Gender Dysphoria | Castle Counselling Services

Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria is where a person may experience discomfort or distress because there may be a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity, and this is sometimes known as gender incongruence.

As we know biological sex is assigned at birth, depending on the appearance of the genitals. Gender identity is the gender that a person "identifies" with or feels themselves to be. This mismatch between sex and gender identity can lead to distressing and uncomfortable feelings that are called gender dysphoria

Adults who are experiencing gender dysphoria may feel trapped inside a body that doesn't match the gender that they identify with in a general sense.

A person may feel so unhappy about conforming to societal expectations that they live according to their anatomical sex, rather than the gender they feel themselves to be.

Telling people about your sexuality or gender identity is called ‘coming out’. Coming out is an incredibly individual process. How you come out will depend on you and what you feel comfortable with at that time.

At Castle Counselling Services we can offer you that safe space to explore your gender and sexuality in a non-judgemental space where you can truly be yourself. If you are experiencing these issues it can be very isolating at times, but we can offer you support to be able to navigate your way forward, and collaboratively consider the best way forward for you as an individual. We can also signpost you to other support services available within Northern Ireland.

Who can help you?

Counselling services in the North Coast Causeway area of Northern Ireland, we can offer you an initial telephone consultation for 15/20 minutes free of charge for you to discuss the reason you are seeking counselling.