The Importance of Gender Affirming Therapy
What Is Gender Affirming Therapy
Gender affirming therapy is an approach that recognizes and supports a person’s gender identity as valid and real. Unlike traditional therapy models that may question or pathologize identity, gender affirming therapy celebrates it. It’s not about changing who someone is; it’s about creating space for them to live more authentically and confidently.
In gender affirming therapy, clients are met with respect, understanding, and validation. The focus is on helping them navigate the unique challenges that come with being transgender, nonbinary, or gender-nonconforming in a world that often misunderstands or rejects difference.
Why Affirming Care Matters
For many transgender people, the world can feel unsafe even in medical or therapeutic settings. Clients may have been misgendered, dismissed, or even denied care in the past. These experiences leave emotional scars and make seeking help feel risky.
How many people identify as transgender?
Recent research from the Williams Institute estimates that in the United States, about 1.0% of people ages 13 and older—roughly 2.8 million individuals—identify as transgender. Of those, around 2.1 million are adults and about 724,000 are youth ages 13 to 17. This data shows that transgender people are a significant and diverse part of our communities.
What about suicide risk?
Transgender individuals face much higher risks for suicide and self-harm compared with the general population. The Williams Institute reports that among U.S. transgender adults:
81% have seriously thought about suicide
42% have attempted suicide
Without safe, affirming care, the difference between surviving and thriving can come down to whether a person feels seen, respected, and supported.
Gender affirming therapy works to rebuild trust in the healing process. It centers safety and respect, providing an environment where clients can process emotions like fear, shame, and isolation without being judged for who they are.
Affirming therapy also helps clients explore topics such as:
Gender identity and expression
Family rejection or loss
Internalized transphobia
Navigating medical transitions
Building healthy relationships
Coping with discrimination and microaggressions
How Gender Affirming Therapy Supports Mental Health
Research consistently shows that gender affirming therapy reduces depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in transgender and nonbinary individuals. When people are affirmed and supported in their identities, they experience lower stress and greater life satisfaction.
Affirming therapy helps clients develop tools to manage mental health challenges while fostering self-compassion and resilience. It’s not just about surviving; it’s about helping people thrive.
How My Existential Therapy Approach Fits In
My background in existential therapy aligns naturally with gender affirming care. Existential therapy focuses on helping people find meaning, freedom, and authenticity — core needs for many transgender and nonbinary clients.
When someone transitions or explores their gender identity, they often face deep questions about who they are, what gives their life purpose, and how to live truthfully in a world that may not always understand. Existential therapy provides a framework for exploring those questions without judgment or assumption.
In this approach, we work together to embrace uncertainty, challenge shame, and build a sense of agency. The goal isn’t to fix identity, but to help clients create meaning and live in alignment with their truth. It’s about helping people feel whole, not despite who they are, but because of who they are.
How Loved Ones Can Be Supportive
Family and friends play a vital role in a transgender person’s journey. The most important thing you can do is listen, believe, and affirm. Avoid assumptions or “helpful” advice about what someone’s transition should look like.
Simple gestures, like using correct pronouns and names, make a profound difference. Affirmation saves lives, literally.
Final Thoughts
Gender affirming therapy is about seeing people as whole and worthy exactly as they are. It’s a place where healing and authenticity meet, where clients don’t have to hide any part of themselves to receive care.
If you or someone you love is looking for a safe and affirming space to explore identity, therapy can be a powerful step toward self-acceptance and peace.
