The experiences of psychologists working with transgender young people in school counselling: an Australian sample

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite research demonstrating the poor mental health outcomes of transgender young people within the secondary school environment, little is known about the experiences of psychologists working in school counselling with this population. To address this gap, the current study explored the experiences of psychologists working with transgender young people in a school counselling context. Seven psychologists in Australia completed individual semi-structured interviews and the data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four superordinate themes were identified: affirming agency within transgender young people, perceived competency and transgender knowledge, expectations and surprises, and challenges during counselling. The findings demonstrated the importance of school psychologists promoting and celebrating the positioning of transgender young people within society, adopting a queer lens in their work with this population, being informed and knowledgeable regarding transgender issues, and managing the various challenges associated with this work. Practical implications for school psychologists include the need to engage with transgender training and education, helping transgender young people link-in with trans-inclusive services, as well as “queering” both the counselling space and the school environment . Future researchers should further explore the experiences of school psychologists and mental health professionals across different contexts, settings, and levels of practical experience.