An initial study of transgender people’s experiences of seeking and receiving counselling or psychotherapy in the UK

Jane Hunt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: There are no published empirical research studies exploring transgender people’s experiences of seeking and
receiving counselling or psychotherapy outside of gender identity clinics within the UK. As a result, counsellors know little
about why transgender people seek counselling, who they seek counselling from, and what their experiences are of receiving
counselling. Aim: To address this gap in the literature, this study investigated transgender people’s experiences of seeking and
receiving counselling or psychotherapy outside of gender identity clinics within the UK. Funding for this study was provided
by a BACP Seedcorn grant. Method: A mixed method small-scale qualitative research design was employed, comprising an
online survey and five semi-structured interviews. Findings: Participants tended to seek counselling on two or more occasions
and received between 2 and 12 sessions. Participants sought counselling for common psychological concerns as well as gender
identity and coming out issues. A fear of being discriminated against and exploring gender for the first time were significant
barriers in seeking help. Participants reported mixed experiences of counselling but valued a therapeutic relationship in which
they felt affirmed, listened to and understood. Discussion: The findings from this study mirror aspects of previous research
conducted in the USA concerning transgender clients’ experiences of counselling. However, these findings point to the
importance of recognising the potential vulnerability transgender clients experience when seeking counselling and the need for
therapists to develop greater awareness, knowledge and competence regarding working with transgender clients.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)288-296
Number of pages9
JournalCounselling and Psychotherapy Research
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2014

Keywords

  • transgender; gender; counselling; client experiences

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