Sexual and Gender Identity Clinic (SGIC) at the Gronowski Center Receives Gift to Create Permanent Integrated Archive Repository
A generous anonymous donor is supporting the SGIC to create an archive of documents from the SGIC’s 15-year history. The funds will be used to design and implement an integrated archive to preserve institutional memory about the SGIC. Documents relating to clinic training and operations, LGBTQ+ clinical theory development and practice, and faculty and student productivity will be included. Long-term, the archives may be used to inform planning about the SGIC’s future, engage SGIC alumni, and consult with other LGBTQ+ training clinics about best practices.
The archival material will be collected and organized by a PAU student who will be hired and supervised by faculty member Dr. Liz McConnell, the SGIC Director.
"The SGIC plays an important role in Palo Alto University's history of providing quality training related to LGBTQ+ psychology. We are thrilled about this opportunity to support our students, document the SGIC's history, and plan for our future." –Dr. Liz McConnell
The Sexual and Gender Identity Clinic was founded in September 2009 as a specialty clinic within the Gronowski Center Clinic. The SGIC aims to develop and provide evidence-based psychological treatment to sexual and gender minority clients and those questioning their sexual and/or gender identities.
The SGIC provides student clinicians with a training experience focused on improving their cultural competence and humility in working with LGBTQ+ clients. Students in the SGIC take the LGBTQ+ Issues in Psychotherapy course with faculty member Dr. Kimberly Balsam, complete a series of SGIC Intensive trainings throughout the training year, and discuss their clinical work in individual and group supervision.
To our knowledge, the SGIC is the only dedicated clinic housed within a Ph.D. doctoral training program that provides specialized care to the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. The SGIC Archives aim to document the history of the SGIC’s operations, to inform future SGIC program development, and to further development of competency-based training for LGBTQ+ people and communities.
The impact of this generous gift, focused on the SGIC’s history, will be felt far into the future.