Meredith ‘Brooke’ Hamilton is a clinical social worker, clinical supervisor, and a passionate advocate for social justice. With a bachelor’s degree in social work from Limestone University, a master’s in social work from the University of South Carolina, and as a Doctoral Candidate of clinical social work at the University of Kentucky, Brooke has directed her education towards multilevel practice opportunities.
It has been through combining her clinical practice in community mental health clinics, private practice, and behavioral health program development, with experiences in higher education, grassroots organizing, and state-level lobbying, that Brooke developed a multilevel practice lens to expand the rights and freedoms of the LGBTQIA+ community. In her current position as a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, clinical consultant, and owner of Centered Counseling and Consulting, LLC, Brooke acknowledges a unique opportunity to advance the body of professional knowledge while impacting the lives of the consumers.
As a co-conspirator to the queer community, Brooke’s capstone project investigating the outcomes of gender-affirming care upon gender-diverse youth, served as a catalyst to bridge micro, mezzo, and macro practice. By applying research findings, Brooke has developed a method for practitioners at each level to identify, align to, and advocate for supportive policies that mitigate client harm and increase practitioner engagement with policy.
In addition to her research, Brooke is clinically licensed in multiple states, is a certified trauma-informed trainer, and has been published by The Poetry Institute of Canada.
DSW Showcase Student Presentation
Meredith Hamilton
LCSW/S, LISW-CP/S, DSW Candidate
Applying Critical Theory, Minority Stress Theory, and Mental Health Outcomes of Gender-Affirming Care for Gender Diverse Youth to Identify and Interrupt Harmful Policy for Clinicians
Concentration - Clinical Social Work
- Monday, April 28, 2025 -
- 9:00 am
Abstract
Research indicates that gender-affirming care improves the mental health outcomes of gender-diverse youth. Despite this, the introduction and passage of policy to restrict access to gender-affirming care for gender-diverse youth continues at an alarming rate. This presentation will explicate the purpose and mechanisms of oppressive policy exemplified through gender-affirming care restrictions, using the lens of Critical Theory and Minority Stress Theory. By integrating the National Association of Social Worker’s Code of Ethics into this theoretical framework, two practitioner tools designed to assist social workers in identifying harmful policies at micro and mezzo-macro levels of practice will be shared. Through the recognition of harmful policy, practitioners are empowered to align and advocate for or interrupt and discourage policies that negatively impact oppressed populations. Constructed utilizing the profession’s core values, concepts, language, and ethics, these tools can increase practitioner policy engagement without further specialized training, serve to bridge practice levels, and de-pathologize minority stress reactions to systemic oppression.