Transgender Mentoring & Support

I have given much support over the years to both transgender people and to crossdressers (before I discovered that I was transgender) as a moderator of an online help forum, by talking to groups and on a one-to-one basis. I usually find that by demonstrating that I am happy and confident as well as being transgender, it shows that there is life after discovering you are trans. That in itself gives others hope who may be struggling to come to terms with being trans. I can empathise with the issues they face, as I too have faced them. I can tell them how I handled certain challenges, although of course, my solution may not be the right fit for them. I can however, be both positive and understanding.  I am not a trained or qualified counsellor and I don’t pretend to be.  I am, however, someone who has faced up to many trans challenges and who is still currently in transition.  I’m more than happy to pass on the benefit of my experience as a mentor to anyone who needs it.  If you need a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist who is experienced in gender issues, I recommend Luan Baines-Ball of Baines-Ball & Associates.

My aim is to give as much support and mentoring as I can for free and until now I have always done this entirely without charge.  However, my media and speaking appearances have increased the number of trans people (and families of trans people) who contact me for support.  So much so, that the demands of the mentoring and support on my time have been so great that it has been restricting my ability to earn a living.  For this reason, I have decided to introduce a fee for telephone and video call support and mentoring, which will hopefully give me some time back.  However, email or Facebook Messenger support will always be FREE (but please be patient, as I can’t always reply to messages immediately).  Please remember that I have a life and other commitments too!

Support sessions must be paid in advance of each session and missed appointments will still be charged for.  If my fees exclude your accessing my support, please contact me to discuss it and I will see what I can do to make it accessible to you.  I really do want to help, but I desperately need to manage my own time too.  Thank you for your understanding.

Other Support & resources

Mermaids (charity supporting trans and non-binary children and their families)

Trans’pirational (Facebook support group for trans and gender non-conforming people)

Parents of Transgender Adults UK (Facebook support group for parents of trans adults)

Distinction Support (support group for partners of trans and non-binary people)

Gendered Intelligence (charity promoting the understanding of gender diversity)

Tranzwiki (trans information portal)

Gender Identity Research & Education Society

Trans Actual

List of trans-friendly GPs in the UK

Trans Radio UK: (Internet radio station made by trans people, for trans people)

GenderCare (private gender clinic for over 18’s)

London Transgender Clinic (private gender clinic for over 18’s)

Harley Street Gender Clinic (private gender clinic for over 18’s)

GenderGP (online gender clinic for all ages including children)

NHS gender identity clinics in the UK

Guide to both NHS and private gender clinics in the UK.  Take the waiting times with a pinch of salt though as I know from personal experience that they are much longer than the times the clinics officially declare.

NHS Guide for GPs on trans healthcare

TRUK Listens – Telephone support service for trans people who need someone to talk to – call: 0800 009 6640.

T&Coffee (trans support and social group)

Janice Rose Lingerie (Nottinghamshire-based trans-friendly bra fitter & boutique)

Supporting BAME Trans People (Guide from GIRES for supporting BAME trans people – includes links to support groups)

Reengage Find a Rainbow Call Companion (Free telephone befriending service for elderly LGBTQIA+ people)

MindOut (LGBTQ+ mental health support charity)

Samaritans (listening service for people who need someone to talk to in a crisis)

You and Your  Gender Identity: A Guide to Discovery  –  Excellent self-help book for people who are questioning their gender identity, by Dara Hoffman-Fox

The Trans Partner Handbook: A guide for when your partner transitions – A self-help book for partners of trans people, by Jo Green

Guide for providing services for transgender customers – Good practice guidance from the Government Equalities Office on providing services that are inclusive of transgender people as customers, clients, users or members.

Recruiting and retaining transgender staff: A Guide for employers – Guidance from the Government Equalities Office for employers on recruiting and retaining transgender employees.

How to report a hate crime in the UK  However, I have found that the Police respond to the report much faster if you report the hate crime to your local Police directly by just phoning 101.  If you are in imminent danger and you require an immediate response though, dial 999.

Free UK Deed Poll – You don’t have to pay a penny to change your name legally in the UK.  This is the deed poll I used and it was accepted by all official agencies and organisations.

A Practical Guide to Transgender Law (UK) – An excellent book by Robin Moira White and Nicola Newbegin.