An initial study of transgender people's experiences of seeking and receiving counselling or psychotherapy in the UK

Jane Hunt

48 citations0/0 files storedCounselling and Psychotherapy Research

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LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications Counseling Practices and Supervision

Abstract

Background: There are no published empirical research studies exploring transgender people's experiences of seeking and receiving counselling or psychotherapy outside of gender identity clinics within the UK. As a result, counsellors know little about why transgender people seek counselling, who they seek counselling from, and what their experiences are of receiving counselling. Aim: To address this gap in the literature, this study investigated transgender people's experiences of seeking and receiving counselling or psychotherapy outside of gender identity clinics within the UK. Funding for this study was provided by a BACP Seedcorn grant. Method: A mixed method small‐scale qualitative research design was employed, comprising an online survey and five semi‐structured interviews. Findings: Participants tended to seek counselling on two or more occasions and received between 2 and 12 sessions. Participants sought counselling for common psychological concerns as well as gender identity and coming out issues. A fear of being discriminated against and exploring gender for the first time were significant barriers in seeking help. Participants reported mixed experiences of counselling but valued a therapeutic relationship in which they felt affirmed, listened to and understood. Discussion: The findings from this study mirror aspects of previous research conducted in the USA concerning transgender clients' experiences of counselling. However, these findings point to the importance of recognising the potential vulnerability transgender clients experience when seeking counselling and the need for therapists to develop greater awareness, knowledge and competence regarding working with transgender clients.

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References

2006Using thematic analysis in psychology 1993Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers 1998The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects 1996Rethinking Standpoint Epistemology: What Is ‘Strong Objectivity’?2017The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects 2001Qualitative Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy 2002Gender Violence 2009Minority stress and health: Implications for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people

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2022Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8 2018Using thematic analysis in counselling and psychotherapy research: A critical reflection 2019Transgender experiences of occupation and the environment: A scoping review

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