How to Counsel a Teen With Gender Identity Issues

Teens undergo many identity issues as they progress from middle school to high school. A few even face a more difficult question of identity—gender identity. When society expects people to be male or female based on physical birth traits, gender identity issues can be confusing and isolating. Follow these steps to counsel a teen with gender identity issues.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Provide a teen with gender identity issues a safe, comfortable, nonjudgmental environment. It's hard to identify with your peer group as adolescents normally do when you feel like you were born to the wrong sex.
2. Be aware that when teens with gender identity issues keep their feelings to themselves, they are at risk for mental health problems, including depression or substance abuse. People experiencing long lasting or difficult problems with gender identity may receive a diagnosis of gender identity disorder.
3. Educate teen, family and friends that gender identity issues aren't the same thing as being gay.
4. Understand that younger teens experiencing gender confusion may find that it passes as they get older. If a teen is older, talk about perspective and acceptance of what they feel.
5. Provide teens with the different options available to them. Many try to accept their body and dress like the gender they feel they should be. Others choose hormone therapy or a sex reassignment surgery. Medical or surgical treatment is an option once a teen reaches the age of legal adulthood at age 18.
6. Encourage a teen with gender identity issues to seek out others experiencing similar feelings. Knowing and talking to others like yourself decreases feelings of isolation. Contact a group like the National Youth Advocacy Coalition.
7. Offer the teen information about local and national groups that support transgender individuals. Groups like this give emotional support and also legal information. Transgender people are sometimes the victims of hate crimes, which are illegal.

Tips & Warnings

• Encourage family and friends to obtain counseling as well if they experience problems with acceptance.
• Contact the following national organization for information and resources: National Youth Advocacy Coalition [phone] ext 12 (Mon–Fri, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender and Questioning Youth Support (800) 96-YOUTH (Mon–Sat, 9:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. EST; Tue, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. EST).