Gender dysphoria describes the feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics. Transgender and gender-diverse people might experience gender dysphoria at some point in their lives and it can cause significant distress that affects how they function in social situations, at work, and in other areas of life. It might start in childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood, or you might experience gender dysphoria around the time of puberty or much later in life. It can affect many aspects of life and lead to a fear of being harassed, teased, bullied or abused, which can lead to anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and substance misuse. People who have gender dysphoria also often experience discrimination, resulting in further stress. Also, accessing health services can be difficult due to a fear of stigma and a lack of experienced care providers.
In therapy I listen to client’s distress about their experiences of unsupportive/poorly informed GPs, employers, friends and family, witness their sense of overwhelm, both physical and psychological, validate all their experiences, and help them through the minefield of getting the right medical help if that’s what they choose, reducing stress and making good wellbeing choices for themselves.
The combination of being truly heard by someone who is prepared to fully witness what you’re going through, gaining new perspectives about what’s going on and why, making new choices about what to do about the things you want to change (and grieving the things you can’t change), developing new skills and healthy habits, and feeling the benefits of those can lead to a real sense of freedom and agency, which is so important for your wellbeing: you can embrace self-compassion and find your true sense of self.
You can find out more about my therapy and fees here https://www.theexetercounsellor.com/how-it-works/ and options for contacting me here https://www.theexetercounsellor.com/contact-me/.
