![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/TransgenderFlag.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
Although a cis-identified therapist, I have been working with trans clients since the mid-90’s, making me one of the longer-running psychotherapists to work with Trans and Non-binary (TNB) populations. Since that time, the options and protections for folks have increased dramatically, yet there is still much work to be done in terms of education and advocacy.<\/p>\n
About Me<\/strong> The Work<\/strong> Additionally, I have many years of training\u00a0in somatic and experiential approaches to\u00a0working with trauma and anxiety. \u00a0Many of\u00a0those who are TNB have experienced\u00a0multiple layers and levels of oppression,\u00a0discrimination, physical threats or violence,\u00a0and even occasionally fear for their lives.\u00a0\u00a0These harmful experiences can sometimes\u00a0lead to trauma, and cause you to remain\u00a0stuck in ways that keep you from living the\u00a0life you\u2019d like to lead.<\/p>\n Navigating the complex intersections of\u00a0these (and other) factors can be confusing,\u00a0scary, exhilarating, lonely and sometimes\u00a0even transcendant. \u00a0I can support you and\u00a0assist you in figuring out what all this\u00a0means for\u00a0you\u00a0as you journey forward\u00a0toward who you are meant to be, and in the\u00a0ongoing process of living your authentic\u00a0gender identity. \u00a0And of course sometimes\u00a0you may just be looking for someone who\u2019s\u00a0aware and affirming to work on non-gender-related concerns with, and I\u2019m here\u00a0for that too.<\/p>\n Professionally<\/strong> Although a cis-identified therapist, I have been working with trans clients since the mid-90’s, making me one of the longer-running psychotherapists to work with Trans and Non-binary (TNB) populations. Since that time, the options and protections for folks have increased dramatically, yet there is still much work to be done in terms of education and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":540,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/53"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/53\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1282,"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/53\/revisions\/1282"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mylesdownes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nI am a Gender Therapist of long standing, having\u00a0worked with TNB clients since 1996. \u00a0As such, I have a\u00a0wealth and variety of training and expertise for a\u00a0wide range of experiences related to gender, and\u00a0can help you to find the path that\u2019s best for you. \u00a0I\u00a0myself am a cisgendered queer\/gay male, but have\u00a0always had a passionate interest in both how gender is\u00a0socially constructed and the incredible diversity in\u00a0how it is lived and experienced. \u00a0By now I\u00a0personally have been a member of the extended\u00a0LGBTQ community for over 30 years.<\/p>\n
\nIn my work I mostly specialize with those\u00a0on the trans-masculine scale and those who\u00a0are non-binary and\/or gender queer. \u00a0For\u00a0those who are trans men \/ trans masculine,\u00a0one of the challenges of transitioning is\u00a0often figuring out what\u00a0sort\u00a0of man to be,\u00a0or of how to embody masculinity in a good\u00a0way. \u00a0Some of the questions might be:\u00a0\u201cHow do I explore my masculinity without\u00a0contributing to patriarchal oppression?\u201d,\u00a0\u201cWhat does it mean to be a man in today\u2019s\u00a0culture \/ society?\u201d, \u201cAm I still queer if I\u2019m\u00a0now seen as a man attracted to women?\u201d,\u00a0and so on. \u00a0There is a whole spectrum of\u00a0manhood out there that is possible, and\u00a0ways of being that don\u2019t necessarily lead to\u00a0toxic masculinity or to the abuse of power.\u00a0\u00a0For those who are gender queer, non-binary, agendered, or other-gendered, I was\u00a0one of the first to support non-binary\u00a0approaches to gender exploration, and\u00a0remain committed to supporting people in\u00a0whichever way they relate to gender in a\u00a0loving, non-judgmental way.<\/p>\n
\nIn terms of my professional career, in\u00a0addition to my 20+ years of clinical\u00a0experience I have attended at this point\u00a0well over a dozen conferences for working\u00a0with TNB populations, belonged recently to the Advanced Gender Specialists\u00a0consultation group led by\u00a0Lisette Lahana<\/a>,\u00a0and have maintained my WPATH\u00a0membership since 2006. \u00a0While I am\u00a0capable of working within the WPATH\u00a0standards of care guidelines (and often do\u00a0so, especially with surgeons who require\u00a0such for gender-affirming interventions), I\u00a0personally take more of an\u00a0informed\u00a0consent\u00a0approach than WPATH currently\u00a0promotes (though they are getting better),\u00a0and have concerns about the gate-keeping\u00a0role that therapists have historically been\u00a0forced to take in order for clients to receive\u00a0necessary and life-saving medical\u00a0interventions. \u00a0I am here to\u00a0assist\u00a0you in\u00a0finding out for yourself what\u2019s right for\u00a0you, not\u00a0tell\u00a0you what that might be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"