Is affirmation acceptance? A person-centered look at gender-affirming therapy
Person-centered therapists and scholars can benefit from consideration of the growing visibility of, interest in, and need for understanding trans identities, trans experiences, and gender-affirming therapy. Use of terminology and perceptions are fast changing and affected by one's generation....
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| Published in: | Person-centered & experiential psychotherapies Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 495 - 511 |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Routledge
01-10-2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Person-centered therapists and scholars can benefit from consideration of the growing visibility of, interest in, and need for understanding trans identities, trans experiences, and gender-affirming therapy. Use of terminology and perceptions are fast changing and affected by one's generation. Recommendations for person-centered practices often emerge from qualitative research with experts who work with trans persons. Literature on working with trans persons has been increasing within the person-centered approach, and suggests a central role for sincere understanding and accepting the unique phenomenology of trans persons, but also for affirming their identities. This manuscript reviews this literature and encourages person-centered therapists and scholars to focus on unconditional positive regard, the as-if aspect of empathy, and emphasis on self-awareness and extensionality to balance the literature's call for agreement, immersion, and self-disclosure. Trans and cis persons may particularly benefit from the empowerment of person-centered therapy, not just affirmation or person-centered components diluted by agreements. |
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| ISSN: | 1477-9757 1752-9182 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/14779757.2023.2273992 |