Working with Transgender and Gender Diverse Clients in Emotion Focused Therapy: Targeting Minority Stress

ABSTRACT Our objective is to introduce therapeutic intervention, in an EFT framework, with gender diverse people. We review research outlining mental health comorbidity, and some of the unique needs of this population. We understand risk and protective factors and intervention targets through the lens of minority stress theory. Proximal minority stress variables – internalized transphobia, expected rejection, and concealment stress – are reviewed. We outline extant and emerging treatments tailored to members of the transgender and gender diverse population experiencing minority stress. We focus specifically on the utility of EFT as a model for treating proximal minority stress variables and their associated underlying emotion schemes. We focus on adapting central EFT chair tasks to meet the unique needs of transgender and gender diverse clients experiencing minority stress. An illustrative example of the implementation of such is provided in the case of a young transfeminine client experiencing minority stress.