Person-Centred Counselling for Trans and Gender Diverse People: A Practical Guide

Description

Trans clients are frequently doubted, misunderstood, infantilised and judged by professionals, and this book presents an approach that ensures psychological wellbeing and trust is built between counsellor and client. This person-centred, affirmative approach is based around unlearning assumptions about gender and destabilising professionals' ideas of 'knowing better' than, and judging the client, so that they can forge a relationship and connection that is on an equal footing. The book explores a range of topics such as the overlap of gender diversity and autism, sex and sexuality, intersectionality, unconscious bias and reflective practice. Essential reading for professionals that want to support trans people's mental health and social wellbeing. PERSON-CENTRED COUNSELLING for TRANS and GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE Contents Acknowledgements Preface Chapter 1 - The Story of Gender and Sex Assigning sex The existence of intersex people Gender identity The building blocks of gender Gender through history and across the world Conclusion Chapter 2 - Who Are the Trans Community? Why ‘all these labels’? Fear of ‘getting it wrong’ Anxiety around difference The plurality of trans experience Gender incongruence Conclusion Chapter 3 - Is It the Right Thing to Transition? Transition goals Working with fear and loss in transition Detransition Transition options Conclusion Chapter 4 - Transitioning and Its Impacts Socially transitioning and changing records Gender Identity Clinic referrals Assigned female transitions Assigned male trans people Attitudes to body modification Intersex people Hormone myths and issues Transgender young people Conclusion Chapter 5 - Divergent People What Alan Turing can still teach us Autism as an identity Sensitivity and synaesthesia Conclusion Chapter 6 - Minority Stress and Its Causes Minority stress The pressures on the trans community Social hierarchy and its impact The web model Conclusion Chapter 7 - A Diverse Community Who speaks for LGBT+ people? Racism within the LGBT+ community Marginalised experiences within the trans community Difference across the LGBT+ community Conclusion Chapter 8 - Trans Sexuality How we pathologise non-standard sexuality Trans people and sexuality Conclusion Chapter 9 - Do’s and Don’ts for Counsellors Counsellor competence Misgendering and other language issues Poor theorising Attitudes to trans counsellors and trainees Tips for a trans friendly workplace Conclusion Glossary References Index Blank Page