Gender Affirming Care
Gender Health Evaluations | Family Therapy | Adolescent & Adult Individual Therapy | Medical Referral Letters | Gender Coaching | Gender Affirming relationship/couples Therapy | Gender Affirming Family Therapy
What is Gender Affirming Care?
Gender affirming care is an approach to healthcare that supports individuals in expressing their authentic gender, managing gender incongruence and finding authentic embodiment, and helping them to feel affirmed and validated in their gender. Gender affirming care goes beyond the individual and supports the the whole family system as they navigate gender journeys together. This type of care is particularly important for gender-expansive individuals, who may not identify with traditional gender norms or binary categories of male or female.
Gender affirming care can take many forms, depending on the individual’s or family’s needs and preferences. It may involve social transitioning, such as changing one’s name or pronouns, and/or medical interventions, such as hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries. It may involve therapy or counseling to manage emotional struggles that may arise, especially around the impact of minority stress. It can also involve coaching to help individuals navigate the social and emotional aspects of their gender journey.
At Quest Family Therapy, we offer gender affirming care to children, adolescents, adults, and their families who are exploring their gender identity or who are seeking support in affirming their gender and navigating their gender journeys. Our therapists are trained in working with gender-expansive individuals, partners, and families and can provide a safe and supportive space where they can explore gender and develop a plan of care that meets their unique needs.
Gender Affirming Child & Family Therapy
Gender affirming child and family therapy is a specialized form of therapy that focuses on the unique needs of children and their families. At Quest Family Therapy, we offer child and family therapy services to support gender-expansive children and their families.
Our therapists are trained in working with gender-expansive children and adolescents and have experience helping families navigate the complex issues that may arise as a result of a child’s gender journey. We understand that gender can be a sensitive and sometimes challenging topic for families, and we strive to create a safe and supportive space where families can share their experiences and feelings and find the best path forward for their child and their family.
Our child and family therapy services are tailored to meet the specific needs of each family. We may offer individual therapy for children and adolescents as an adjunct, but our focus is on family therapy sessions where parents and other family members can participate in the gender journey and the therapeutic process together. Our goal is to help families develop stronger relationships, improve communication, and support their child’s gender exploration and identity in a positive and affirming way.
If you are interested in learning more about our child and family therapy services, please get in touch with us to schedule a consultation.
Gender Affirming Family Therapy
Gender-affirming family therapy is therapy that focuses on supporting families who have a member who is transgender, non-binary, or gender diverse. This therapy aims to help families on their gender journey as they come to understand and affirm their loved one’s gender expression, identity, and in some cases, the need for gender affirming care. It is designed to create a more supportive and affirming environment for everyone involved. Gender-affirming family therapy can be helpful for a variety of reasons, including providing education and resources, improving communication, building a supportive environment, increasing resilience in hostile environments, addressing any conflicts or concerns, and navigating each step on a gender journey as they become necessary, and for parents helping get their kiddo in focus so they can all make the best decisions around care for their child.
The goals of gender-affirming family therapy can vary depending on the specific needs and concerns of the family, but typically include supporting all family members while they navigate a gender journey, strengthening family relationships, reducing stress, and improving mental and physical health.
Overall, gender-affirming family therapy can be a valuable resource for families who have a member who is transgender, non-binary, or gender diverse. By providing education, resources, support, interpersonal skills, and better understanding and communication, this therapy can help families navigate issues related to gender journeys and expression, and create a more affirming and supportive environment for their gender diverse loved one and the whole family.
Gender Affirming Couples Therapy
Gender-affirming couples/relationship therapy is a form of therapy that can be particularly helpful focuses on helping partners navigate gender transitions and changes in relationship dynamics as a result. This type of therapy is designed to provide support and education for all partners, as well as to help them strengthen their relationship and communication skills as they navigate the inevitable changes in their relationship dynamics.
Gender-affirming couples/relationship therapy can also be helpful for relationships where one or more partners identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender non-conforming and they are managing other developmental life issues, such as starting a family, parenting, relationship structures, and much more. In these situations, the therapy can help partners understand and respect each other’s gender needs, and work together to build a more fulfilling and supportive relationship.
The goals of gender-affirming couples/relationship therapy vary depending on the relationship’s specific needs and concerns, but typically include: building better communication skills, developing a deeper understanding of the relationship roles and dynamics during or following a gender transition, addressing conflicts or concerns that arise during life changes and stages, managing the impact of minority stress, strengthening the attachment bond, and in some cases renegotiating the bounds of the relationship.
Overall, gender-affirming relationship therapy can be a valuable resource for partners who are navigating transitions and developmental life stages that are influenced by gender diversity. By providing a safe and supportive space for all partners to explore their gender journeys, sexuality, and expressions, our therapists at the Quest Family Therapy can help partners build more fulfilling, satisfying, and loving relationships.
Gender Health Evaluations
Gender health evaluations are assessments conducted to help provide the best and most thorough treatment plan to support gender-expansive individuals and their families in accessing gender-affirming care. These evaluations can be brief or comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments depending on the needs of the person seeking an evaluation. They usually involve structured interviews and discussions about a gender-diverse person’s experience of gender incongruence, minority stress, as well as their psychological and healthcare needs. In some more complex situations, these evaluations may involve a series of medical and psychological assessments.
We offer gender health evaluations to individuals who want to plan out their gender journey and are seeking gender-affirming care. Our evaluations are conducted by mental health professionals who have experience working with gender-expansive individuals across the lifespan. During the evaluation, we will discuss the individual’s gender incongruence, gender expression, and goals for care, any medical or mental health concerns they may have, as well as the family’s goals and needs. We will also collaborate with the person’s multidisciplinary gender team to determine the best course of treatment.
Our goal is to provide gender diverse people and their families with the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their gender affirming care. We believe that everyone deserves access to gender-affirming care that meets their unique needs and supports their authenticity, health, and well-being.
Gender Affirming (Medical) Referral Letters
Gender affirming medical referral letters are an important aspect of accessing gender-affirming medical care. These letters are typically required by insurance companies and medical professionals, such as hormone therapy providers or surgeons, to ensure that individuals are fully informed about the gender affirming medical treatments they need and have the capacity to consent for certain medical interventions.
At Quest Family Therapy, we collaborate with individuals, families, and multidisciplinary gender teams to provide medical referral letter services to gender diverse people who are seeking gender-affirming medical care. Our therapists are experienced in conducting collaborative, socioculturally attuned, gender health evaluations and are able to provide medical referral letters for puberty blockers, hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and other gender-affirming medical interventions (when required) to access medically necessary treatment. We follow the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care, version 8 when engaged in evaluations and referrals.
We understand that the process of obtaining a medical referral letter can be frustrating, confusing, and sometimes overwhelming. Our therapists are here to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. We want to remove the stress of this process as much as we can. We will work with you to understand your goals for gender affirming care and help you determine which interventions are right for you.
Our goal is to provide you with the support and resources you need to access the gender-affirming medical care that is right for you. If you are interested in learning more about our medical referral letter services, please contact us to schedule a consultation.
Gender Coaching
Gender coaching is a unique form of support designed to help individuals and their families navigate their gender journey and expression, especially as they navigate their embodiment goals, and the social, legal, and relational aspects of their journey. At Quest Family Therapy, we offer gender coaching services to support individuals at any stage of their gender journey.
Our gender coaches are trained to provide guidance and support in exploring and affirming gender. We understand that gender journey can sometimes be a complex, personal, and sometime confusing experience. We also know it can be a beautiful and full of moments of euphoria. Our coaches strive to create a safe and supportive space for individuals to explore their gender journey, expression, social interactions, relationships, and the impact this journey may have on their lives.
Our gender coaching services are flexible and can be tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of each individual. Our coaches provide guidance and support in areas such as:
- Exploring and affirming one’s authentic gender
- Developing a gender expression that feels authentic and comfortable
- Navigating coming out to family, friends, and colleagues
- Building a support system of allies and community
- Navigating the diverse cultural landscape of gender when moving from one embodiment to another
- Addressing any challenges or concerns related to authentic embodiment
- Navigating shifts in relationships, sexuality, and dating
Our goal is to provide individuals with the support and resources they need to thrive and feel empowered in their gender identity. If you are interested in learning more about our gender coaching services, please get in touch with us to schedule a consultation.
Child, Adolescent, & Adult Individual Therapy
Child, adolescent, and adult individual therapy is a type of therapy that is focused on the individual needs and experiences of gender-expansive youth and adults. At Quest Family Therapy, while we do offer individual therapy sessions that are tailored to meet the unique needs of each gender diverse person, our primary focus is working with the family system, especially when working with children. Therefore individual sessions, especially for youth are offered as adjunctive to family sessions, unless working with the family is not an option.
Our therapists are trained in working with gender-expansive individuals and have experience helping individuals navigate the complex issues that may arise as a result of their gender journey. We understand that everyone’s experiences are different and we strive to create a safe and supportive space where individuals can explore their gender, express themselves freely, and receive support and guidance as they navigate their gender journey.
Our child, adolescent, and adult individual therapy services are flexible and can be tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of each individual. We offer short-term and long-term therapy options and utilize a range of evidence-based, gender affirming, therapeutic approaches to help individuals achieve their goals.
Whether you are seeking support in exploring your gender, social transitions, authentic embodiment goals, navigating the challenges of coming out, or addressing mental health concerns related to minority stress and gender incongruence, our therapists can provide the guidance and support you need to thrive. If you are interested in learning more about our adolescent and adult individual therapy services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to schedule a consultation.