Date of Award

Spring 5-5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies

Major

Expressive Therapies

First Advisor

Siyao Li

Abstract

This literature review is an exploration of how a blended narrative and expressive arts therapeutic framework can be utilized to best suit the mental health needs of transgender and gender non-conforming adolescents as they develop their identities. Areas of research include an examination and analysis of the established bodies of research that pertain to transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) populations, adolescent identity development, relevant critical sociocultural theories, narrative and expressive arts therapy frameworks, and future directions of mental health counseling with TGNC youth as it pertains to identity.

It is this author’s intention to scaffold the areas of research in such a way that constructs a holistic conceptualization of both TGNC adolescent identity as well as a reflexive, novel counseling orientation that provides a non-pathologizing, affirmative approach to treatment. Through establishing a foundational understanding of identity as it exists as a fluid, ongoing process of development that is directly influenced by one’s sociocultural environments, this research project aims to identify the common threads between intersectional, minority stress, and Queer theories; postmodern theories of power, meaning, and knowledge as they inform both narrative and expressive arts therapies; and best counseling practices for trans and gender non-conforming adolescents.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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