My practice includes doing counseling and therapy with individuals and couples with gender issues.

Including but not restricted to, crossdressing and/or transsexuality. Such issues can cause serious problems for not only the individual but for a couple in which either or both partners have gender dysphoria.

I have had significant success in helping people to understand and deal with the particular problems that inhibit or deter intimacy with others due to such considerations. I would welcome consulting with those who feel they can use help in this area.

I am also attuned to the differences in how gender affects the way people communicate with each other, and have given workshops to other professionals on the subject.

Transsexuality is more openly talked about in present-day society but traditionally has not been dealt with comfortably by many in the general public including those in the mental health profession. It has often been treated dismissively as a “perversion” and the act of gender re-assignment surgery seen as a mutilation.

In my practice, I have encountered and treated quite a few male crossdressers, most of whom were married and trying to deal with the impact of their crossdressing on the marriage. Most crossdressing men do not wish to change gender. Some do. Most wives of crossdressing men fear that their husbands will become more and more public about their dressing in female attire and ultimately, want to become and live fulltime as female . These issues most often benefit from exploration and a mutual wish to deal with them without breaking up the marriage.

There is now a significant and growing body of literature on this subject, for both people who are gender dysphonic and for professionals and others who want to know more about it. There are also many resources that never existed, including Internet sites which provide comfort, support and dialogue for crossdressers and transsexuals and slowly, there has been movement toward de-pathologizing people with these particular problems. The Internet groups are comprised of those with many different attitudes, opinions and convictions about gender issues and although it may take some research, most people wanting to connect with others like themselves, eventually find a space online where they can safely and comfortably express their personal feelings and experiences as a cross gendered or transsexual person, or someone whose partner, child, friend or parent is dealing with this issue.

One of the many issues that need addressing is the reconciliation of gender-dysphonic behavior with one’s religion, cultural beliefs, and family values. Another is dealing with people in one’s workplace and/or profession. As more and more people are able to successfully and openly transition genders in their trades or professions, it becomes less of a necessary burden to “live in the closet” and to hide aspects of oneself that are felt to be unacceptable in our society.

If you feel that you or someone you care about might benefit from a consultation about getting help in dealing with any of these issues, please give me a call.