Gender Dysphoria
If you have ever felt uncomfortable or distressed because your sense of who you are does not match the sex you were assigned at birth, you might be experiencing gender dysphoria.
What Is Gender Dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is not just about how you dress or behave—it is a deep and personal feeling that your gender identity (who you know yourself to be) does not align with your assigned sex at birth. This disconnect can cause emotional distress and affect your well-being, relationships, and day-to-day life.
It is important to understand that gender identity is different from sexual orientation, which is about who you are attracted to. For example, a transgender man is someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. Like anyone else, he may be attracted to women, men, both, or neither.
Everyone’s experience with gender is unique. Feeling this way is more common than you might think. If these feelings are affecting your happiness, confidence, or everyday functioning, you are not alone.
Symptoms Of Gender Dysphoria
Gender dysphoria can affect both children and adults, but the signs often look different depending on your age. Understanding these symptoms is the first step towards finding the right support for yourself or someone you care about.
Signs Of Gender Dysphoria In Children
Gender exploration is a normal part of childhood development. Many children experiment with gender roles or express curiosity about gender identity through play, clothing choices, or friendships. This exploration does not necessarily indicate gender dysphoria and, in most cases, does not persist into adolescence or adulthood.
True gender dysphoria in children is relatively rare and involves consistent, persistent, and insistent signs of distress or incongruence between their gender identity and their assigned sex at birth. Most children who express gender-questioning behaviours do not go on to experience gender dysphoria after puberty.
Clinical signs to look out for may include:
- Consistently and strongly asserting that they are a different gender or expressing a strong desire to be another gender
- A clear preference for clothing, toys, and activities typically associated with another gender
- Expressing discomfort with their own physical body, such as their genitals, or a desire for physical traits of another gender
- Emotional distress, such as sadness, anxiety, or social withdrawal that directly stems from gender-related distress (not general mood fluctuations)
- Resistance to using their legal name or pronouns associated with their assigned sex
- Notable distress when prevented from expressing their affirmed gender identity, such as frustration when asked to wear gendered uniforms
For more information, you can read NHS guidance on children and gender identity.
Signs Of Gender Dysphoria In Teenagers And Adults
In teenagers and adults, symptoms of gender dysphoria usually become more pronounced and persistent. You may have a clearer sense of your gender identity and how it differs from your sex assigned at birth.
Common signs of gender dysphoria in teenagers and adults include:
- Feeling certain that your gender identity does not match your assigned sex
- Only feeling comfortable when expressing yourself in your identified gender role, which may include being non-binary, which means not identifying strictly as male or female.
- A strong desire to hide or remove physical features of your biological sex, such as breasts or facial hair
- Discomfort or dislike of your genitals
- Emotional distress, loneliness, or isolation are common experiences for individuals with gender dysphoria, especially when they feel misunderstood, invalidated, or pressured to conform to the gender they were assigned at birth. These feelings often arise from:
- Fear of rejection by family, peers, or society when expressing one’s true gender identity
- Bullying or discrimination at school, work, or in the community due to not aligning with gender norms
- Pressure to hide or suppress identity, leading to a deep sense of disconnection from oneself and others
- Lack of affirming spaces or support, which can make someone feel invisible or unsafe
This emotional strain is not caused by the person’s identity itself, but by the ongoing stress of navigating a world that may not understand or accept them. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, depression, or withdrawal from social connections.
Gender dysphoria is much more than not fitting into gender stereotypes. It is a deep, ongoing distress caused by the difference between your gender identity and your assigned sex at birth. Symptoms can start in childhood and continue through adolescence and adulthood, or they may appear later in life.
Causes Of Gender Dysphoria
The exact cause of gender dysphoria is unclear, as gender development is complex and there are still things that are not known or fully understood.
There are many proposed causes of gender dysphoria, but none are proven. Some experts believe that hormones in the womb, genes and cultural and environmental factors may be involved. Some people believe that gender dysphoria is not real. For decades, many people experiencing gender dysphoria were subjected to conversion therapy or denied treatment.
Support Approaches
Finding the right support for gender dysphoria is a personal journey. In Singapore, you have several options for care, each with its own process and requirements. We aim to help you understand these options, so you can make informed choices that best support your well-being.
Psychological And Social Support
Help from mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, or counsellors, can offer a safe space to explore your feelings and identity.
Therapy focuses on easing distress, building coping skills, and improving your quality of life. Family and group counselling can also strengthen your support network, especially if you face stigma or misunderstanding at home, school, or work.
Gender Expression And Social Affirmation
You may find relief by expressing your gender identity through clothing, hairstyle, voice, and mannerisms. Using your chosen name and pronouns, and seeking legal changes for identification documents, can help you feel more comfortable and affirmed in daily life.
Community and peer support groups are available in Singapore and can provide emotional support and practical advice.
Medical Transition Options
Medical transition in Singapore is available through both public and private healthcare.
Special Consideration For Minors
If you are under 21, you need both parents’ consent for most medical interventions. Psychiatric evaluation can begin at any age, but starting Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) before 21 is limited and usually only possible through private healthcare, with strict consent requirements.
Ongoing Care and Support
After starting treatment, get regular support with health checks, mental health monitoring, and community resources. Build a support network and seek help if you face challenges such as discrimination, workplace issues, or family concerns.
Transitioning is not a one-size-fits-all process. Your goals, health, and circumstances guide your treatment plan.
When To Seek Help?
Feelings of gender dysphoria can emerge at any age—during childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. For some, these feelings may be constant and intensify over time; for others, they may come and go at different stages of life.
While questioning your gender identity is a normal part of human development, it may be time to seek professional support when:
- You experience persistent distress or discomfort related to your gender identity
- These feelings are affecting your daily functioning, such as your ability to focus at school or work
- You feel isolated, misunderstood, or emotionally overwhelmed by these thoughts
- You are considering gender-affirming steps and want to explore your options in a safe, guided environment
- You are struggling with low mood, anxiety, self-esteem, or body-related distress linked to your gender identity
- You are facing rejection, discrimination, or pressure to hide your identity
At Us Therapy, we understand that reaching out can feel daunting. You do not need to have all the answers before seeking support. Whether you are at the beginning of your gender exploration or feeling overwhelmed by longstanding dysphoria, we are here to help.
Our trained therapists offer LGBTQIA+‑affirming support in a confidential, judgment-free space. You can explore your identity at your own pace, discuss your mental and emotional well-being, and receive guidance on navigating relationships, transition-related care, or simply finding peace with who you are.
You are not alone. Support is available every step of the way.
How Can Us Help You?
Experienced Therapists
Our processes and quality assurance is led by Dr.Emma Waddington, a UK-trained senior clinician psychologist and Founder of Us Therapy, with over 20+ years of experience in helping individuals in Singapore.
Holistic & Personalised Approach
Our clinicians draw from various therapeutic models to create a holistic approach. At Us, we have seen hundreds of clients and we recognise that each individual is unique. Our approach is tailored to you but always includes customised treatment plans and integrative techniques.
Thorough Assessment
At Us, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive assessment processes. We will undergo a thorough assessment process with you in your first sessions before we come up with a plan for your therapy.
Our Therapists
What To Expect
Initial Consultation – A Space to Be Heard
The first session is all about getting to know you. It is a conversation—one where you can share what is been on your mind, what has been feeling difficult, and what you would like support with. Your therapist will ask questions about your background, experiences, and goals, but there is no pressure to answer any questions—just a safe space to begin.
Questionnaires & Onboarding Surveys – Understanding the Full Picture
To help tailor therapy to your needs, you may be asked to fill out some brief questionnaires before or after your first session. These can give insight into things like mood, stress levels, relationship patterns, or coping strategies. They are not tests—just tools to help your therapist understand how best to support you.
Individual Therapy Sessions – Your Journey at Your Own Pace
Each session is a step forward in your journey. Therapy is not just about talking—it is about discovering new ways to navigate life’s challenges, make sense of emotions, and feel like you are getting the most out of your life. Depending on your needs, sessions may focus on:
- Exploring patterns of thought and behavior
- Understanding past experiences and their impact on the present
- Developing practical coping tools
- Strengthening emotional resilience
Feedback Sessions – Reflecting and Adjusting
After the first few sessions (or after assessments), a feedback session provides space to reflect on how therapy is going. This is a chance to talk about what has been helpful, what you would like more of, and how therapy can continue to best serve you.
Intervention – The Heart of Therapy
Intervention is where meaningful change happens. Every therapy journey is unique, and the approach will be shaped around what works best for you. Some common approaches include:
🌱 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Helping to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, reduce anxiety, and develop healthier ways to cope and new patterns of behaviour.
🧠 Schema Therapy – Deep, transformational work to uncover long-standing patterns that might be keeping you stuck, often rooted in early life experiences.
💙 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Learning to handle difficult emotions with self-compassion and move towards what truly matters in life.
🌊 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – A powerful approach for healing trauma and distressing memories, helping the brain reprocess them in a way that feels less overwhelming.
🧘 Mindfulness-Based Approaches – Building self-awareness, grounding techniques, and ways to manage stress and emotions with greater ease.
Fees
Individual Counselling Rates
Clinician type
Fees and Duration
Clinic Founder
$310
Principal Psychologist
$290
Senior Clinical Psychologist
$262
Educational Psychologist
$262
Clinical Psychologist
$236
Counsellor
$170
Expressive Arts Therapist
$170
Associate Psychologist
$130
Phone calls / Emails
Clinicians rate pro-rata (10 Mins)
FAQs About Gender Dysphoria
What counts as gender dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria refers to the significant psychological distress that arises from a mismatch between your gender identity and the sex assigned to you at birth. It is not simply about not fitting into gender stereotypes, but about persistent feelings of discomfort or distress that impact daily life, relationships and/or well-being.
According to DSM-5 guidelines, a diagnosis of gender dysphoria requires these feelings to last at least six months and to cause significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning, such as work, school or social life.
Can you cure gender dysphoria without transition?
There is no universal “cure” for gender dysphoria, and not everyone chooses to transition medically or socially. Some people find that therapy, support groups, and changes in gender expression or social roles help them feel more comfortable in their bodies and identities, even without medical transition. Psychological support and self-affirming practices can make a significant difference.
For some, social or medical transition—such as using different pronouns, changing appearance, or starting hormone therapy—can greatly reduce or even resolve feelings of dysphoria. The best approach is highly individualistic and should be guided by your personal needs and goals.
What are the symptoms of gender dysphoria?
People with gender dysphoria experience significant distress because their gender identity does not match the sex assigned at birth. This can lead to a strong desire to be another gender, discomfort with their body or physical features, and a need to express themselves in ways that align with their true identity. Symptoms may include anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and difficulties in daily life, with the level of distress often affecting relationships, work, or school.
What to do if you have gender dysphoria?
If you think you may have gender dysphoria, the first step is to acknowledge your feelings and seek support. Here are some practical steps you can take:
- Talk to a GP or a mental health professional who understands gender diversity. They can refer you to a specialist gender dysphoria clinic or provide information on local resources.
- Connect with supportive friends, family, or community groups who understand and affirm your identity.
- Consider therapy or counselling, which can help you explore your feelings, build coping skills, and plan next steps.
- Explore social changes, such as using a different name, pronouns, or adjusting your appearance, if that feels right for you.
- If you are in crisis or struggling with your mental health, reach out to a helpline or support service immediately.