An LGBTQA+/SGL-friendly therapist can be one of the best friends and strongest advocates for queer and trans tweens and teens.
This not because queer and trans young people inherently need counseling. There's nothing wrong with being queer or trans; the problem is in how our society reacts to us.
The stresses that accompany coming out can be challenging for even the most self-possessed young person (or, let's be honest, adult). Coming out to oneself can encompass many things, including...
- Rethinking one's entire life, including relationships with family, friends, peers, teachers, and other adults;
- Re-envisioning one's future;
- Figuring out how to acquire new or used clothes that better match one's gender identity; and
- Navigating internalized queer- and trans-antagonism.
And often that's before someone comes out to others.
When a tween or teen is ready to start revealing their identity publicly, a therapist can help them determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of it all. This process is repeated over and over again, dozens or hundreds of times. And it continues for the rest of our lives, as we decide which information to share with each person we meet.
As a part of this process, a therapist can help the young person face any negative reactions to their coming out.
Therapists can also support parents, siblings, other family members, caregivers, and friends in learning to accept (and, hopefully, celebrate) their tween or teen and in making sense of their own feelings. Part of that process may involve helping those same people better understand the feelings of their young person AND facilitating discussions in a way that's safe for everyone.
For those who are TGNC, therapists can also help the young person and their parents navigate accessing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
If you're a therapist who's looking to increase your knowledge of how to help queer and trans young people, you're in the right place.
