Gender affirming therapy is a therapeutic stance that focuses on affirming a patient’s gender identity and does not try to “repair” it. Mental healthcare for people who are transgender or gender nonconforming/non-binary (TGNC) is not significantly different from the mental healthcare provided to people who are cisgender. Clarity Counseling Center in Wilmington offers superb gender affirming therapy services. Get in touch today.
However, the prevalence of emotional problems, behavioral problems, and mental health disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression, conduct disorder, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, non-suicidal self-harm, etc.) is greater among TGNC children, teens, and adults than among their cisgender peers due to a variety of life experiences including invalidation, prejudice, discrimination, and violence. TGNC persons frequently seek care for gender dysphoria (distress that results from a mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex at birth) when it causes impairment in important areas of their life such as school, work, and relationships.
Gender affirming mental health therapy is highly individualized to address gender dysphoric symptoms, emotional problems, behavioral problems, and mental health disorders. Research consistently shows that TGNC teens and adults who receive social support and gender affirming medical/mental healthcare have improved life outcomes; in one study, 80% of those who received gender affirming medical/mental healthcare experienced an improved quality of life, decreased gender dysphoria, and a reduction in negative mental health symptoms (Murad et al., 2010).
GET IN TOUCH WITH CLARITY COUNSELING CENTER IN WILMINGTON TODAY
Common topics addressed in therapy include exploring and expressing gender identity, self-acceptance, transitioning and coming out, healthy sexuality, and seeking medical (hormonal, surgical) gender confirming interventions. Skills to help manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as well as to help cope with experiences of invalidation, prejudice, discrimination, and violence are frequently taught in therapy. For patients who are pursuing hormonal (pubertal delay, hormone replacement) and/or surgical interventions as part of their transitioning, a psychological evaluation is regularly required to assess co-morbid mental health conditions. Contact our Wilmington therapists for counseling services today!
