Course Evaluation - Addressing Bottom Dysphoria when Treating Transmasculine, Gender Non-Binary, Andro (male)Identified, Patients in Psychotherapy

“Bottom Dysphoria'' is a term often used to describe a person’s discomfort with their genitals, particularly when their genitals do not match their gender identity. Bottom dysphoria can be a common presenting concern for many transgender and gender non-binary (TGNB) people who seek psychotherapy. One study found that 71% of non-binary AFAB individuals and 46% of transmen did not want bottom surgery (Tristani-Firouzi, et al.,2021). There are a myriad of reasons why some AFAB TGNB people do not seek bottom surgery. Though someone may not seek bottom surgery, it does not necessarily mean they do not experience bottom dysphoria. Bottom dysphoria is a complex and dynamic issue, each person’s experience of it can be different, and it is often associated with feelings of loss and frustration. Considering the issues raised above this presentation will discuss affirming methods of addressing bottom dysphoria in AFAB TGNC people in psychotherapy. Emphasis will be placed on applying the framework of Pauline Boss’s Ambiguous Loss theory (Boss, 1999) to addressing bottom dysphoria when working with AFAB TGNC clients.

At the close of this webinar participants will be able to:
1.Apply the theory of ambiguous loss when treating bottom dysphoria in AFAB TGNB clients in psychotherapy.
2.Identify approaches to address bottom dysphoria when treating AFAB TGNB clients.
3. Discuss the complexities surrounding the decision to get bottom surgery from a biopsychosocial perspective.