Two Books, Two Authors: A Conversation on Queer Mental Health, Attachment, and Healing
📍 Literati Bookstore, 124 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor, MI
🗓 Wednesday, July 30, 2025
🕡 6:30–8:00 PM EST
🎟 Free & Open to All
Join us for an intimate and inspiring evening at Literati Bookstore as we celebrate the release of two powerful new books from New Harbinger Publications, written by mental health professionals who are reshaping the conversation around trauma, identity, and queer wellness.
📘 The Mental Health Guide for Cis & Trans Queer Guys
by Rahim Thawer, MSW, RSW
This inclusive, CBT-based guide supports cis and trans queer men in coping with the unique challenges of queer life—homophobia, transphobia, family rejection, body image struggles, shame, and internalized oppression. Rahim Thawer invites readers to cultivate self-awareness, move through pain, and reclaim joy through accessible mental health tools rooted in community wisdom and therapeutic practice.
📕 Healing from Parental Abandonment and Neglect
by Kaytlyn Gillis, LCSW
This guide speaks directly to the invisible wounds left by abandonment trauma, drawing from ACT, DBT, CBT, and compassion-focused therapy to help readers move beyond shame, rebuild trust, and establish healthy boundaries. It’s an essential resource for anyone working through the long-term impact of disrupted attachment.
🎙 Moderated by Dr. Shanna K. Kattari (they/them) — Associate Professor at the University of Michigan and Director of the [Sexuality|Relationships|Gender] Research Collective — this event promises a dynamic, heart-forward dialogue exploring how these two books overlap in their commitments to healing and self-trust, diverge in their focus on family trauma versus queer identity, and complement each other as practical, affirming resources.
Whether you're on a personal healing journey, supporting others, or simply curious—this event offers insight, reflection, and connection. Books will be available for purchase. Light refreshments provided.
🔗 RSVP now to save your seat!
