The Transcending Protocol: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach for Addressing the Psychosocial Impact of Minority Stress in Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

This article describes an innovative, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral protocol, Transcending, to address the effects of minority stress on mental health among transgender and gender diverse individuals. The protocol merges minority stress and cognitive behavioral therapy models to provide a framework for (a) understanding the impact of minority stress (i.e., distal and proximal stressors) and (b) developing skills to address maintenance factors of associated psychological distress. The Transcending protocol is intended to provide a structured approach to filling an important gap in counseling services and increasing therapeutic competence with transgender and gender diverse individuals.