Informing Counselor Training and Competent Counseling Services through Transgender Narratives and the Transgender Community

Abstract

This article is intended to assist mental health counselors, counselor educators, and counseling students who are already familiar with basic terms and concepts in transgender care. First, the authors briefly present an integrative approach for affirmative counseling with transgender clients that emphasizes empowerment, recognition of multicultural and sociopolitical contexts, social justice, and the use of client narratives in counseling. Second, the authors highlight resources within the transgender community and give examples of how counselors can access the transgender community for themselves and their transgender clients. Last, the authors provide a case vignette followed by a case analysis in an effort to challenge readers to consider the experiences of transgender individuals, and to demonstrate the application of the integrative approach and incorporation of transgender community resources.

KEYWORDS:

• transgender
• affirmative counseling
• transgender community
• transgender narratives