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Gender Identity

Helping You Love Your Gender Identity

Individuals struggling with gender identity/gender fluidity may begin by “unpacking” one’s sexual orientation, if impacted, and begins the education of HOW to navigate a “binary” world that sees men as men and women as women. Gender challenges arise when one is unsure of one’s true gender; that is, a woman can be felt to be born more male than female, and the reverse. This image of oneself may be as a result of a family of origin miscommunication or bias and can include one’s nuclear family as well. In therapy, however, one identifies is embraced and can be communicated in couples or family therapy.

In our culture, gender identity refers to a category of social identity that indicates an identification as female or male, or occasionally, some category other than male or female. Gender dysphoria refers to the distress that surfaces as a disconnect between experienced or expressed gender and the gender one that time has been born into. Whether an individual is confused about their identity or experiences a disconnect with their gender, the confusion or disconnect be assisted and helped in therapy. It is recommended to have a physician who understands gender challenges, especially if hormone therapy is desired.