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Families in Transition: Supporting Families of Transgender Youth

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Critical Topics in Family Therapy

Part of the book series: AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy ((BRIEFSFAT))

Abstract

Disclosing one’s transgender identity as a youth and subsequent desires to transition present challenges to both the youth and their families. This article explores themes and clinical implications for supporting families during this time. Four themes are identified – construction of meaning, support, flexibility and stability, and sensitive communication – and are used to guide clinicians as they attempt to stabilize the family system after a youth’s disclosure. Clinical implications are explored, derived from the authors’ work as therapists for families of transgender youth, facilitators of a parent support group, and parent liaisons for a camp for transgender youth.

Editors’ note: First published in 2011, American Family Therapy Academy Monograph Series.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Editors’ note: The 2013 edition of the DSM (DSM-V) reclassified GID as “Gender Identity Dysphoria,” effectively downgrading it from a “disorder” to a “confusion.”

  2. 2.

    For more information on this camp see www.camparanutiq.org.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center, Fenway Health, JRI Health, Greater Boston Family Therapy Training Boston, and Camp Aranu’tiq for supporting our work with transgender youth and their families. Their support and guidance has been instrumental in our learning and clinical work with this complex family issue. It has been a particular honor and privilege to learn from the parents of the support group and to bear witness to all they have shared. We would also like to thank Thorana Nelson for her invaluable guidance through this writing process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boston, MA, USA

    Melissa MacNish MA, LMHC & Marissa Gold-Peifer PsyD

Authors
  1. Melissa MacNish MA, LMHC
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  2. Marissa Gold-Peifer PsyD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa MacNish MA, LMHC .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

    Thorana Nelson

  2. Princeton, New Jersey, USA

    Hinda Winawer

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© 2014 American Family Therapy Academy

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MacNish, M., Gold-Peifer, M. (2014). Families in Transition: Supporting Families of Transgender Youth. In: Nelson, T., Winawer, H. (eds) Critical Topics in Family Therapy. AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03248-1_13

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