Gender-Affirming Counselling in BC and Beyond
Gender-Affirming Counselling
What this is
Whether you are certain, questioning, years into a transition, or wondering for the first time, we can explore whatever is coming up for you. Gender-affirming counselling here starts from the assumption that you are the authority on your own gender, and it is our privilege to be supportive, nonjudgemental, and to provide you with care and compassion for whatever you are experiencing.
Gender-affirming counselling covers a lot of ground. Some people come to think out loud about their identity without pressure to arrive anywhere. Some are managing the specific stress of transition — waitlists, letters, appointments, acceptance, family, work, dating, a body that is changing, grief, and much more. And some come for something that has nothing to do with gender at all and simply want a counsellor they will not have to explain it to.
Gender Identity Counselling
Gender identity counselling is a space to explore your values, identity, relationships, and emotions surrounding your experience of gender. There is no expected outcome or timeline to this process. Some people come to a gender therapist precisely because they do not know yet, and they want somewhere safe to explore. Others know exactly what they need and want, and we are here to support that as well. We can also celebrate and explore the many positive and exciting aspects of transition, such as wearing clothes that align with your identity, hormone changes, surgery, or just the joy of being recognized and seen as you are.
Transition Support and Gender Dysphoria
Transition can be administratively exhausting and emotionally up and down. Transition support therapy here covers the practical elements such as waitlists, letters, referrals, workplaces, and documents alongside dysphoria, euphoria, grief, trauma, and any other experience that comes up. We work with people at every stage.
Gender Exploration and Questioning
Gender exploration therapy has no required destination. This is for people who want to understand themselves better and gain clarity on what they need and want.
Who this is for
- You are questioning your gender and want somewhere to think without pressure.
- You are in or approaching transition and want support.
- You are managing family, work, or dating as a trans or non-binary person and want support.
- You want a counsellor who already understands what a gender-diverse person may experience, especially around internalized transphobia, microaggressions, and acceptance.
- You have been looking for a trans-affirming therapist or a trans-friendly counsellor and keep finding people who mean well but need educating.
What sessions look like
Sessions are typically 50 minutes by secure video, although longer sessions are available. Most people start weekly or every other week and adjust from there.
The first session is mostly orientation — what brings you in, what you want to be different, and how you want to work. We check in regularly about what is helping, and you can pause or stop at any time. We will use your name and pronouns from our first contact.
Fees
$165 per 50-minute session. Longer sessions available at $225 (75 min) and $270 (90 min). Offered by Charlie Young, RCC and Hannah Hale, RCC
What happens in the consult
When you book a consult, we will spend about 15 minutes getting to know one another and we will talk about what brings you to counselling. We use video call on the same secure platform we use for sessions, so you can find out whether this feels like a fit before you make a commitment. Here is what happens:
- You pick a time online. There are no forms to fill in beforehand and no payment details required. Booking takes about 2 minutes.
- We ask what brings you in, what you are hoping counselling might do for you, and whether you have tried counselling before. You share as much or as little as you want to.
- You ask us anything — how we work, what experience we have with what you are bringing, fees, availability, scheduling, or anything else that matters to you.
- If you would like to go ahead, we book a first session and email you the intake paperwork.
Our Gender-Affirming Counsellors
The Last Best Place Counselling is an online counselling clinic. We work with people who are physically located in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, or Nunavut, and who are looking for ethical, affirming, and supportive care.
We work with adults who are physically located in one of the regions we serve.
Our work centres queer, trans, and gender-diverse people. Many of the people we see are also navigating disability, neurodivergence, racism, migration, or other systemic pressures.
We do not currently work with children, and we are not a crisis or emergency service.
If this sounds like the kind of counselling you are looking for, we would love to hear from you. Not sure we are the right fit? Just ask!