How We’re Different
We take a holistic approach to treating gender-related distress (GRD) by supporting youth in embracing what makes them unique and accepting their developing bodies. We help you build strong relationships with your children and set healthy limits. We believe medical, surgical, and social transition efforts fail to address the roots of GRD, especially for minors who are still developing and unable to fully consent to invasive and often permanent procedures.
At GHI, we believe a number of underlying factors can contribute to youth experiencing GRD. Some include anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, self-perception difficulties, giftedness, underdeveloped social skills, loneliness, family conflict, and social media contagion.
Our clinicians use a variety of approaches such as
- emotionally-focused therapy (EFT),
- cognitive-behavioral therapy,
- family therapy,
- trauma-informed therapy, and
- art therapy.
We make thoughtful clinical recommendations based on the specific needs of your child and family.
“We believe medical, surgical, and social transition efforts fail to address the root of the problem…”
“We’re here to help you use your influence sensitively and confidently.”
How it Works
If your child is under 18, the first appointment will be
- a consultation between you and one of our therapists, and
- will focus on understanding your child’s developmental history and
- what factors may be influencing his/her GRD.
The next several sessions will be between the therapist and your child, and
- will be dedicated to understanding your child’s perspective and beliefs and
- will include a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment.
The therapist will then work with you and your child to design an individually-tailored treatment plan. The plan will likely include a variety of treatment components such as individual, family, parent(s)-child, and/or couples therapy. Parent-child therapy and parent therapy/coaching are almost always foundational to treatment because you play a critical and irreplaceable role in the life and development of your child. You have more influence on your child’s environment and on your child’s sense of security and belongingness than a therapist can or should. We’re here to help you use your influence sensitively and confidently.
We contract with and refer to other clinicians to increase the accessibility of the harmony-focused treatment GHI offers. Each clinician works under the direction of Dr. David Haralson, our clinical director. Dr. Haralson has worked with teens, children, and young adults, with a special interest in helping youth experiencing gender-related distress since 2013. As a member of Therapy First (TF), he regularly attends trainings, reviews current research, and attends peer supervision to help provide the best supervision to our clinicians as possible. He is also an AAMFT-approved supervisor, which means he has undergone the most rigorous supervision training available to therapists, and is surrounded by a team of therapists who are experts in gender and gender-related distress.
Return to our clinicians page.
Donate so that GHI can provide harmony-focused therapy to low-income individuals and families burdened by gender-related distress.
