Therapists Host November 3 Discussion for Parents on Misogyny and Speaking Up

Laura Hoge, RSW, leads a November 3 Zoom discussion on supporting young people who challenge misogyny, with co-host Clayre Sessoms, RP.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Public attention on the Cornell 7 lawsuit has centred on seven accused men. A Vancouver therapy practice is convening a public discussion about a different thread in the reporting: the group chat where, according to news accounts, dozens of people saw what was being said and no one objected.

Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy Inc. has opened registration for When Speaking Up Means Standing Apart, a two-hour online discussion for parents, teachers and caregivers. It runs Tuesday, November 3, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. Pacific time on Zoom. Registered social worker Laura Hoge will lead the discussion, with registered psychotherapist Clayre Sessoms as co-host.

The civil suit filed in September 2026 names seven current and former Cornell University students, who have denied the allegations, and the Tompkins County District Attorney has reopened the investigation. The discussion doesn't take up the case. It takes up the question the coverage raised for parents: what makes a young person hesitate when they already know something is wrong.

"A boy can believe everything he's been taught about consent and still say nothing, because objecting costs him something different: his security as a member of a group," says Hoge. "I've spent years helping adults understand how they learned to protect a relationship. We're asking teenagers to do something harder, with far less practice."

The discussion draws on Hoge's recently published article, Raising an Upstander: On Misogyny, Belonging, and Standing Up, published October 16 on the practice's blog. Topics include preparing for conversations about misogyny, standing with a person targeted, and how adults can prepare young people for the consequences of speaking up in a group. Hoge and Sessoms will also look at alternatives to direct confrontation, including asking for help, and at what children learn about disagreement from watching the adults around them.

"We ask young people to stand up for someone being harmed, even when that means standing apart from their friends," says Sessoms. "Adults have work of our own in moments like these: are we taking harm seriously? Do we support people being targeted? Do we support our children when they speak up with us?"

The programme will include time to consider possible scenarios, individual and group reflection, and a question-and-answer period with the hosts. It's an educational discussion, not group therapy. Participants may speak, write privately or listen. Cameras and paired breakout practice are optional, automated captions are available, and there's a ten-minute break. Recording and screenshots are not permitted, and participants will be encouraged to leave identifying details out of what they share.

Hoge and Sessoms are available for interview before and after the event, by phone or video.

Event details

What: When Speaking Up Means Standing Apart, a discussion for parents, teachers, caregivers and mentors
When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 5 to 7 p.m. Pacific (8 to 10 p.m. Eastern)
Where: Zoom
Led by: Laura Hoge, RSW. Co-host: Clayre Sessoms, RP, CCC-CCS, ATR-BC
Cost: CAD $25, $10 or $0, with the same participation at every level
Registration: closes October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Each adult registers separately, including when sharing a screen.
Register: https://www.clayresessoms.com/community#raising-an-upstander

About Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy

Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy Inc. is a Vancouver-based, LGBTQ-led practice offering online therapy for adults in Canada. Its services include individual and relationship therapy, low-cost counselling, and community learning events.

Clayre Sessoms
Clayre Sessoms Psychotherapy Inc.
info@clayresessoms.com