Fat is not a Diagnosis: Unlearning Internalized Fatphobia in Healthcare

featuring Rise

Tuesday, January 14th, 5:30-7PM CST

This workshop will provide an overview of fatphobia in healthcare. Discussing the harms and discrimination that people in larger bodies face when seeking out healthcare services. This workshop will address how to challenge eliminating fatphobia in clinical practice and supporting patients. Workshop is virtual, free, and open to the public on January 14, 2025 from 5:30 to 7 pm CST. Facilitated by Rise. 

Fatphobia has been and continues to be a reason for society to deem Fat people and all people with bodies deemed bigger than ‘acceptable’ as unhealthy and to blame for their health issues. Care and medical providers reinforce this dynamic when they ignore people with bigger bodies legitimate health concerns in favor of blaming their weight with no diagnostic follow up. This behavior has led to: misdiagnosis, disordered eating, medical malpractice and even death. This workshop will provide participants with common fatphobic rhetoric in healthcare, examples of how fatphobia has led to inadequate health care, what internalized fatphobia looks like and how to better show up for the people seeking care from them. 

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Aborto autogestionado: Taller de apoyo y abogacía

facilitadora Gabriela

Martes, 22 de enero, de 5:30 a 7:30 p. m., hora estándar del centro

Este taller brindará una visión general sobre apoyo y abogacía del aborto autogestionado, en el que se abordará qué es el aborto autogestionado, los tipos de administración, los diversos mitos que lo rodean y cómo aumentar el acceso. Las/los/les participantes aprenderán las distintas formas en que las personas autogestionan su aborto y cómo se autoabastecen con medicamentos para el aborto. También aprenderán a cómo apoyar a las comunidades de habla hispana para que accedan a un aborto autogestionado. Únete a este taller virtual el 22 de enero de 2025, de 5:30 a 7:30 p. m., hora estándar del centro, facilitado por Gabriela Fuentes. Este taller está abierto al público en general y se facilitará en español.

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Introduction to Non-Scalpel Vasectomy Workshop

featuring Dr. Grace Shih, MD

The online interactive workshop provides an overview of patient screening, counseling, preparation for vasectomy, procedure techniques, and post-operative care. The workshop includes a hands-on simulation activity and each participant receives a vasectomy kit in advance. This workshop, facilitated by Dr. Grace Shih is primarily for physicians, medical students, Nurse Practitioners, and Midwives.

IUD Insertion & Removal on Bayer IUDs (Intrauterine Devices) workshop

featuring Bayer Medical Educator Catherine Dezynski DNP, CNM/WHNP

This educational program reviews clinical information and placement steps for Mirena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52mg, Kyleena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 19.5mg, and Skyla® (Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 13.5mg and is intended for US participants. Bayer Medical Educator Catherine Dezynski, DNP, CNM/WHNP presents the Bayer IUDs (Intrauterine Devices): An Overview for New Learners. Catherine is a Certified Nurse Midwife & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner who has 16 years of clinical experience.

Rx for Change: Navigating Gender-Affirming Healthcare Workshop

featuring MAP Alum, Dr. Bianca Jenkins, MD

Discover the essentials of Gender-Affirming care in our dynamic workshop, focusing on the social, medical and surgical needs of transgender and nonbinary individuals. We’ll highlight medical management with medications, expectations and overcoming health disparities. This workshop is facilitated by Bianca Jenkins.

Options Counseling for Later Abortion Care

featuring Rhiannon Battersby

This workshop prepares abortion workers to support pregnant people over 20 weeks who are facing a choice between abortion, parenting, and adoption. It focuses on understanding the unique complexities of pregnancy options counseling at later gestational ages, and learning specific patient-centered techniques and tools useful to supporting clients in making their decision. This workshop is facilitated by Rhiannon Battersby. It is recommended that participants have taken an introductory options counseling course.

Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ+ Youth in Abortion Care Workshop

featuring Kaleigh Cornelison

This workshop provides an overview of supporting LGBTQ+ youth in accessing abortion care. Kaleigh Cornelison discusses supporting LGBTQ+ youth, being able to support and affirm their identities. This workshop covers basic information including definitions, the use of pronouns, and the differences between gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation in abortion care. Participants also learn important strategies to ensure that the LGBTQ+ youth they work with feel seen and cared for including interpersonal and organizational approaches.

HIV Advocacy in Reproductive Justice: Decriminalizing & Supporting BIPOC Patients Workshop

featuring Char’Lee King

This workshop provides an overview of HIV Advocacy in the reproductive justice movement. Char’Lee King discusses the history of HIV Care, how to support people living with HIV, decriminalizing HIV, policy advocacy, and supporting BIPOC patients.

Addressing Reproductive Justice Activist & Clinic Worker Burnout Workshop

featuring Rachel Dyer

In this workshop, Rachel Dyer discusses that while burnout impacts activists and workers across issue areas, abortion activists and workers are holding a unique set of pressures, dangers, and unstable supports. This workshop discusses burnout, as well as tools for centering and contextualizing personal wellbeing in this work. Expanding beyond individualist, white feminist notions of self-care, this workshop centers on rest, community care, and critical examinations of the systems in which we operate.

Supporting & Empowering Teens Accessing Reproductive Healthcare

featuring HK Gray, Jane’s Due Process

This workshop provides an overview of how providers can support teens ages (13-19) in accessing comprehensive reproductive healthcare and encouraging youth advocacy. Participants learn about empowering teens who want abortion care, parenting resources, adoption resources, and birth control access. This workshop is primarily for providers who work with teens in southern or banned states. Facilitated by HK Gray of Jane’s Due Process.

Birth Work Advocacy and Support for LGBTQ+ Families

featuring Sarah Michal Hamid, Birth doula (she/they)

This workshop provides an overview of Birth Work Advocacy and Support for LGBTQ+ Families. Birth doula, Sarah Michal Hamid (She/They), discusses birthing justice, supporting queer and trans parents, and the history of lgbtq rights. Participants learn the variety of ways to support LGBTQ+ families in birthing and healthcare. 

Healthy Sexual Communication: Supporting patients in building and navigating healthy sexual relationships Workshop

featuring Aarij Abbas (He/They)

This workshop provides an overview of general guidelines for engaging in healthy, productive conversations about sexual activity with sexual partners. Comfort levels in discussing sex, emotional safety considerations and suggested topics to address are covered.

How to Support Reproductive Access for Incarcerated and/or Detained People Workshop

featuring Lodz Joseph-Lemon, CNM (she/her) and Stephanie Tillman, CNM (she/her)

This workshop presents a general overview of reproductive access within mass incarceration. Case studies and clinical considerations when taking care of incarcerated and detained people are covered. It is facilitated by Lodz Joseph-Lemon, CNM (she/her) and Stephanie Tillman, CNM (she/her) joins for Q&A.

Contraceptive Counseling in Abortion Care Workshop

featuring Hanz Dismer, LCSW, MSW, MPH, CSE.

The Contraceptive Counseling in Abortion Care workshop is facilitated by Hanz Dismer (they/them), Director of Psychosocial Services at Hope Clinic. This workshop focuses on considerations and strategies for providers delivering contraceptive care and patients interested in learning about trauma-informed contraceptive counseling. Historical context and ethical considerations for the delivery of post-abortion contraception are explored using intersectional feminist and reproductive justice frameworks.

 Bias, Equity, and Trauma-Informed Practice Workshop

featuring Melissa Irene-Jackson, MSW

Facilitated by Melissa Irene-Jackson, MSW, the Bias, Equity, and Trauma-Informed Practice workshop provides an overview of trauma-informed practice and its key principles across micro, mezzo, and macro practice levels. This workshop is open to anyone who works in healthcare systems seeking to deepen their understanding of trauma-informed practice, intersectionality, and the needs of LGBTQ communities.

Miscarriage Management Workshop

featuring Jen Linhorst, MD

The Miscarriage Management workshop is facilitated by Jen Linhorst, MD and covers the basics of miscarriage management including statistics of early pregnancy loss (EPL), terminology, types of procedures used for miscarriage management, and how to support patients through EPL. This workshop is open to the public but best suited for new learners or those new to the topic of miscarriage management.

Reproductive Justice Advocacy Workshop 

featuring Alyssa Stenson and Lorie Chaiten

Facilitated by Midwest Access Project’s Provider & Community Education Manager, Alyssa Stenson, this workshop discusses the history of reproductive justice and its grounding beliefs. It explains the intersectionality of issues that impact reproductive justice and how to advocate for reproductive justice and policies. The last 40 minutes include a question and answer forum with Lorie Chaiten, Senior Staff Attorney for ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and Midwest Access Project board member.

Self Managed Abortion Support and Care 

featuring Larada Lee-Wallace, State Campaign Manager for Abortion Access

The virtual workshop, Self Managed Abortion Support and Care, discusses what self-managed abortion is, the various myths surrounding it, and how to increase access. Participants learn the variety of ways that individuals self-manage and self-source medication abortion, and how to support people accessing a self-managed abortion. 

Anti-Racism in Healthcare 

Featuring LaKia Williams, Black Feminist Rants

This public virtual workshop training discusses the history of racism in reproductive health, the current state of reproductive health inequities, and some steps that can be taken to incorporate anti-racism into your own practice. This workshop includes the history of reproductive injustices in the United States and discussed associated concepts such as eugenics, genocide, and imperialism. These concepts have strong ties in both historical and contemporary reproductive inequities.

Pregnancy Options Counseling

Featuring Ramey Connelly, Midwest Access Project’s Individual Clinical Training Manager 

This public virtual workshop guides attendees through the process of counseling patients on their options regarding pregnancy; a task that can often be difficult to navigate. Knowing that this process requires compassion, understanding, and nonjudgmental care, this online introductory workshop provides attendees with information on pregnancy options, referrals, and providing assistance when a patient feels ambivalent. A values clarification exercise centered individuals in this important role as providers. 

IUD Insertion and Removal

Featuring Rachel Newhouse, CNM/SANE

Midwest Access Project co-hosts this workshop with West Suburban Family Medicine Residency Program. Using training kits provided by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, attendees of this in-person workshop learn about the safety of intrauterine devices, as well as how to insert and remove these devices in a clinical setting. The workshop teaches practical skills on one of the most popular forms of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs), providing a foundation for future healthcare providers to incorporate this contraception option into their own practice.

Transgender Health and Queer Youth 101

Featuring Melissa-Irene Jackson, M.S.W. and Resident Clinician in Psychotherapy

This workshop was featured in the American Medical Student Association Sexual Health Scholars Program, a program that utilizes virtual sessions to empower future clinicians to manage common sexual concerns and educate their patients on healthy sexuality. MAP Speaker’s Bureau member Melissa-Irene Jackson provides attendees with basic information on the current state of healthcare for transgender individuals and discusses best practices for providing this care in a patient-centered manner.

Options for Self-Managed Abortion

Featuring Dr. April Lockley

Participants learn what self-managed abortion is and the various myths surrounding it. Dr. Lockley discusses the variety of ways that individuals self-manage and self-source medication abortion, and the impact that increasing telehealth access has had on these services. Using her years of experience as a family medicine physician and the medical director for Public Health Solutions’ Sexual and Reproductive Health Centers in Brooklyn, Dr. Lockley guides attendees through this aspect of patient care in a way that considers the many intersections of people’s lives and how they affect their health. This workshop is open to all healthcare professionals committed to patient-centered reproductive health care.

Abortion 101

Featuring Kelly Fitzgerald, DNP, WHNP-BC, Rush University Medical Center

Midwest Access Project joins AMITA Saint Joseph Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program to host an online live Abortion 101 workshop to review the foundational aspects of different abortion procedures and discuss some of the barriers that individuals face when seeking abortion. Attendees gain a foundational understanding of abortion and the context that these services are often delivered in. 

Abortion Care 101

Featuring Kristie Monast, M.Ed. and Rebecca Gieseker, MD

Midwest Access Project joins Chicago Abortion Fund and Northwestern University medical residents to host this introductory level presentation to discuss the foundations of abortion care and share updates about the regional abortion fund landscape. Attendees learn about the many barriers individuals face when seeking abortion.  The concepts and skills discussed in this workshop encourage students to adopt a mindset of understanding and inclusiveness when seeking to provide abortions in their own work.

All Options Contraception and Abortion Care

featuring Tabatha Wells, MD

Midwest Access Project joins the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland to give a presentation on contraception and abortion care. This 2 hour, online presentation is led by Tabatha Wells, MD, a dedicated Family Medicine provider and MAP training alum. This introductory level workshop discusses pregnancy options, different contraceptive methods, and the basics of abortion care. Dr. Wells provides guidelines for counseling patients in a manner that is inclusive, accessible, and revolves around individual needs. MAP is honored to partner in this international opportunity to improve contraceptive options provision and counseling.

Introduction to No-Scalpel Vasectomy

featuring Dr. Grace Shih, assisted by Dr. Christie Miles

This online interactive workshop covers patient screening, counseling, preparation for vasectomy, procedure techniques, and post-operative care.  Participants receive a vasectomy kit prior to the event,  which will include gauze, tubing, and vasectomy forceps. The workshop includes a hands on simulation activity using the kit, and was open to OB GYN and Family Medicine residents.

Miscarriage Management

featuring Kristie Monast, M.Ed. (she/her)

This session covers the basics of miscarriage management including statistics of early pregnancy loss (EPL), terminology, types of procedures used for miscarriage management, and how to support patients through EPL.  This workshop is best suited for new learners or those new to the topic of miscarriage management. About the presenter: Kristie Monast is a long-time member of the Midwest Access Project family, having previously served as MAP’s Executive Director and Program Director and now an educator in our speaker’s bureau. Kristie began her career as a medical technologist and after earning a Master of Science in Human Sexuality Education from the University of Pennsylvania has continuously worked with the intersection of sexuality education and health care provision. Her experiences include training medical assistants, managing a Planned Parenthood clinic, coordinating a clinical based program for adolescent parents, and with Midwest Access Project overseeing the reproductive health clinical training rotations of over 200 clinicians. Kristie started KM Consulting & Training in 2020 to carry out her dream job of making comprehensive sexuality education and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare available and accessible for everyone.

Contraception Options Counseling for Adolescent Patients

featuring Dr. Rebekah Fenton (she/her) and Dr. Virginia Byron (she/her) 

This online workshop discusses contraceptive options counseling for adolescent patient populations through a reproductive justice lens. The presentation defines reproductive justice and the history of the movement, and applies that knowledge to present-day clinical interactions, ending with a question-and-answer portion.  This workshop is ideal for those working with or planning to work with adolescents. About the presenters: Drs. Rebekah Fenton and Virginia Byron are both board-certified pediatricians and adolescent health experts. Dr. Fenton is a second-year adolescent medicine fellow at Lurie Children’s of Chicago. Dr. Byron is an incoming first-year adolescent medicine fellow at Columbia University. 

Care For Every Body: Integrating Gender Inclusive Practices for the Benefit of All Clients

featuring Ray Rachlin of Refuge Midwifery

MAP hosted this workshop in November 2020. MAP received close to 100 registrants from 7 countries, which speaks to the need for this important discussion. The presenter shared research showing that transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming patients are more likely to select a midwife for reproductive care. Thus, workshops like this are vital to our midwifery and advance practice clinician (APC) communities. Ray guided participants through common language trans people use to describe their gender and body parts, barriers to care for transgender people including discrimination in healthcare settings, specific open-ended questions to elicit necessary information without stigmatizing or judging the patient, and what to keep in mind while providing different areas of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care including, STI testing and treatment, abortion, options counseling, and more. The biggest takeaway message was clear: patient-centered care is at the heart of quality healthcare, not only for trans patients, but for all patients. This looks like providers encouraging patients to make informed decisions and be active in their own care.

Patient Centered Options Counseling

featuring Amaryllis Hagar, Nurse Practitioner and Midwife

MAP hosted this workshop in December 2020. All options counseling is a key component to abortion care. This introductory workshop covered pregnancy options, information on contraceptive methods and guidelines for contraceptive use, and inclusive, accessible, patient-centered counseling skills. Amaryllis Hager (she/her) believes passionately that all people deserve unbiased and evidence-based reproductive health care in an environment that feels safe. Through the philosophy of shared and informed decision-making, reproductive justice and trauma-informed care, Amaryllis partners with her patients to provide judgment-free, personalized, patient-centered care, without her own agenda. Amaryllis identifies as queer and is committed to serving the LGBTQI+ and gender diverse community, including provision of gender-affirming hormones and reducing barriers to care. Her care is sex-positive, empowering, kink and poly-friendly, fat-positive, free of assumptions and supports harm reduction.