How It's Complicated works
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Find your therapistUse our free matching service for personal recommendations, or browse our network of 2,500+ therapists yourself.
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Create your free accountSign up in under 2 minutes. All you need is an email and a password, and you're ready to go.
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Start therapyReach out to your therapist and book your first session within 24 hours. Online or in person, in 60+ languages.
Learn more about gender identity
Gender identity refers to a person's internal, deeply held sense of their own gender, which may or may not correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth. It is distinct from biological sex, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Gender identity is not a mental health condition, though the distress that can arise from living in an environment that does not accept or reflect one's identity, or from the mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex (gender dysphoria), is a recognised area of psychological support. Therapy around gender identity is available to anyone exploring, affirming, or navigating the experience of being trans, non-binary, genderqueer, or questioning.
People seek therapy around gender identity for many different reasons, and none requires a crisis or a definitive answer.
- You are questioning your gender identity and want space to explore it without pressure or a predetermined outcome
- You experience distress related to a mismatch between how you feel inside and how you are seen by others
- You are navigating a social or medical transition and want psychological support through the process
- Family, workplace, or community responses to your gender identity are affecting your wellbeing
- You are managing anxiety, depression, or other difficulties that you connect to your experience of gender
- You want to understand how your gender identity interacts with other aspects of who you are, including culture, sexuality, or faith
- You have faced discrimination, harassment, or rejection related to your gender identity and are processing its impact
Several approaches are particularly well suited to supporting people around gender identity, with an emphasis on safety, self-determination, and affirmation.
- GSRD therapy GSRD (Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity) therapy is a specialist approach specifically designed for people whose gender or sexuality falls outside dominant norms. Practitioners are trained to understand the specific psychological and social pressures involved.
- Counselling Counselling provides a consistent, non-directive space to explore questions of gender identity, process the impact of others' responses, and develop a clearer relationship with your own experience.
- Person-centred approach Person-centred therapy is grounded in unconditional positive regard and self-determination, making it well suited to work where the person's own authority over their identity and choices is central.
- Narrative therapy Narrative therapy examines the stories we carry about who we are, including those imposed by others, and supports the person in authoring a more self-determined account of their gender and life.
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions worldwide. It's Complicated is free to use, and you pay your chosen therapist directly at rates they set.
Finding a therapist who is genuinely gender-affirming, and who has relevant experience rather than good intentions alone, requires more than a standard search. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a therapist who specialises in gender identity, or browse the directory.
