Online Counseling in North Carolina for Transgender Teens, Adults & Families
Have you ever watched a body switch episode on TV and wished that was you?
Do you ever wonder if you’re “trans enough” to come out to others?
Are you wanting to help your gender non-conforming teen feel confident enough to live life on their terms?
We all come to this place through different paths, but our need is the same:
“How can I figure out this gender sh*t?”
Gender Affirming Therapy - Online & Throughout the State of North Carolina
It can be difficult to find a therapist who understands gender identity issues, especially if you live in a small town.
Many of my clients from small towns tell me that they’re faced with a choice: go to a therapist who isn’t affirming, or drive an hour or more to the closest city.
Online therapy provides a great solution, combining convenience and care.
Benefits to Online Counseling for Gender Identity
Trust and Safety
I’ve heard horror stories about people looking for help, only to have uninformed professionals lecture or shame them. Each painful experience makes it even harder to believe you’re okay, to seek help, and to connect with others.
Picking therapists just because they’re close to you can be a gamble. Many therapists mean well, but just don’t have the specialized knowledge to provide competent gender identity counseling.
Many stories I’ve heard follow the same pattern. You see a new therapist to get help and support. The counselor seems nice enough, but they make blunder after blunder. You hear a barrage of microaggressions. Some people spend their sessions educating their therapists. Others mentally check out because they don’t feel safe.
Online counseling allows you to work with a therapist who has specialized knowledge about the issues facing trans teens and adults. You’re not limited to the choices within rural areas of North Carolina. It doesn’t matter if you live in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Asheville or anywhere in between. You can well-informed, gender-affirming counseling.
You can work with a mental health professional who understands. I know how scary it can be to come out again and again about your true gender identity. I can talk with you through what to expect with puberty blockers and Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT). We can discuss possible surgeries, such as facial feminization, tracheal shave, and gender re-assignment surgery (GRS) (a.k.a. Sex Reassignment Surgery SRS or Gender Confirmation Surgery or GCS).
With online counseling, you don’t have to worry that you’re talking to someone who might be judging you. You don’t have to brace yourself for uncomfortable questions and inappropriate comments. You can let your guard down and just be yourself.
Privacy
If you’re living in a small town, people might ask why they’ve seen you go into a therapist’s building or why you leave for a few hours every week. In contrast, therapy done in your own home is completely private. No one has to know what you’re up to unless you want to tell them.
It’s a Time Saver
Online counseling doesn’t require you to drive long distances or sit in traffic just to get to an office. This allows you to spend more time working, playing, and resting. With evening and weekend appointments, counseling is done on your schedule, with minimal interruption to your day. Wherever you live in North Carolina, your counselor’s office is right on your screen.
How Online Counseling Can Help Gender Dysphoria
Whether you’re interested in counseling for transgender teens or counseling for transgender adults, online counseling provides many of the same benefits as traditional counseling. Attending counseling sessions online allows you to work with a gender therapist without having to travel potentially long distances for counseling. Our sessions simply take place through a different platform.
Many people have experience making and maintaining friends online. Clients tell me they’ve made friends on twitter, learned about gender through YouTube, or vent and get support on Snapchat. Unlike the skeptical days of yore, researchers are finding evidence that online connections are real connections. Just as you can form friendships online, we can make a genuine therapist-client bond through online counseling.
Online Counseling Sounds Great! How Do We Start?
The first step to starting online counseling is a 15-minute phone call. We will talk about your situation, your goals, and make sure I’m the right therapist for you. You can schedule a time by clicking the button below.
I know things can be hard. You might feel hopeless, or like it’s better to keep all of these feelings stuffed inside. I’ve helped many people who have felt frustrated, trapped, and confused.
Time and time again, we find that it doesn't have to suck forever.
Other Resources for Transgender Individuals & Families in North Carolina
You are not alone. I want to help connect you with other transgender affirming resources. If you’re looking for additional support for yourself or your transgender teen in North Carolina, here are some great resources I’d recommend.
Templates for letters to schools, hospitals, and colleges
Support within the Raleigh/triangle area
A directory of physicians and mental health professionals who specialize in transgender care
Local chapters of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), which provides support and advocacy. (Find all chapters here)
Other Vered Counseling Services in North Carolina
Support for Trans People & Their Loved Ones
As a gender affirming therapy center, Vered Counseling offers a variety of supportive sources for transgender individuals and their families. All of Vered Counseling’s services can be offered online from anywhere in North Carolina! Kimberly provides online counseling services for transgender teenagers, transgender adults & teenage girls (regardless of gender identity) anywhere in North Carolina. She also offers gender affirming counseling online in Texas. For individuals simply needing support (versus the emotional process of counseling), Vered Counseling offers additional support to individuals & families anywhere in the 50 states! This support can be for transgender individuals navigating the unique aspects of embracing one’s true gender identity or supportive consultation for parents & family members. Contact Vered Counseling to begin any of our services