Gender Dysphoria and Transgender Concerns in School Counseling: Advocating for Students

Abstract

Using the guidelines established by the American School Counselor Association and the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE), school counselors have a responsibility to serve as a role model focused on student strengths to promote resilience and wellness. This article describes vital information to address with students experiencing gender dysphoria, including monitoring academic performance, co-occurring mental health diagnoses, and suicidality, risky behaviors, victimization, and family support. This narrative review of the mental health needs of adolescents with gender dysphoria is contextualized within a historical, societal, and biological framework.