Addressing gender identity in counseling

AnitaNeuer ColburnALGBTICAL2-21-2014

ADDRESSING GENDER IDENTITY

IN COUNSELING

About meAbout youTG issues; approaches

INTRODUCTION

KNOWLEDGESKILLS

AWARENESS

FRAMEWORK

THE TRANSGENDER UMBRELLA

Separate set for LGB

WellnessResilienceStrengths-BasedSocial Justice8 CACREP domains

103 TG COMPETENCIESALGBTIC/ACA

Secret Family expectations

criticized, punished, or rejected

DEEP disappointment

Displeasing

NEVER FULLY KNOWN

BINARY GENDER DESCRIPTIONS

Boy Biological

Sex

Girl

Male Gender Identity

Female

Masculine Gender Expressio

n

Feminine

Date Women

Sexual Orientatio

n

Date Men

QUESTION YOUR ASSUMPTIONS

COY MATHIS, AGE 6

TransgenderTransitionTranswoman/manTransphobiaHeterosexismSocial justice/injustice

IMPORTANT TERMS

GENDER DYSPHORIA

Communications that subtly

exclude or nullify the feelings, thoughts, or experiential reality of a

person

MICROINVALIDATIONS

MICROAGGRESSIONS

BOSTON: 2000 - 2014

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Erikson’s Stages of Development

AffirmReflectInquire

THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE

SOCIAL TRAUMA

CAREER/VOCATIONAL

SUICIDAL IDEATION

VIOLENCE

NOVEMBER 20TH

REMEMBERING OUR DEAD

CHURCH

FAMILY

TREATMENT MODELS

• Harry Benjamin (1979)• Bockting & Coleman (1992) : 5-Task Model • Devor (2004) : 14-Stages of Transsexual Identity Formation• Lev (2004): Stages of Transgender Emergence • Wester et al. (2010): Gender Conflict Theory

UNDERSTANDING

WIKI LEAKS

Relational-CulturalSexual Identity TherapyDepth Psychotherapy

MENTAL HEALTH APPROACHES

Throckmorton & Yarhouse (2007)

Based in Narrative techniques

Assessment – informed consent – psychotherapy – sexual identity synthesis

SEXUAL IDENTITY THERAPY

Fraser, 2009Combination of approachesHow identity developedAlleviate body dysphoriaCompassionate neutralityAddress questions of meaning

DEPTH PSYCHOTHERAPY

De-stigmatizeLegislateEquip parents and teachers

Include TG in policies

ADVOCACY

WASHINGTON, DC

TRI ESS – support group for heterosexual cross-dressers and their partners. www.tri-ess.org/whatis.html.

Gender Spectrum Education and Training – creating support for all genders: https://www.genderspectrum.org/

Transfaith – contains a list of transgender Christian-based websites and resources: http://www.transfaithonline.org/engage/

GenderTree – resource for information: www.gendertree.com

All Gods Children – a guide for teaching young children about sexual orientation and gender diversity:www.gleo.org

Transgender Law and Policy Institute –non profit advocacy center: www.transgenderlaw.org

RESOURCES