Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) young people are exposed to disproportionately high amounts of traumatic experiences, compared to their cisgender peers. However, mental health professionals sometimes report feeling ill-equipped to support TGE teens, as structural factors related to anti-trans bias, and day-to-day acts of aggression and microaggression, can play an unexamined role in how TGE teens experience stress and trauma.

This book offers a guide to the unique developmental phase of adolescence, and the impact of exposure to various forms of trauma and stress, all through the lens of an affirming, depathologizing, inclusive understanding of gender diversity. It also offers concrete strategies for reducing symptoms related to exposure to traumatic stress, as well as resources for teens, and for parents and families supporting recovery and wellness in trauma-exposed TGE adolescents.

However you interact with TGE young people in your professional life, this guide will help you address their individual needs and support them with confidence.