Gender-Related Treatment

Gender has become a very complex issue in the 21st-century. Post modern philosophers and queer theorists have created a field in which all of us dwell, at times benefiting and at times suffering. A social construction at its core, “gender” is rooted in the sexual differences between men and women. Some of those differences are utterly innate and unchangeable, while others have been used as tools to oppress and control each other.

When it comes to “gender-related treatment,” my approach is tailored to a number of different factors that each client brings, including their age. In terms of age, when I am dealing with people under the age of 18, the treatment is child centered, but it is not child lead. That means that we need to listen very carefully with thoughtfulness and compassion to our children, but it also means that children do not have the depth of experience or the tools to investigate our world to the same degree as those who have the benefit of both greater experience and the wisdom that may come from it. 

People embarking on gender transition often feel really good about their decision to transition, but perhaps they or their families also have questions, uncertainties, and doubts. Unfortunately, social media and popular culture tend to focus on one side of the equation of gender, exploration, and transgenderism. What tends to be left out are the stories of those who have chosen to desist from their trans identity and those whose lives have been forever altered in negative ways through the medicalization of their identity challenges. 

My goal is to minimize long-term harm by increasing self awareness and understanding of the concepts at play to help my clients achieve success in their interpersonal relationships and careers.