Couples with a Partner Who is Transitioning

Whenever there is a big change in a relationship, the couple has to adjust. Sometimes that means that there is a period of crisis or stress. Even in the best of times, change usually brings about a lot of anxiety. Change is obviously at the forefront of the relationship when there is a transitioning partner. Getting therapy doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with either of you or with the relationship. It means that you are doing all that you can do to support your relationship during this time of change.

Transgender Couples

The trans community is gaining more and more visibility and support. However, it’s still not an easy road for transgender couples. Trans couples still face a lot of bigotry, judgment, and misunderstanding. We understand that and want to provide you with a safe space where none of those things are present. We offer understanding. We come to you with curiosity and open-mindedness.

One of the things that we value is respect for who you are as an individual and as a couple. We understand the unique challenges facing transgender couples. We recognize that these challenges may play a role in your journey, and we are ready to help you work through them. However, we also understand that you are more than just your trans identity. We understand that you are unique individuals in a relationship, and we don’t assume that being trans, or that the process of transitioning, is necessarily a problem for you.

Understanding the Journey of Both Partners

Many couples facing the transition of one partner seek therapy to navigate through this time together. One of the first questions they have to answer is whether this transition will push them apart or draw them together.

Although sometimes individuals come to therapy to work through those feelings on their own, couples therapy for couples in transition offers something very different. It is a space where the experiences of both individuals can be seen, heard, appreciated, and understood by their partner. Transition affects the identity and self-perception of both people, not just the trans partner. While the transitioning partner is facing the challenges of feeling so spotlighted in their life, often the non-transitioning partner can feel somewhat invisible. This is just one of the many shifting dynamics that couples in transition experience.

It is not uncommon for couples to feel more distant from one another in some ways, at the same time that they feel more connected than ever in other ways. Conflict can occur, and conflict may feel different than it did pre-transition.

As one partner transitions, so too does their relationship. Transition forever changes how the relationship functions physically, sexually, emotionally, and psychologically. And just like the social and physical changes that are happening, these relationship changes will also stabilize at some point. It can be helpful to seek therapy to help support and shape your relationship during this time of challenge and change.

Understanding the Journey of Both Partners

Many couples facing the transition of one partner seek therapy to navigate through this time together. One of the first questions they have to answer is whether this transition will push them apart or draw them together.

Although sometimes individuals come to therapy to work through those feelings on their own, couples therapy for couples in transition offers something very different. It is a space where the experiences of both individuals can be seen, heard, appreciated, and understood by their partner. Transition affects the identity and self-perception of both people, not just the trans partner. While the transitioning partner is facing the challenges of feeling so spotlighted in their life, often the non-transitioning partner can feel somewhat invisible. This is just one of the many shifting dynamics that couples in transition experience.

It is not uncommon for couples to feel more distant from one another in some ways, at the same time that they feel more connected than ever in other ways. Conflict can occur, and conflict may feel different than it did pre-transition.

As one partner transitions, so too does their relationship. Transition forever changes how the relationship functions physically, sexually, emotionally, and psychologically. And just like the social and physical changes that are happening, these relationship changes will also stabilize at some point. It can be helpful to seek therapy to help support and shape your relationship during this time of challenge and change.

If you are interested in learning more about how LGBTQ+ counseling can help if you or your partner are transitioning, please contact us.