Student pricing available
Submit a verification request to unlock student-only rates. Our team reviews within 24 hours.
Choose your registration type
23 seats remaining
2026-08-08 – 2026-09-13
- Live experiential sessions
- Small facilitated cohort
- Theory + experiential practice
- Certificate of Participation
Pair Registration available. See options above.
Your Brain Buddy
Manrehet Kaur · Founder
Ready to Build a More Inclusive Practice?
Join a small, experiential cohort designed to help you develop ethical, evidence-informed and affirming clinical skills. Limited seats available for Batch 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This programme is designed for psychology students, counsellors, therapists and helping professionals who want an evidence-informed introduction to queer-affirmative practice. No prior experience is required.
Just a stable internet connection, a device to attend live sessions, and a notebook for reflection exercises. Any additional readings or resources will be shared during the programme.
The programme is highly interactive and practice-oriented, with case discussions, role plays, reflective exercises, facilitator feedback and group conversations throughout the six weeks.
Seats are intentionally limited to maintain an interactive learning environment and personalised facilitator feedback. We recommend registering early once enrolment opens.
₹4,499
2026-08-08 – 2026-09-13