The term “Gender Exploratory Model / Gender Exploratory Therapy”, was coined by Anastassis Spiliadis in 2018 in his seminal publication “Towards a Gender Exploratory Model: slowing things down, opening things up and exploring identity development“. Anastassis’ aim was to describe in detail the way he worked psychotherapeutically with people experiencing gender-related distress. He was also interested in setting the building blocks for an adapted psychotherapeutic intervention that rejected both the harmful conversion / reparative practices and the medically-affirmative approach to gender care, which failed to support people holistically.
We work with people across the lifespan who are interested in better understanding their gender identity development and possible gender-related distress, including but not limited to, trans identities, desisters and detransitioners. Through GEM / GET we aim to work collaboratively with individuals and families interested in exploring their gender identity and feelings, without pathologizing or discriminating against any presentations.
This approach is based on many years of clinical experience and is grounded in systemic-developmental and collaborative principles, connecting theory to practice and ethics. GEM and GET have a different theoretical base to both affirmative gender care / approach and conversion approach / therapy, and posit that both affirmation and conversion practices are inherently problematic and / or unethical. You can read more about GET approach in the Publications section.
