Interview with the “Launching Your Daughter” Podcast

Interview with: Launching Your Daughter podcast, “How Parents Support Their Teens Discovering Their Gender Identity,” Episode #37. Hosted by Nicole Burgess, LMFT, DCC.

Date of release: January 10, 2017

Episode length: 33 minutes

From the host:

Today’s guest is Dara Hoffman-Fox who is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), gender therapist, speaker and author of You and Your Gender Identity: A Guide to Discovery. Her private practice is located in Colorado Springs, CO. Dara works with transgender, gender variant, and gender questioning individuals.

In this episode you will learn:

• What is a gender therapist
• What is transgender and non-binary
• How parents can support their child or teen
• Fears parents have voiced

How parents can support their teen in discovering their gender identity:

• What does it mean to be transgender?
• Ask teenager what their discomfort level is from scale of 1 to 10
• Listen for comments where child or teen begins to wonder or challenge why that have to do specific gender based behaviors when they feel differently
• Having dialog about gender identity and if family needs more support go to a gender therapist
• Share your support with your teenager
• Create a safe space for them to be able to share their feelings and normalize this experience with them
• What is non-binary?

Fears parents have voiced:

• Fears are normal and dialog continues to open up more regarding gender identity
• Sometimes it is not easy for families depending on where you live, support system, school systems, etc
• May receive some negative feedback from others

You and Your Gender Identity:

• Dara discussed her book for young adults, adults and therapist as a resource
• Has various exercises to go through to discover gender identity
• Used template of Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell
• Reader is on their life’s journey through the exercises
• Gain a deeper understanding of yourself
• The more you can truly know yourself at a younger age can reduce the odds of you making choices that don’t fit for you

Click here to listen!

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