ºìÐÓÊÓƵ

Topic

Transforming Supports: Trauma-Related ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Health Care with Trans and Gender-Diverse Young People

Social Dimensions of Health

Date & location

• Tuesday, April 15, 2025
• 11:00 A.M.
• Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, Room 103a

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Nathan Lachowsky, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria (Supervisor)
• Dr. Aaron Devor, Department of Sociology, UVic (Co-Supervisor)
• Dr. Sarah Hunt / Tłaliłila’ogwa, School of Environmental Studies, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. Jae Puckett, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Elizabeth Vibert, Department of History, UVic

Abstract

Previous research in Canada and internationally has consistently found that trans and gender-diverse (TGD) people face barriers to accessing the mental health care that they need. This dissertation presents findings from the qualitative, community-based project Transforming Support, which engaged with 34 TGD young people to understand TGD young people’s experiences with trauma-related mental health care and identify recommendations and priorities for improving this care for these communities. Utilizing two qualitative methods for data collection, in-person community consultation workshops with 15 participants, and online, semi-structured interviews with 19 participants, this project focused on TGD young people’s experiences with: navigating barriers to accessing mental health care; experiences of safety with mental health care providers; and community goals and priorities for future research on improving mental health care for TGD communities.

This dissertation is presented as three articles formatted for publication in peer-reviewed journals for academic and practitioner audiences. The first paper presents findings related to navigating barriers to care. Participants shared their experiences with seeking and accessing trauma-related mental health supports and spoke to the barriers they experienced in their navigation of mental health care services in their communities. This work provides insight into the ways that TGD young people are navigating barriers to care which can inform recommendations for improving access to trauma-related mental health care for these communities.

The second paper provides insight into how TGD people are experiencing and navigating safety within these contexts and points to future areas of inquiry regarding enhancing available training and building towards TGD-competency or -literacy training that encourages self-reflexive practice.

The third paper focuses on research priorities articulated by TGD young people. Findings suggest that future researchers be strategic in building projects that shift the focus from research on TGD people to research that focuses on mental health practitioners, practice approaches, and frameworks that acknowledge the multifaceted lived experiences of TGD people. This article calls for future research to pushback against deficit-focused narratives and an over-focus on harm experienced by TGD people.