ABSTRACT
While acknowledging and celebrating recent progress with regards to gay rights, this chapter also seeks to ask who is left out of these advances, calling for a socially just, affirmative counseling approach towards working with transgender persons. Beginning with a review of the historical pathologizing of non-dominant sexual orientations and gender identities, the authors outline the critical need for more trans-informed practitioners, while sharing key facets of their own practices informed by queer theory and narrative therapy. The chapter presents several case studies to illustrate how Queer Informed clinicians can help to expose the socially constructed nature of gender and assist clients in consolidating self-honoring identities closely aligned with their values and purposes.
