Gender Dysphoria Noise
Trans, Nonbinary, Agender, Non-Conforming, Expansive, Gender Queer, & Two Spirit Experiences
“Imagine you are working all day long, busy, and unable to think about anything else. You walk by a restaurant and realize you are hungry, that you haven’t eaten all day.
The smell didn’t make you hungry, but it helped you connect to your body and name what has been happening for you.” - Dr. Aydin Olson Kennedy on Gender Dysphoria Noise
Whether you noticed it early on in childhood, or later as an adult, the experience of coming in to one’s gender identity can be life changing. As we start to break down the “should”s & “have to”s we were taught, we might feel stressed to do this on our own.
Maybe we’ve yet to think about our gender identity but have heard this gender dysphoria noise in the back of our minds. “Women have to….” “Men should always….” “Intersex people shouldn’t…..”
Gender dysphoria noise not only comes from what we have heard others say, but the things we think about our own identities, bodies, and relationship to others.
Coming in to one’s identity can be a multi-facted process, one that starts with noticing and naming what is happening for you, and then safely inviting others in to your experience. The reactions or lack of reactions we get from others when we invite them in can bring up feelings of rejection, invalidation, and indifference. Sometimes even being celebrated can feel overwhelming, as you might start to think back on time missed. Sometimes we can even detransition to attempt to block out the gender dysphoria noise to feel safe.
I have received training from the TransYouth Care Symposium on writing WPATH letters and providing gender affirming psychotherapy. If you are seeking a letter for gender-affirming care such as hormone replacement therapy or surgery, we will do an assessment that may take between 1-3 sessions. I can provide the WPATH letter within one week of completing the assessment at no additional cost to you.
Psychotherapy is a space to process what is painful and to share what is joyful. Just because you experience gender dysphoria noise doesn’t mean that I will become your Gender Only Therapist™ Your therapy is for you and for you to decide what is important. If you are being thoughtful in exploration or discussion of transition, please know this is a no-shame space and I will not push you to make any decision.
Want to talk more about gender dysphoria noise?