Many people squeeze themselves into a male/female two-gender system easily and unconsciously. But others are gender-variant, and this binary system doesn’t fit them. IPG recognizes that, as our culture offers an increasing number of gender options, transgender people are developing a multitude of identities, and that some people are more gender-fluid than we ever realized.
At IPG we recognize the great variety of transgender identities and the evolving nature of the community – because we work within that community every day, and have for more than thirty years. Our gender identity therapists will accept you where you are in your life, and we’ll help you figure out where you want to go. For clients where transition is an option to explore, we work within the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) ethical guidelines, providing the support you need in order to move forward in your journey. For clients who are unsure or don’t want medical intervention, we help you figure out your unique path.
Our IPG therapists are also committed to helping those who “detransition”. Detransitioning is the process, when people who have already socially or medically transitioned from one gender to another, decide to reverse that process to return to their original gender. Available research puts the percentage of transgender people who have regrets, and then reverse a social or medical transition, at a fairly low 2.2%. But although detransitioning may be uncommon, it can be a very painful process for those who go through it. Often, detransitioning people feel shunned by both the transgender community and gender affirmative therapists. At IPG we respect all choices. We will not try to “talk you out of it”; we will help you navigate the difficult waters that are a often a mirror image of transition itself. You will be safe, and you will be helped.
What about my child?
We at IPG are known nationally as experts in working with gender-fluid children and youth. We practice from a gender affirmative treatment model, meaning we validate and support each child in finding their authentic gender identity and gender expression. We are able to help families assess whether their child is among the small number of gender variant children who are potentially transgender. When that is clearly true, we help with “social transitions”, and refer to special pediatric endocrinologists who are able to prescribe puberty-blocking treatments for young adolescents and cross-hormone therapy for older teens. We provide a completely supportive environment for all members of the family and, when needed, we are not afraid to advocate for our clients with social institutions like schools.
For more information, please read our page on gender non-conforming and transgender children and adolescents by clicking here. Plus, we’ve put together a comprehensive Resource Guide for transgender people and their allies. Click here to read it and also get a Word version of the Guide.
