Working with Transgender Young People and their Families

“Riggs makes a novel contribution to affirming interventions for transgender youth. The book clearly positions young people as experts in their own gender and proposes a modern and timely intervention model that will certainly be helpful to practitioners who wish to engage in anti-oppressive, evidence-based and respectful work with young people and their families.”- Annie Pullen Sansfaçon, Professor of Social Work at the University of Montreal, Canada
"This book is essential reading for anyone working with transgender people and their families. Riggs provides brilliant insights into clinical practice, including illustrative case studies. I believe this book to be a vital addition to the field, and I hope it will be used widely both in University classrooms and by clinical practitioners." - Alex Iantaffi, co-author of How to Understand Your Gender and podcast host of ‘Gender Stories’

Working with Transgender Young People and their Families advocates a critical developmental approach aimed at countering the cisgenderism that can be perceived in previous developmental literature on gender. It clears a path to understanding gender development for transgender young people by providing a detailed account that spans early childhood through to late adolescence. In doing so, it demonstrates how clinicians can work more effectively with parents and other family members in order to affirm transgender young people. By outlining a GENDER mnemonic created by the author, the book provides worked through examples of case materials that highlight the benefits of a critical developmental approach. Offering unique insights and practical guidance, it provides a cutting-edge resource for clinicians and researchers, as well as for families and other professionals seeking to understand and work affirmingly with transgender young people.
Damien W. Riggs is Associate Professor in psychology at Flinders University, Australia and a psychotherapist in private practice who specialises in working with transgender young people and their families.