From any of us, gender questioning feelings can come off as new or even unfamiliar. For parents, hearing their young child wants to be a different gender or wants a name change can be scary. In this article, you can learn about gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and biological sex. The team at Wisdom Within Counseling are transgender specialists in Connecticut. You may ask, “What is the difference between sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression?” Essentially, each one of these four elements is part of your identity and your child’s identity. And, some of these things may or may not change throughout your entire life.
Is your spouse questioning their gender or using they or them pronouns and you want to feel closer and connected?
Does your child want to be called a different name?
Do feel concern and anxiety about your family member’s changing gender identity or sexual orientation?
Is your child questioning their gender or saying they are non-binary?
Would you like support as a parent understanding your teenager’s gender identity and building a relationship with them?
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to learn more about our team of transgender specialists in Connecticut.
When an individual has a gender identity that is different than their biological sex, is is often referred to as being transgender.
Often times, a child as young as 3 years old may have a sense of fluid gender identity. And, they are wanting freedom to choose to express their gender identity, which might be different than someone else. Even couples and adults in their 70’s are learning how to express their gender identity. Gender identity is a lifelong process of development. The team at Wisdom Within Counseling are transgender specialists in Connecticut, who can help family members gain compassion for their LGBTQIA+ loved one.
Are you struggling with your gender identity?
Gender identity is the most fluid and will often change day today or even month-to-month. Think about what you wear in summer and how that changes when it turns to winter. Next, think about who you identify as and how that has nothing to do with the clothes you wear. Essentially, as Wisdom Within Counseling in East Lyme, Connecticut, we believe that no one has to be less of one in order to be more of another. So, you’re never less of a man to express yourself as more feminine. And, you are never less feminine if you choose to be more masculine in your expression. Gender identity and gender expression are two separate aspects. Our team would love to support your process fo gaining confidence and clarity. Lastly, our team of therapists at Wisdom Within Counseling are transgender specialists in the Connecticut area.
What is sexual orientation?
When it comes to sexual orientation, this is all about who a person is attracted to. Asexual people may not feel any sexual attraction to anyone. Bisexual people will feel attraction to both masculinity and males and femininity and females. Also, a person who is homosexual is attracted to their same gender. Wait, you may say, “how are they different again?” Well, gender identity is how you see yourself, and sexual orientation is who you like. So, gender identity is a persons interview of how they understand themselves. Culture and religion can play a role in when gender identity begins to develop.
What is non binary all about?
Someone who is non-binary may believe and feel that they do not want to have an assignment to either gender. Someone who is non-binary may not feel like either male or female fits for them. Think of gender identity as a spectrum with men on one side and women on the other with a mix of variants in between. We will get more into non binary gender identity in a bit!
To help children and adults gain clarity, we offer art therapies, yoga therapies, music therapies, and drama therapies.
To start, click the button below for a phone consult to a transgender specialist in Connecticut that can help you build confidence and clarity.
Next, comes gender expression as a part of who you are.
Gender expression is how you choose to express your gender identity. Remember, gender identity is your understanding of who you are. For instance, gender expression may include clothing, hair, earrings, shoes, socks, and is how the world sees them. And, each day you may want to express yourself differently.
Sometimes, a person assigned male at birth who identifies as a male may express their gender in more feminine ways in enjoy wearing bras, dresses, and painting their nails. Other times, a person who identifies as female may choose to express their gender identity as a more masculine. They may choose to have short hair, t shirts, and wear boxers and briefs. Some traits are assigned to males and some to females via culture. Next, we will learn and talk about LGBTQIA+ around biological sex.
This is also the sex assigned at birth.
When a baby is born, they are given a biological gender. Biological sex pertains to physical anatomy and biologically determined characteristics such as genitals. Someone who is intersex, may have a mixture of both female and male biological parts. To note, someone’s biological sex may or may not be the same as their gender identity. So, someone who is assigned male at birth may be transitioning to female. Their body parts do not match their inner feelings. A person will identify as a trans female because their gender identity is more feminine, but they have been assigned male at birth.
What does non-binary gender identity mean?
Essentially, non-binary gender identity is one of the most common terms parents ask questions about. Now, the best way to describe this is that non-binary is about stepping outside of just two boxes. A long time ago, there were only male and female boxes to fit into. Now, a non-binary gender identity means that someone does not fall within these strict and a rigid male and female genders.
Essentially, a person who identifies as non-binary is stepping outside of the gender binary system.
The binary system is very common in religion and culture. As well, it is important to know that people have identified as non-binary in their gender identity for centuries. But, just now the term non binary is getting more media coverage. In history, when people fall outside of the gender binary, they may identify as two spirit, which is more common in Native American traditions.
The team at Wisdom Within Counseling are transgender specialists in Connecticut.
As well, it is important to know that not all non-binary individuals identify as transgender.
Is non binary the same as transgender?
Non-binary is a great place to stay, hang out and play around until someone gains clarity that they are transgender. Some people identify with non-binary for two months and other people for 20 years. As well, non-binary individuals may make up 25 to 35% of the transgender population. It is a common term people use in the process of realizing they are transgender. The team at Wisdom Within Counseling would love to help you gain mindfulness around gender and sexuality.
Working with a queer and transgender specialist in Connecticut can help you lower anxiety, build confidence, and self-acceptance.
What causes someone to transition genders or identify as transgender?
Now, this is a great question. It is important to know that no one can change. As well, self-realization is a process. So. it make take years for someone to realize they are transgender. Some one may think they are lesbian or gay first. Think about this question, can you point to some thing or name some thing that tells you what your gender identity is? Some people might look down at their body and say, “Hey, my outsides match my insides.” Others who are questioning their gender or transgender might say say, “My outsides do not match my insides.”
To start, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a holistic, non-binary, LGBTQIA+ transgender specialist in Connecticut.
Our team would love to help you.
Is being transgender or questioning one’s gender identity a problem or a disease?
Not at all. Now, multiple studies have shown that being transgender is simply a part of life. Just like you are identify as one thing, someone identifies as another. There is no association with mental health issues and gender nonconformity or transgender presentation. Gender identity disorder is no longer current either. Instead, this term has been replaced with the term, gender dysphoria, which describes an individual transitioning genders and facing cultural stress like bullying.
Many times, a person knows they are transgender at a young age.
Unfortunately, it is society, culture, religion, and family that creates harassment and disapproval. Unfortunately, many very conservative people feel that someone should not be transgender and if they are they are wrong. Counseling can promote family acceptance and trust.
Meeting with a family counselor who is a queer and transgender specialist in Connecticut can help you family work together and feel close.
Our team of therapists are transgender affirming and help LGBTQIA+ and queer families feel confident, supported, and accepted.
The team at Wisdom Within Counseling in East Lyme, Connecticut helps to remove the stigma of having an LGBTQIA+ feeling. Therapy also helps transgender children and adults embrace who they are confidently. In queer and LGBTQIA+ affirming counseling, transgender children, adults, and teenagers can develop a sense of security within themselves. From this self-love base of skills in therapy, children and teenagers can overcome shame.
Self-esteem for teens and young adults
LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy can support empowerment against and culture and religion create distress and disapproval.
Furthermore, our culture in marginalized people that do not fit into these two boxes of male or female. Often times, a transgender person wants to transition genders. However, a child never comes out because society has attitudes and stigmas that create shame and fear. Unfortunately, our American society does not embrace transgender people or normalize them. At Wisdom Within Counseling in East Lyme, Connecticut, our team of therapists support marginalized populations. Lastly, you can have a safe place to explore who you want to be and gain self-worth tools for healthy relationships.
What are common myths we need to bust about LGBTQIA+ people? These are not true, but some people think they are.
To note, there is a lot of fear that someone who is transgender will make other people transgender. This is absolutely untrue. Additionally, there is also homophobia that is ingrained within the culture we live in. This means that society will naturally default to harassing people who are different. In history, people with physical and mental disabilities fall into this group. Often times, parents unknowingly avoid LGBTQIA+ topics with their children out of fear that it will make their child become transgender or gay. This is not true. Working with a therapist a Wisdom Within Counseling can support lifelong positive coping tools for self-love.
Counseling in a holistic way can help someone who identifies as transgender learn that it is awesome to be themselves!
At Wisdom Within Counseling near Salem, Connecticut, you can learn to be authentically yourself. One of the benefits of working with a transgender affirming counselor is that you know you have someone who really gets your. A transgender specialist in Connecticut will already be affirming to your pronouns. As well, your therapist will ask you your preferred pronouns in your first session. At Wisdom Within Counseling near Old Lyme, Connecticut, your get respect and can be yourself.
Why is it positive and important to talk to your children about gender?
Also, your child may already be born with a mix up of chromosomes genetically and be set up to be transgender. Growing up, your transgender child simply needs a safe space to come out. Therefore, talking about gender and sexuality with your children from a young age can help them feel accepted. In the core, a child wants acceptance from their parent. And, parents have no idea how much their child is influenced by what they say and do. So, make sure to be kind to others of all genders to model that bullying is not okay. Promote self-acceptance no matter what gender identity you child is or becomes.
Why reduce anxiety and fear, and make a gender a topic of regular discussion?
As well, children understand gender from a very young age. Children are sponges and soak in culture from a young age too. Studies show that children as young as three years old understand gender and or developing a gender identity. At Wisdom Within Counseling, the therapists combine art, yoga, LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, and child centered play therapy. Meeting with a transgender specialist in Connecticut can help you as parents and your child. Child centered play therapy can encourage your child to follow their intuition and freely play. Through their play, their therapist will be assessing for gender dysphoria symptoms. Positive parenting skills are always available such as relaxation techniques to use at home.
How does Wisdom Within Counseling support transgender, queer, and LGBTQ+ youth?
By talking about gender openly, your children can learn how gender impacts every single human. It is okay for children to wear different types of clothing and push the boundaries of our gender normative society.
Did your son walk to the girls’ section and want princess underwear or the fairy wings? Does your little girl want to dress up as superman or a police officer for Halloween?
Learning about gender can help parents in understanding their child’s gender dysphoria. Sometimes, a child needs play therapy to feel less oppressed and free.
As well, LGBTQIA+ and queer affirming counseling can support positive coping tools for stress.
Family changes, losses of parents, and parents and siblings with addictions are stressors. Then, others stressors like cars breaking down or loss of a job, and life feels overwhelming alongside your gender identity feelings.
Working with a professional LGBTQIA+ guide can help you feel calm in the middle of chaos in life. You can gain self-awareness in a confidential setting by working with a holistic, creative, LGBTQIA+ transgender specialist in Connecticut. For your creative releases, painting, art, yoga, music, and walking therapies by the beach are available.
Wisdom Within Counseling can help bridge difficult conversations using drama therapy, play therapy, art therapy, and music therapy.
So, by talking about gender and sexuality with your child, you can build self-esteem. And as a family, you’re passing along positive LGBTQIA+ family values.
Working with a transgender specialist in Connecticut helps your family build LGBTQIA+ values of respect and mutual understanding, which you can pass on to generations.
As well, you are teaching your child to understand the root of bullying and be affirming and supportive to all gender differences. Talking about gender and sexuality with your children helps them understand that every human deserves respect. Art, yoga, music, and walking outdoors supports emotional expression. Your values help you child know they are playing important role in supporting others. If you have a child or you yourself are questioning your gender, non binary, or needing a safe place to think about it all, our team would love to help.
Wisdom Within Counseling is located along the Southeastern Shoreline of Connecticut.
In addition to face to face, in person counseling, our team of therapists offer support around gender and sexuality over video. Through video, our team supports the neighboring towns,
