Being a parent or caregiver isn’t always easy. There’s pressure to be the best, to know everything, and to always have a plan for moving forward. Just like your child discovering the world for the first time, you often have new experiences that mirror their life journey—but with the added responsibility of parenthood.
That’s why, when your child begins exploring aspects of their gender or sexual identity, you can feel a bit confused, especially if it looks different from what it was like for you at their age. While this can be a challenging experience, there are ways to find support for you and your child as you navigate this journey.
Emerging studies highlight the pivotal role of family acceptance and support in better mental health outcomes. This love and support can act almost as a “suit of armor” around a child when they encounter painful or hurtful things in the world. So, although you might not know all the answers right now and might have many fears or worries, working to understand how your loved one feels and supporting their exploration is the first step in shaping a promising future for them.
This guide, with clinical content contribution, editing, and oversight by Nathan Grumdahl, DNP, APRN, PHN, PMHNP-BC, provides some essential tools to start your journey of understanding, encouraging, and supporting your child, teen, or young adult as they explore parts of their authentic self.
About Our Clinical Reviewer Nathan Grumdahl, DNP, APRN, PHN, PMHNP-BC
Nathan specializes in treatment for mood, anxiety, gender, and trauma concerns for adolescents, adults, and their families at our outpatient location in Edina. In his practice, he takes pride in working with LGBTQ+ patients and their families to provide support and informed care on their journey exploring issues related to gender or sexuality. He has extensive knowledge at all levels of mental healthcare, including emergency medicine, and is passionate about supporting underserved communities.
How PrairieCare Supports LGBTQ+ Patients
With locations across Minnesota, PrairieCare provides a safe, affirming space for people of all ages to heal and feel empowered in their mental health. As a division of Newport Healthcare, we partner with the Trevor Project to provide specialized training to our staff around gender-affirming care.
With a full continuum of care, PrairieCare offers:
- Individual and group therapy using proven, evidence-based modalities
- Trauma-informed approaches to provide a safe environment that respects the unique history of patients
- Family therapy as needed to improve communication and trust so young people feel safe turning to parents and caretakers for support
- Gender-responsive care according to gender identity, including appropriate identification of patients in programming and in medical reporting
- Specialized programs that support patients at various life stages and acuity
Our team of mental health experts is here for you and your family. We help guide you through finding the proper care so you can focus on healing.
Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Minnesota
Looking into mental health services can be intimidating, but you can call us at 952-826-8475, and our experts can answer any questions you may have and guide you in the right direction. Our services range from flexible outpatient therapy to safe inpatient settings that help people with mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, trauma, bipolar disorder, and more.
We offer a no-cost mental health screening over the phone, and you’ll receive a recommendation for mental health support. You can request a screening using the button below and filling out the form on the right. Once you submit the form, our team will contact you over the phone to complete the screening. Get started today.
