Date of Award

2024

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Program

Counselor Education and Supervision

Department

Psychology

Faculty Advisor

Danielson, Jessica

Description

Transgender and gender-diverse people experience prejudice, invalidation, and minority stress. There have been strides towards counselor competency when working with this population, however research is limited in exploring how a counselor can help the cisgender partners and partner dynamics. The research becomes scanter if the cisgender partner identifies as gay or lesbian. “Co-transitioning” is a term introduced by Theron & Collier (2013) that refers to the adaptation process a partner undergoes alongside their transitioning partner (Theron & Collier, 2013, as cited in Siboni et al., 2023). While a trans individual is transitioning, their partner must also renegotiate different aspects of their identity, as well as navigate a new relationship dynamic. Thus, the cisgender partner is engaging in a transition of their own. With limited evidence-based research available, counselors may not be providing competent services to trans partners. Research suggests that the partners who seek counseling services often experience a lack of psychological support (Van Acker et al., 2023). To combat the lack of research and support, this study aimed to answer the following research question: “What is a counselor’s role in helping gay/lesbian, cisgender partners of trans individuals navigate the co-transitioning process?” The goal of this study was to explore this population's needs and how a counselor may assist these individuals through the co-transitioning process.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/33942

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