GENDER AFFIRMING THERAPY
Explore abundant possibilities for your gender identity, expression, and presentation with a compassionate trans therapist who gets it.
AFFIRMATION IS THE BASELINE
I provide compassionate, inclusive therapy to people exploring various aspects of their gender identities. This goes beyond simply affirming your gender, which is the minimum in my practice. I’m here to center your trans, non-binary, or otherwise gender non-confirming experiences.
gender as a trailhead
Exploring your gender identity and lived experiences can bring up a wide range of emotions. You might find yourself flashing through memories of early childhood and feel curious about what kind of beliefs you internalized about gender performance. You might notice a nagging discomfort when confronted with a gendered experience, unsure why you feel impacted in the way that you do.
In our therapy, I can support you with exploring:
Early messages about gender socialization (expectations and roles you were taught to perform)
Terms and pronouns that reflect your experience
Decisions for social and/or medical transition
Internalized transphobia
Feelings of comparison (“am I trans enough?”)
Cultural expectations that might not include, or directly reject, being trans or non-binary
Changes that might occur in existing relationships as a result of gender exploration
Coming out (or not)
Connecting with your body in ways that affirm your gender
Locating pleasure (of all kinds) in your body
Advocating for yourself in your relationships, communities, work, and school settings
Sexual practices that feel right for you, including before and after medical care
Navigating social interactions where your gender may or may not be accurately perceived by others
How to authentically move through the world with the parts of you that were socialized one way, while wanting to try on qualities that are more aligned with your current gender
“Continue to write, speak, exist, live. Not just to show the world that we’re here. But to show one another that we are. That gender non-conforming life is possible. And beautiful.”
Alok Vaid-Menon
GENDER EXPLORATION IN PRACTICE
I have nearly a decade of experience working with trans, non-binary, and gender questioning people of varying ages and multicultural backgrounds. These are the approaches that I have found work best with my clients:
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With relational psychodynamic therapy, we explore how we connect with each other. There might be thoughts and feelings that come up between us that are unique to being two people talking openly about gender in this sociocultural context.
Some clients have never talked to a trans provider before. They notice that they can be less filtered and more direct about the language they use without having to explain.
Therapy can be a space where fear, ambivalence, excitement, and curiosity about being trans is shared and acknowledged.
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With somatic therapy, I support you with connecting to your body by following sensations to their connected emotions, images, memories, or beliefs.
For some people exploring their gender, they might have disconnected from parts of their body that give them dysphoria. We can explore the body in a safe, consensual manner and use language that respects your gender experience.
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With Internal Family Systems (IFS), I help you explore parts of you that carry certain thoughts, feelings, and ideas about gender. Some parts might feel more masculine, feminine, both, or in-between. Some parts want to change quickly or move slowly, and some are scared of change altogether. We can have parts that are excited to explore gender, and parts that feel unsure about going deeper.
In my practice, we make space for and celebrate who you are, exactly as you are.
T4T THERAPY
I feel passionate about working with trans and non-binary people who have been deeply harmed by the medical industrial complex and the current political administration’s attempted erasure of trans freedom. While I do not assume the role of expert simply by virtue of being a trans therapist who works with trans clients, I understand how helpful it can be to work with someone who gets the fundamental challenges faced by trans individuals and their loved ones.
somatic healing FOR GENDER AFFIRMING surgery
For trans and non-binary folks who are about to go through a gender affirming surgery or have already done so, somatic therapy can help with reconnecting to your body after surgery. Surgery can be validating and life-saving for many people wanting to align their physical bodies with their inner worlds.
In response to surgery, the body might need extra support with integrating medically-induced changes. Somatic therapy can be especially helpful for trans and non-binary folks who experience numbness, nerve pain, or dissociation around their body pre- or post-surgery.
book your free 25-minute consultation.
Once you fill out the form, I will get back to you within 2-3 working days.