Summary

So, there's research to suggest, actually, that the rate of PTSD in the trans community is specifically high, regardless of whether trans people have been through an attack, or experienced discrimination. Purely for the fact that we expect violence, and we are afraid of violence, we live with PTSD in this community, regardless of whether we've ever experienced something traumatic, because there is an expectation, walking down the street, that something may happen. And that is really detrimental to our lived experience, our mental health, and our health and happiness.

It's important to be aware of thinking about trans people as kind of a monolith – there's one type of trans person or type of trans experience. I think it's really important to bring an intersectional lens to all of your work, not just with trans people, but recognising that we might make assumptions that bring out implicit bias, unconscious biases to working, for example, with trans people of colour. Be careful you're not making assumptions about their culture or their heritage or what their family are going to think about their transition based on unconscious biases or ultimately racism. It's really important to think intersectionally about how you're approaching your clients, what assumptions you're making about them, and what things they might want to discuss, and what kind of light you might want to shed on their experiences.

And that goes for all your clients as well. We're not just talking about trans clients here. We're talking about all clients that you see. It's really important to approach them with an intersectional understanding of their oppressions and their position in the world.