LGBTQIA+, Transgender, Gender Questioning Feelings and Coming Out
If your child has questions about gender identity or gender expression, that is pretty normal of adolescents and young adults. Maybe, you are worried that they are talking about LGBTQIA+ exploration. It is normal for you to have questions, too. Wisdom Within Counseling can help you be affirming and support your adolescent. Working with an LGBTQIA+ transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida bring connection. You can talk together without feeling critiqued or cut off. Yelling and conflict may be increasing at home now. And, no matter what you feel from anxiety to love, family therapy promotes better communication. You can build meaningful relationships with your loved ones.
What is gender identity?
To start, if you insides match your outsides, you are cisgender. Some people are born with hormone inaccuracies. To note, a person’s sex assigned at birth, is their gender identity. Some people are male, female or both in their sex assigned at birth. Inside the body, hormones are a different story. Hormones tell if there is an internal sense of being male, female, neither or both. Importantly, gender expression and sexual orientation are separate things. Each person may change how they identify such as cisgender, gender fluid, non-binary, or transgender.
People who are transgender have hormones inside that don’t match their sex assigned at birth. To note, each person has a specific gender identity and sexual orientation. Sometimes, these can be fluid or change over time. Other times, they remind the same. As well, transgender people do not choose to be transgender. But, with family acceptance, a transgender person can authentically be themselves at home. A person who is transgender will feel more open to sharing their gender identity with family when there is acceptance.
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida.
Is your child transgender?
In many cases, children as young ad three years old may be transgender. Over time, children will say how they feel, and let you know if they want to be called a different name. In adolescent years, your child strongly identify as a boy or girl. At the same time, some adolescents identify as non binary, which is neither or both. Working with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida can help determine if your child is transgender or just dressing up. No matter what, don’t try to tell your child they are going through a phase.
How do gender identity and gender stereotypes develop?
Commonly, children understand gender identity at a young age. Children play dress up and learn that certain colors represent certain genders. As well, children who are gender diverse need a safe environment at home to develop. No matter what your child looks like on the outside, learn from them.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, the team of therapists specialize in LGBTQIA+ family therapy.
Your child assigned female at birth may say, “I want to get my hair cut short like a boy. I am a boy.” Take your child to get the haircut they would like. Allowing your child to express their gender in LGBTQIA+ ways helps them build confidence. It is important to note that children who feel pressure from controlling or religious parents may never come out to their parents. For instance, when rejection at home is high, parents may see self-harming behaviors or impulsivity.
How does working with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida help my family get closer?
Family therapy in Florida can help your family become closer. As a parent, you may be affirming to your transgender or LGBTQIA+ child. However, their other parent, your spouse, is not as LGBTQIA+ affirming. Unfortunately, you notice this taking a toll emotionally on your child. Your child wants to be accepted.
Sometimes, teens will self-harm, self-injure, and cut themselves when they feel rejection.
When a teen feels rejection, they may self-injure, cut, or use a sharp object to harm themselves. They may not have the tools to deal with intense emotions. Anger, loss, sadness, and irritability come out through self-harm. And, any sense of rejection or criticism can create a self-harming spiral. Self-harm and cutting covers up for feelings like anger, loss, sadness, anxiety, and fear. Teenagers who are self-harming may not know how to say, “i just really want acceptance.” At times, teenagers who are gay, pansexual, bisexual, transgender, or queer need a parent to say, “I accept you and my love for you is the same.” Talking out your child’s LGBTQIA+, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender labels can help them feel closer.
If you find talking to your gay, bisexual, queer, lesbian, or transgender child, family therapy can help. Your therapist can create a calm and serene environment to feel different emotions. As well, working with a LGBTQIA+, transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida supports better communication.
Having an LGBTQIA+ trans educated family therapist can give tips to help conflict reduce within your home.
Maybe, you have yelling going on between loved ones. In your family, you may be the peace keeper and try to help everyone get along. At Wisdom Within Counseling, transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida. supports all members of your family in connecting. On that note, holistic, creative counseling helps interweave polyvagal theory and relaxation tools. Art therapies, yoga therapies, meditation, music therapies, and creative drama therapy support families in distress.
Working with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida helps your family build positive coping tools.
Gender identity, sexuality, and expression have a connection to mental health. If your home is not a safe place, your child may feel unwanted or alone. Suicidal thinking can increase when your child feels any rejection. Working with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida helps everyone understand the same terms. You may feel like you are learning a while new language as a parent. For instance, your teenager may say, “I am a demigirl.” As well, your transgender male may say, “I want to shop in the other section of the clothing store. I want to play football.” Having regular appointments for counseling with a family therapist can help make these important decisions. In LGBTQIA+ counseling in Florida, you can take part in parent-only sessions while your teen has counseling.
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida.
What is gender expression?
When it comes to gender expression, your child has their own style. Maybe, your child likes makeup in certain colors. Or, your child plays tennis, does dance and ballet, and is in boy scouts. Notably, your child’s gender expression doesn’t always have a connection to gender identity. Just because your male does ballet doesn’t mean that he is gay. And, just because your girl wants to play football, it doesn’t mean they are lesbian. Often, society and culture cause children to assume they have to be one way or the other.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, we embrace diversity in gender expressions.
For example, does your girl show curiosity about standing up to urinate. Doing this once or twice may not mean your child is transgender. However, it can mean they are gender questioning and may be transgender. If they insist to stand up to urinate as they get older, they may be transgender. Also, your teenager may ask to use the opposite gender bathroom at school. Some of their teacher may already be using their preferred name. Maybe, your teenager was Mary and now they want a more queer or non-binary name like, Mo.
Is there anxiety with being transgender?
In addition, gender questioning, non binary, and transgender teenagers will have anxiety about wearing a bathing suit. Sometimes, a child may feel like they can’t be out in public. As well, they may want to wear a baiting suit generally worn by the opposite sex. Children may have a magnetic pull to play with toys stereotypically for the opposite sex. It is okay to let your child play with toys assigned to the opposite sex. Your little girl may want to play with legos, trucks, and a toy toolbox. And, your little boy may want to play with a pink feather boa, fake nails, and lipstick. Children may have anxiety and panic disorders around rejection. At Wisdom Within Counseling, we support transgender and LGBTQIA++ teens and young adults in building confidence.
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida.
How to be supportive from LGBTQIA+ transgender specialists in family therapy in Florida?
First of all, being supportive is very important to prevent suicidal thinking in your teenager. When your child wants to talk about gender identity or their sexual orientation, talk with them. Family counseling at Wisdom Within can be a support when it gets conflictual. Sometimes, family members stop speaking to one another. This is very negative. So, working with a a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida can bring connection again.
What is another tip for being supportive of my LGBTQIA+, transgender, queer, or gay child?
Remember, don’t out them in public. Let your teenager tell you which friends or family members are safe people for them. Don’t tell your child that they can’t be who they are around certain people. If your parent is old fashioned, prep them that your child is now part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Hang a pride flag outside your house to show pride. Let your teenager hang any LGBTQIA+ pride flags in their bedroom as well. As well, take the time to guide relatives in LGBTQIA+ affirming behaviors too.
How can I be a supportive figure for my LGBTQIA+ teen?
As well, find safe environments where gender expression is possible. Maybe, it means switching to a more liberal or open church, or one with an LGBTQIA+ youth group. Don’t be judgmental and schedule gender diverse events and activities. Find an LGBTQIA+, gay, lesbian, queer club locally or online to join. Go as a family and check it out. Then, make a weekly habit of attending the LGBTQIA+ group. As well, don’t blame your child for expressing their gender. In addition, don’t call your child or teenager names other than their preferred name.
Don’t prevent your child or teenager from socializing with friends who are gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, or queer.
Allow your teenager to pick their friends and be a sounding board when they need. If you notice anyone belittling your teenager for their gender expression or LGBTQIA+ labels, step in and educate. Let others know you are proud of your transgender teenager on social media too.
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a transgender specialist in family therapy in Florida.
