The queer and transgender resilience workbook: skills for navigating sexual orientation and gender expression
By Anneliese Singh

Reviewer
Shaun Williams

Anneliese Singh (she/her) is a South Asian, multiracial, Sikh, queer and genderqueer femme who has struggled with her own resilience. Growing up, Anneliese often felt she didn’t fit in and was constantly told there was something wrong with her. Through her research and study spanning two decades, along with the learnings in her personal life, Anneliese learned that “in becoming more resilient to discrimination, the more you believe in your value as an LGBTQ person, the more empowered and happier you become”.

Resilience is important to all of us, regardless of who we are. It helps us navigate through life’s challenges and bounce back from setbacks. Building resilience allows us to maintain a positive outlook and find strength in our own identity, ultimately leading to a greater sense of fulfilment and wellbeing.

By promoting resilience within the queer and trans communities, the workbook can assist individuals to navigate and overcome the challenges they may face, fostering a stronger sense of self and community. Singh notes, “what the world actually needs more of [is] more happy, empowered, liberated, and affirming queer and trans people who know they are valuable and loved and are treated with respect and dignity”. A byproduct of this is the creation of a more inclusive and accepting society for everyone.

The queer and transgender resilience workbook: skills for navigating sexual orientation and gender expression is an excellent opportunity for a counsellor to work together with their clients on 10 powerful resilience strategies. Each of these strategies is dealt with in its own chapter, and these are oriented around the first chapter of discovery, which is ‘Defining your LGBTQ self in a world that demands conformity’. By guiding clients through the process of self-discovery, it empowers them to confidently navigate a world that often marginalises queer and transgender individuals.

When counsellors and/or clients have worked through defining their LGBTQ self (Chapter 1), the following 10 chapters in the workbook (chapters 2–11) break down the concept of resilience with exercises that may be worked through together in a counselling session or individually by the client. What I particularly appreciate about this workbook is that after completing Chapter 1, the reader can move on to any relevant chapter and continue at their own pace..

The 10 chapters in the workbook include thoughtprovoking conversations to identify roadblocks to resilience in the queer and transgender communities. Just a few of these chapters include ‘Standing up for yourself’, ‘Knowing your self worth’, ‘Building relationships and creating community’, and ‘Making change and giving back’. By delving into topics such as self-advocacy, self-esteem and community-building, the workbook equips readers with practical and easy-to-follow life tools to navigate challenges and foster personal growth.

It encourages individuals to embrace their unique identities while fostering a sense of belonging and social impact within their communities.

Through this workbook, counsellors can help their clients develop resilience, find strength and truly own their identities, fostering a sense of belonging and self-acceptance. Of course, we wish this for everyone, but for this marginalised group in particular, it is crucial to provide resources that empower individuals to overcome societal barriers and thrive.

Recently we have witnessed, not just in Australia but also around the world, heightened harmful media, fear, hate crimes and violence towards the queer and trans communities. The workbook provides a timely resource for these communities by offering tools that not only assist in resilience development, but also affirm and support readers’ right to express and be proud of their orientation and gender expression. Importantly, Singh also explains many areas where these communities may be misunderstood and provides a valuable resource to those who are not part of the community but wish to align as an ally.

As a man who has children, who came out as gay later in life, and who identifies as queer, I welcome The queer and transgender resilience workbook by Anneliese Singh as a valuable supplement to my toolbox of LGBTQIA+ resources. Not only will it help my counselling clients build their skills, but it will also assist with my own navigation of resilience. ■