Today marks International Transgender Day of Visibility, a vital annual observance that celebrates the resilience, achievements, and lives of transgender and gender-diverse individuals worldwide. As mental health professionals dedicated to challenging structural inequalities, we at Greenpoint Psychotherapy recognize this day as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to trans-affirming care and to highlight the importance of visibility in fostering understanding and acceptance.
The Significance of Visibility
Visibility matters. For transgender individuals, being seen and recognized for who they truly are represents a fundamental aspect of dignity and personhood. Yet visibility is complex, it can be both empowering and vulnerable. While increased representation in media, politics, and everyday life has helped advance transgender rights and acceptance, visibility can also expose individuals to discrimination, harassment, and violence.
This paradox underscores why therapeutic spaces must be intentionally cultivated as havens where transgender individuals can explore their authentic selves without fear of judgment or rejection. At Greenpoint, we strive to create such spaces, environments where visibility is celebrated, not merely tolerated.
Mental Health in the Transgender Community
The mental health challenges faced by transgender individuals often stem not from their gender identity itself, but from navigating a world that frequently fails to recognize or affirm them. Research consistently shows that transgender people experience disproportionately high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation—outcomes directly linked to experiences of discrimination, family rejection, and lack of access to gender-affirming care.
These statistics are not inevitable. When transgender individuals receive affirming support from families, friends, communities, and healthcare providers, their mental health outcomes improve dramatically. This reality informs our practice’s approach to therapy with transgender clients: we recognize that affirmation is not merely beneficial but essential to well-being.
What This Day Means to Us
When we think about International Transgender Day of Visibility, we think about the stories we’ve been privileged to witness – the client who finally felt comfortable enough to share their true name during our third session, or the person who joined a therapy session from their bedroom dressed authentically for the first time.
These aren’t just professional milestones for us, they’re deeply human moments that remind us why we do this work. We’ve sat with clients through the joy of receiving their first prescription for hormone therapy, and we’ve also held space for the pain when family members weren’t immediately supportive.
In today’s world, where we regularly hear from clients about the anxiety they feel when reading headlines about anti-transgender legislation, we know our role goes beyond traditional therapy. When a client tells us they finally felt safe enough to exhale during our sessions, we’re reminded that creating this kind of space isn’t extra, it’s essential.
The transformation we see when someone goes from hiding their identity to embracing it isn’t just therapeutic progress, it’s witnessing someone reclaim their life. These moments don’t just happen on March 31st; they happen in quiet, everyday victories that might seem small to others but represent enormous courage.
How We Show Up for the Transgender Community
Here’s how we try to show up differently:
We do our homework. When a client mentions they’re considering top surgery, we don’t respond with “What’s that?” We’ve already educated ourselves about gender-affirming procedures, so we can focus on what matters, their feelings about this important step.
We acknowledge financial realities. We’ve heard too many stories about the “trans tax” , the extra costs of transition-related care often not covered by insurance. When a client needed a support letter for gender-affirming care, they told us about previous providers who charged extra fees or required additional sessions just to write these letters. We see this documentation as part of our regular care, not an add-on service with premium pricing.
We don’t pretend to know everything, when we aren’t familiar with something and one of our clients educates us. We thank them, make the adjustment, and keep learning – because we know language evolves and our education is never complete.
We want to be the therapists who clients describe as “getting it”, where you don’t have to justify your existence before addressing your anxiety, depression, or relationship concerns. We want your therapy to be about you, not about educating us.
Our Commitment to Trans-Affirming Care
As a telehealth practice, Greenpoint Psychotherapy is uniquely positioned to provide accessible trans-affirming care that reaches beyond geographic boundaries. Our virtual approach means:
- Safe access to therapy from the comfort and privacy of one’s own space
- Elimination of transportation barriers that can complicate in-person care
- Increased accessibility for those with mobility challenges or those living in areas with limited LGBTQ+ resources
- Flexibility in scheduling that accommodates diverse life circumstances
Our telehealth services ensure that transgender individuals can access quality mental health support regardless of where they live, making affirming care more democratic and widely available.
In our practice, trans-affirming care means:
- Respecting each client’s self-defined gender identity and preferred name and pronouns
- Acknowledging the intersectionality of identities and how race, class, disability, and other factors shape transgender experiences
- Recognizing that there is no single “transgender experience” or pathway
- Advocating for clients navigating healthcare, legal, and social systems
- Continually educating ourselves on evolving understanding of gender and best practices in transgender care
While telehealth might initially seem more isolated than in-person therapy, we’ve found that virtual spaces can foster unique forms of connection and community. Our digital approach allows us to facilitate connections between clients and virtual support networks, regardless of geographic location.
We believe that effective therapy for transgender individuals extends beyond the individual session. Through secure telehealth platforms, we create opportunities for group sessions and community-building events that combat isolation and nurture collective healing.
Looking Forward
On this International Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate the courage, creativity, and contributions of transgender individuals throughout history and in our present communities. We also recognize that visibility alone is insufficient. True support requires ongoing action, education, policy change, and the dismantling of systems that marginalize transgender people.
As mental health professionals delivering care through telehealth, we commit to being allies not just today but every day, listening to transgender voices, amplifying their perspectives, and working alongside them to create a world where everyone can live authentically.
To our transgender clients, colleagues, and community members: we see you, we value you, and we stand with you. Your visibility enriches our collective understanding of what it means to be human, and your journey toward authenticity inspires our own.
Greenpoint Psychotherapy provides telehealth for individuals, couples, and families with a focus on inclusive, affirming care for diverse communities. Our virtual services are available throughout New York State. If you or someone you know is seeking support, please reach out to learn more about our services.