Affirming, evidence-based support for exploring and living authentically within your gender identity
Whether you’re questioning, exploring, or stepping into your truth, you deserve a space where you can be fully seen. Our therapists provide:
- A confidential, non-judgmental space to explore your gender identity
- Clinically informed support grounded in affirming practices
- Practical guidance for social, medical, and legal aspects of transition (when desired)
Why Choose Mind and Body Works
Our clinicians are trained in gender-affirmative care and understand that your gender journey is yours alone. We don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we offer multidisciplinary support that meets you exactly where you are—whether you’re exploring your identity for the first time, navigating transition, or supporting a loved one. Trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and genuinely committed to your wellbeing.
Who is this for?
You might be an adult who’s questioning your gender for the first time, or perhaps you’ve known for years but haven’t had support. Maybe you’re an adolescent trying to make sense of feelings that don’t fit the boxes you’ve been given. Mind and Body Works is committed to providing psychotherapeutic services to trans and gender-diverse people.
Parents and caregivers come to us, too. Partners seeking to understand and support their loved ones. Friends who want to get it right.
Common reasons people seek gender identity therapy:
- Exploring gender identity and what feels authentic
- Managing gender dysphoria or distress
- Support through social, medical, or legal transition
- Addressing anxiety, depression, or trauma related to gender identity
- Navigating coming out and disclosure decisions
- Family therapy and relationship support
- Practical guidance on name changes, documentation, or medical referrals
- Processing experiences of discrimination or minority stress
What Is Gender Identity Therapy?
For many people, the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are used interchangeably. They’re not the same thing, though. Sex is a biological term—what a doctor assigns at birth based on anatomy. Gender is something more complex: a psychological and cultural expression of who you are.
Modern society tends to view both in binary terms. Male or female. Masculine or feminine. Most people are assigned a gender at birth that matches their internal sense of self, and they move through life without questioning it. But for some, that binary model doesn’t capture their lived experience.
Gender is actually an intricate interplay between your biological sex, your internal sense of self as male, female, both, or neither (your gender identity), and how you present and express yourself to the world (gender expression). A ‘gender spectrum’ offers a more nuanced understanding—one where gender exists on a continuum, moving fluidly between and beyond masculine and feminine, allowing space for authentic self-identification.
Gender identity therapy is a specialised, affirming form of psychological support that helps you understand and navigate your relationship with gender. It’s not about convincing you of anything or steering you in a particular direction. Rather, it’s about creating space to explore what gender means to you, helping you find stability and acceptance in your gender role (which may or may not correlate with your assigned sex at birth), and supporting your mental health and wellbeing throughout that journey.
This is different from general therapy in that it requires specific competence and training in gender-affirming care. It’s also distinct from medical interventions like hormone therapy or surgery, though therapy can support your decision-making and provide documentation if medical transition is something you pursue.
Our Approach: What to Expect
Intake & Assessment
Your first session is about getting to know you. We’ll explore what’s brought you to therapy, what your goals are, and what support you need. There’s no checklist to prove you’re “trans enough” or pressure to make decisions before you’re ready. This is your process.
Individualised Treatment Planning
Everyone’s journey is different. Some people know exactly where they’re headed; others are figuring it out as they go. We’ll work with you to create a flexible plan that honours your timeline and your goals—whether that’s exploratory therapy, managing dysphoria, transitioning support, or something else entirely.
Therapeutic Modalities We Use
Our therapists can draw on several evidence-based approaches, tailored to what you need:
- Affirmative psychotherapy: The foundation of everything we do. Your gender identity is valid, full stop.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Particularly helpful for managing anxiety, depression, and negative thought patterns
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills: For emotional regulation and distress tolerance
- Narrative therapy: Helping you author your own story and reclaim your identity
- Family therapy: When relationships need support through your transition
- Trauma-informed care: Many trans and nonbinary people have experienced trauma. We hold that with care.
Harm Reduction & Informed Consent
We believe in supporting your autonomy. If you’re considering a medical transition, we’ll help you understand the options, risks, and benefits, but the decisions are yours. Our role is to support your informed consent, not to gatekeep.
Services & Programmes
Individual Therapy (Adolescent & Adult) One-to-one sessions focused on your specific needs—whether that’s gender exploration, mental health support, or transition-related guidance.
Couples & Family Therapy Relationships can be strained when one person transitions or comes out. We offer support for partners navigating change, and family therapy to help parents and siblings understand and adjust.
Crisis & Safety Planning If you’re in crisis or facing unsafe situations, we can help you create a safety plan and connect you with additional resources.
For Parents & Caregivers
If your child or teenager has come out to you as trans or is questioning their gender, you might feel overwhelmed. That’s understandable. You want to support them, but you might not know how.
What to expect in family sessions:
We’ll create a space where everyone can express their feelings and concerns. You’ll learn how to communicate effectively with your child, understand what they’re experiencing, and explore how to support them through school, social situations, and potential medical decisions.
We can also help with practical advocacy—supporting you in talking to schools about name and pronoun use, understanding your child’s rights, and helping you connect with other parents who’ve navigated similar experiences.
Clinical Credentials & Safety
Our therapists are registered mental health professionals with specific training and ongoing education in LGBTQIA+ competence and gender-affirming care. We’re committed to staying current with best practices and understanding the evolving landscape of gender identity support.
Confidentiality: Everything you share in therapy is confidential, with very few exceptions (risk of harm to yourself or others). For adults, we won’t disclose your gender identity, transition status, or anything else without your explicit consent. For minors, confidentiality is more nuanced—we’ll discuss this clearly in your first session.
Supervision & Training: Our clinicians engage in regular supervision and professional development to ensure we’re providing the most informed, culturally responsive care possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Will my parents be told?”
For adults: No, not without your permission. For adolescents: This depends on your age and circumstances. We’ll discuss confidentiality limits in your first session and work with you to navigate disclosure in a way that keeps you safe.
“How long does therapy usually take?”
There’s no set timeline. Some people come for a few exploratory sessions. Others work with us for months or years. It depends entirely on your goals—whether you’re seeking assessment letters, ongoing mental health support, or both.
“Is this covered by insurance?”
Many insurance plans cover psychotherapy, though coverage for gender-affirming care varies. We can provide documentation for insurance claims and will work with you to maximise your benefits.
“What if I’m not sure about transition?”
That’s completely normal. Exploration is valid. You don’t need to have everything figured out to come to therapy. In fact, therapy is precisely the place to explore uncertainty without pressure or judgment.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You deserve support that sees you, affirms you, and walks alongside you, wherever you are in your journey.
