FAQ

Choosing to begin therapy takes a lot of courage and strength. The choice to do therapy is a choice to pursue self awareness, personal growth, healthy connection, and joy. It is a hard choice to make, but it is a good and rewarding choice. We at GIC respect the courage it takes to make this choice and show up for the journey. We also take our role as therapist very wholeheartedly. To be someones therapist is an honor and privilege.

Every therapist at GIC has dedicated themselves and their career to honoring this privilege. We are dedicated to being open, understanding, and supportive. We value continuing our own education so that we are always bringing knowledge and recourses. We are not therapists that focus only on the surface level and quick fixes, and we seek to understand the underlying needs that are causing unpleasant symptoms. We also bring a very thorough and specialized knowledge of gender identity and everything connected to exploring gender identity.


What is gender?

Gender has been defined many ways. At GIC, we welcome all definitions of gender. The most important thing is discovering who you are. We seek to explore self and find what fits and what does not.

Gender is a complex psycho-biosocial construct. It is deeply personal and a core part of everyone’s identity. There are stereotypical views of what it means to be masculine and what it means to be feminine. Media and culture often times define gender in hurtful ways. Our goal is to help each individual to discover what gender identity means for them.

Gender is not the same as biological sex, as our biological sex only defines the biology we were born with. Gender is also not the same as sexual identity. Our sexual identity defines who we are attracted to. One could identify as pansexual, bisexual, homosexual, heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or asexual. These are all different than gender identity, but they’re also important aspects of identity to explore and understand.

The goal is to be healthy, happy, and embody all aspects of self in a mature and holistic way.


Do we provide professional referral letters for transitioning?

The short answer is yes, we can!

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has a thorough standard of care that can explain these letters and their general requirements in more detail: https://www.wpath.org/. At GIC we follow their standards of care and provide letters as needed.


Who do we work with?

We work with all ages. We welcome anyone who is open to going on a journey of self exploration. Whether you identify as transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, gay, straight, LGBTQ+, cis female, or cis male. You may identify with your sex but wrestle with masculinity/femininity, we can help you explore that.

Identity development and exploration is a hard and confusing part of growing up. It often comes with intense anxiety, depression, or anger. Along with gender identity we also work with the following:

  • Relational stress/couples work

  • Family conflict

  • Dissociation

  • Dysphoria

  • Social Anxiety

  • Psychosis

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Bipolar

  • Self harming

  • Suicidal thoughts

  • Anger

  • Internalized transphobia

  • Internalized sexism

  • Bullying

  • Abuse

  • Trauma

  • EMDR


Are there services for parents?

Yes we also support parents. There is a huge lack of resources for parents who are trying to help their child explore gender. Parents need guidance and education on this just as much as children do. We provide parent coaching sessions to come along side parents and help give clarity on what their child is processing.


Choosing in person verses online therapy:

There are a lot of resources available for solely online therapy. However, choosing a local therapist who is available to you for in person therapy is extremely valuable. Therapist’s established in person are often more committed to their work environment, meaning they become more reliable and dedicated to you long term. Yes, telehealth is a valuable option for convenience and accessibility.

However, if you can have both options then you can get the immense value of being present in person with your therapist which will give you the ability to connect differently, establish a safe environment in your life, and benefit from the energy and experience of in person connection and safety. In person therapy increases the capacity of the therapist to communicate effectively with you, take in body language, and interact fully in real time. We highly recommend you choose a therapist who is able to offer you in person and virtual therapy rather than only online.


How often do we meet?

The common structure of therapy is weekly 50 minute sessions. Due to the complex and deep work of identity exploration we believe it is best to have consistent weekly sessions. However, we are flexible and want to create a structure that works for you.


How long does therapy typically last?

Therapy can last anywhere between a couple months and several years. It depends on the person and their goals. For longer term goals you may want to commit to a year. This is important because this type of work is challenging and requires work and commitment. Identity work is not like a scratch that heals quickly, it takes time to develop, explore, experiment, grow, and heal. It can be a beautiful life changing journey we would love to go on with you. However, if you want just try out a few sessions and that’s all you need we can do that too.


Do you take insurance? Why not?

No, we do not currently take insurance. When insurance is not involved, the therapeutic relationship can remain only between the therapist and the client. In this way, confidentiality remains in tact and all information is protected. Insurance does not always have the best interest of the client in mind. It often tries to dictate our work through a medical model of measuring symptoms. We believe the inner work of therapy should be allowed to be creative and complex with the freedom for the client and the therapist to create it into what it needs to be. We can also better protect the confidentiality of therapy by not sharing information with insurance companies.


Do you provide spiritual or faith based services?

Yes! We work with families of all faith backgrounds and deeply respect faith values. If you are looking for a therapist with a specific faith background please call us and ask. We have a diverse group of therapists with different faith backgrounds and we would love to find the right fit for you. We also have several therapists that specialize in helping individuals through religious trauma.


Do you provide therapy for more than just gender identity?

Yes! Gender is our specialty, but gender is one aspect of identity that has an impact on all the others. Our goal is healthy mature identity and true grounded self expression. This includes exploring all other aspects of identity and self esteem as well. It also often means we need to address trauma and bring healing to pain before moving into gender exploration. Sometimes it’s necessary for safety purposes to focus on calming anxiety and using copings skills for depression. Our therapists are all thoroughly trained in general mental health therapy.

If you have any questions about whether or not we are equipped to help you, please give us a call at 480-349-3671!


What if I have had bad experiences with therapy in the past?

After having a bad experience in therapy it is really hard to give it a try again. We understand that coming to therapy takes a large amount of courage and strength, especially if you have had a bad experience with therapy in the past. It can be very risky to open up and be vulnerable with your needs. As therapists we highly respect this courage and vulnerability and would love to hear about your past experiences. We take our responsibility very seriously and continually strive to provide you with the highest quality therapy. We believe we should hold a high standard for ourselves so that we can protect and empower your courage.


Can I take a quiz to find out if I’m non-binary or transgender?

If you want to figure out if you are non-binary or transgender then a quiz is not the best way to figure this out. The absolute best way to figure out if you are non-binary or transgender is in therapy with a therapist who really understands gender identity and can help you explore this topic in depth. If you are asking this question at all then you should come to therapy. The best way to learn about your gender identity is in a safe relationship with someone who knows what questions to ask and can support and guide you in exploration.


I am part of the LGBTQ+ Community but I don’t need any help with gender, can I come here?

Yes! We are a home to all LGBTQ+ individuals. In Phoenix it can be really hard to find a LGBTQ+ therapist. We understand this and welcome everyone from the community even if gender is not a topic you need to explore. Our therapists are all specialized LGBTQ+ therapists and are a great fit for any queer individual seeking therapy.