Adapting the Our Whole Lives Curriculum to Address Health Care Provider Knowledge Gaps

Social work educators developed and implemented a pilot training to meet the growing needs of health and human service providers in a rural community, where resources and education around gender and sexual diversity are often limited. The aim of this initiative was to enhance provider knowledge, build practical skills, and promote actionable steps toward gender-affirming practice. The three-pronged approach focused on education, self-reflection, and lived experience as core elements of the learning experience. The training was grounded in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum, developed by social worker Pamela Wilson. A central teaching tool was the “Circles of Sexuality” framework, which offers a holistic lens for understanding human sexuality. This framework includes five interconnected circles: sensuality, intimacy, sexual identity, sexual health and reproduction, and power and agency. Through this lens, participants were encouraged to expand their understanding of gender identity as a multifaceted and deeply human experience. A second core element of the training emphasized values clarification. Using the OWL-inspired “values voting” activity, participants engaged in facilitated discussions around realistic scenarios involving gender identity. This exercise created space for critical reflection on personal and professional values and invited participants to explore ethical decision-making in alignment with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and core principles. The third component of the training involved a panel discussion featuring individuals with diverse gender identities. The panelists shared their lived experiences of engaging with health and human service systems, highlighting both affirming and harmful interactions. Trainers intentionally co-created the panel structure with participants to foster a safe, respectful space and allow panelists to center the narratives they believed were most important for service providers to hear. This participatory process promoted mutual respect and openness, reinforcing the training’s values-based approach. Qualitative feedback collected through post-training surveys revealed several key themes. Participants expressed overall satisfaction with the training, appreciation for the inclusive and respectful environment, and greater comfort with gender-affirming vocabulary and concepts. Many noted an increased awareness of strategies for engaging effectively and ethically with non-binary and transgender clients. As national debates over gender-affirming care continue to intensify, this pilot evaluation underscores the urgent need for ongoing professional development in this area. These findings support the continued expansion of gender-affirming education initiatives, particularly in rural communities where such resources are critically needed.