If you’re feeling uncomfortable with the body you were born in or you’re questioning whether or not you’re transgender it can be difficult to ask for help. You might not know where to go or feel left out by the current medical system. In this case, a gender therapist can help. Gender therapy can help to explore gender and is a safe space to express feelings without being judged. Read on to find out what Gender Therapy is and where to go to get help.
What is Gender Therapy?
Gender Therapy might sound intimidating, but it certainly is not. Gender Therapy is carried out by a professional Gender Dysphoria Therapist. This therapist specializes in dealing with people who are not sure what gender they belong to and helps people to explore their gender. This happens in a non-judgmental and safe way. Many patients are afraid that a therapist will push them into a corner and will try to convince them to conform to the norms of their birth gender. A gender therapist will do no such thing. He or she will listen and ask questions related to your feelings and emotions and creates a safe space for people to express themselves and their feelings.
Why choose Gender Therapy?
Gender is a relative term and means something different to everyone. Therefore, it can be hard to navigate the world of gender and finding out where you belong in this place. Without the guidance of a professional, a gender-questioning person might become frustrated and the experience can become painful and difficult. When not receiving support or validation, a gender-questioning person is prone to mental health issues.
A Gender Therapist is there to help guide you through the process of becoming your authentic self. They can provide support, as well as treatment and help you to make the right choices. Gender Therapy is a positive and effective way to explore your questions and guide you towards the person you want to be, no matter what gender or no gender you choose to be. It makes the patients feel safe, heard and helps them to feel happy in their own body. Gender Therapy helps to create clarity between what a person is feeling and what the person is experiencing.
What to expect during Gender Therapy
During Gender Therapy the therapist will firstly ensure that the patient feels comfortable and knows that everything that is said will stay confidential. The therapist will ask a number of medical questions to determine the mental and physical health of the patient. Confusion might be caused by abuse, body dysmorphia and suicidal ideas and it is important for the medical professional to make sure that the patient will not regret their transformation to another gender afterwards.
After this, the therapist will ask you several personal questions about your experiences and feelings with gender. There are three areas that the therapist is going to explore during the session.
- Gender expression
- Gender congruence
- Personal sense of the correlation between birth gender and gender feelings
It is very important that the therapist works together with you to create a good image of how you feel about yourself, how you would like your appearance to be (including clothing, hairstyles, make-up, etc.). Gender congruence is about exploring how a patient really feels about gender. The goal of Gender Dysmorphia Therapy is not to push you towards a specific gender, but to make sure that you can be your authentic self and embrace your true identity.
What Gender therapy can do for you
Gender therapy provides a safe space where you can express your thoughts and feelings, without being judged. It is the time to let go and really talk about your deepest wishes and desires. A therapist stands by your side and makes sure you do not have to go through this process alone. It can give strength and self-confidence and helps to affirm a persons’ true feelings. Gender therapy can help you feel accepted and gives you clarity about what you are feeling and experiencing.
Gender therapy is a good way to make a complete picture of your ideas and wishes and can help to take a step back and really reflect on gender and your personal ideas related to gender. At the end, you do not have to determine whether you are cisgender, transgender, non-binary or gender fluid. It is just about finding your true self with the help of a professional who knows exactly which questions to ask and what things to consider.
Where you can find help
If Gender Therapy sounds like a good thing for you to experience, you might want to go to a specialized center where they offer Gender Therapy. More and more LGBTQ centers are opening as the demand for Gender Therapy grows. In these centers it is not only possible to receive therapy, but also to take the next steps, if you are thinking about changing gender. Centers can give you advice on sex changing operation, hormonal therapy and medicine, voice therapy to help speak more like the preferred gender and psychological support.
When looking for a Gender Therapist, it is important to consider one that you feel comfortable with. Visit multiple therapists and choose the one that makes you feel accepted, heard and comfortable enough to share your story with. During the visits, you may want to ask questions about the therapists experience with gender-questioning or transsexual patients, what their approach would be towards helping to fit into the gender idea and background and education related to Gender therapy. There are different therapists for different areas, such as therapists specializing in Gender therapy for children, young adults, adults or elderly. Furthermore, some therapists can only give counseling while others can help you with finding the right clinics for procedures and medication.
