Heather Branham, LCSW

10/01/2021

Registration for Empowered Partners closes TODAY! Link in bio for details.

Imagine feeling…
Confidence in your knowledge about gender and transition.

Clarity about who and where to turn for guidance and support when you need it.

Connected to a support system of people who understand what you’re going through.

Calm about the changes unfolding in your partner and your relationship.

Creative about how you and your partner can navigate these changes.

Curious about what the future holds for your relationship.

Having a partner begin gender transition can be isolating and confusing. It can also be amazing and transformative! Having the right kind of support can make all the difference.

Here's what previous Empowered Partners participants are saying about their experience:

"This group will help you feel less alone!"

"It's a great way to ensure you have the knowledge and support that you need to support yourself and your partner through their transition."

"Getting validation about what I'm going through and hearing what other people are thinking/feeling made me feel less alone."

"Just want to really thank you for putting this all together and facilitating. I've already been texting with [other partners] individually over the past few weeks and have found their support to be really helpful."

We all need empathy and support to navigate change.

If you’ve been on the fence about joining Empowered Partners, I hope you’ll sign up before registration closes today.

09/29/2021

When you're going through a transition, it's so important to find your people. The ones who get what you're feeling and can offer support.

Here are some questions to determine if you'll find your people in Empowered Partners:

Are you partnered with someone who has shared with you that they're trans, non-binary or questioning their gender?

Do you have questions about how that might impact you & your relationship?

Have you been struggling with your feelings about the changes your partner is experiencing?

Are you open to meeting other partners who get it & offer empathy?

Would it be helpful to have some knowledgeable guidance around gender & s*xuality?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then Empowered Partners is the place for you.

Empowered Partners will help you address the questions coming up for you around your partner's transition in a confidential, supportive community of other partners facing similar questions. You’ll meet others like you who want to be supportive of their partners & are committed to their relationships, but are confused about the next right steps to take, unsure about how to get support, & uncertain about the future.

(There are a few factors that might rule out Empowered Partners for you. If you've decided to leave your relationship with your partner, this might not be the best fit. You also won't like this program if you believe that your partner’s transition accounts for all the problems in your relationship. Gender is just one factor among many that influence our relationships, & we'll be acknowledging that. We'll also start from the acknowledgment that transgender & non-binary identities are real & valid. Finally, this program is limited to adults 18 years or older.)

I love to see participants who enter Empowered Partners fearful, uncertain & depleted from lack of support leave with more clarity & confidence, nourished by the empathy & support they've found from other partners in the program.

Are you sensing that you might find your people in Empowered Partners?

Registration closes Friday & space is limited. If it feels like Empowered Partners might be the right place for you, I hope you’ll join me. Link in bio.

09/27/2021

So many of the available resources about gender transition focus on the person transitioning, so you may be wondering how and where you fit into the equation.
Empowered Partners is focused on supporting you, the partner of a transgender, non-binary or gender-questioning person, so that you can support your partner without losing sight of your needs.

In Empowered Partners, you’ll learn how to show up for your partner and yourself through this transition.

For many partners I’ve worked with, showing up for themselves has meant finding space to learn about gender and transition separate from their partner.
Non-transitioning partners often have questions about gender and transition their transitioning partners can’t answer.
Or questions it doesn’t make sense to quiz their partner about when they’re working through their own questions.
You need somewhere to go to get answers you can trust.

Empowered Partners combines gender-affirming education with peer support from other partners who get where you're coming from. You'll have access to group facilitation and informational resources created by a therapist with years of experience supporting transgender, non-binary and gender-questioning clients and their partners.

We'll meet as a group every other week from October to December to explore that week's topic. In the group meeting, you'll have space to ask your questions, express your feelings and connect one-on-one and in a small group with other supportive partners. You’ll have lifetime access to all of the educational materials (video lessons, educational handouts, worksheets, reflection questions) as soon as you sign up for Empowered Partners.

What would your life be like if you felt less confused and more informed?
Less isolated and more connected?
Less uncertain and more confident?
Less fearful and more empowered?

It’s possible with the right information and support. Registration for Empowered Partners ends this Friday, October 1st, and space is filling quickly. Link in bio for details and registration.

09/25/2021

Since your partner told you they were trans, non-binary or questioning their gender assigned at birth, have you been cycling through the same questions?

What am I supposed to be doing to support my partner?

What does this mean for me and my relationship?

Where can I ask my questions? The ones that my partner can’t answer and that I don’t know who else to ask?

Who will pay attention to my fears and feelings about this transition without judgment or expectations?

Where can I go to feel less alone?

Empowered Partners is designed to help you answer the questions keeping you up at night, in a format that's way more enjoyable than falling down internet rabbit holes!

Google is great for some things and most of us use it every day. But when it comes to navigating change in your relationship, you deserve more personalized guidance than you can get from spending sleepless nights Googling.

In Empowered Partners, you’ll have lifetime access to the readings and resources I’ve compiled just for partners like you. (And chances are, if you have a question that’s not answered there, I can at least point you in the right direction toward someone who does have an answer.)

It’s totally normal to have questions about change or something new to you. The internet is a big place with lots of information, and not all of it is going to be supportive of you, your partner or your relationship. Save yourself some time and frustration by checking out the resources I’ve gathered for you.

I’ve been supporting trans, non-binary and gender-questioning clients and their partners as a therapist for over 6 years. I’ve supported dozens of non-transitioning partners through Empowered Partners and other groups. Having the right information and tools can make a huge difference when you're navigating any type of change. Gender transition is no exception.

Are you ready to stop Googling and start getting the guidance you need?

Registration for Empowered Partners ends October 1st and space is limited. I hope you’ll join me and bring all your questions.

09/24/2021

Registration for Empowered Partners is open now until Friday, October 1st! Space is limited so sign up soon if you’re ready for this type of support.

When you watched my free webinar, you heard that I believe that a key aspect of providing meaningful support to your transgender, non-binary or gender-questioning partner is caring for yourself. (Haven’t watched it yet? Check it out before it goes away on Monday.)

You need your own support system. You need a space to access empathy and non-judgmental listening from other partners, a place to clarify and process your feelings separate from your partner’s process. And a space to access gender-affirming information about transition, as well as opportunities to practice communicating about transition with family, friends and coworkers; support navigating changes in s*x and s*xuality; and guidance for dealing with change and conflict.

I’ve created that space just for you.

In Empowered Partners, you’ll find 11 weeks of guidance & connection focused on the topics most relevant to you, a partner of someone who’s transgender, non-binary or exploring their gender.

Here’s what we’ll dive into together:

+ Finding Support for Your Process - Meet other partners & get support for this shared experience.
+ Making Sense of Gender & S*xuality - Explore what transition means for you, your partner & your relationship.
+ Understanding Social & Medical Transition - Gain the knowledge you need to understand the options available to your transitioning partner.
+ Navigating Change & Conflict - Learn about some of my favorite tools for navigating change & conflict & how to apply them to your relationship.
+ S*x, Pleasure & Intimacy - Explore ways to evolve & adapt around s*x & intimacy in your relationship.
+ Authenticity & Visibility - Consider if & how to share information about your partner’s gender transition with others in your life

At the end of 11 weeks, you’ll feel less confused and more informed, less isolated and more connected, less uncertain and more confident, less fearful and more empowered.
It’s possible with the right guidance and support.

What’s keeping you from getting the support you need?

Empowered Partners: An online education & support program for partners of transgender and non-binary individuals

09/22/2021

[Free On-Demand Webinar: How to Support Your Trans, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner] Now Available for One Week! - https://mailchi.mp/2fa61474b4c5/free-webinar-for-partners-reminder This webinar will address the fears you might be feeling related to your partner's gender transition and empower you with information and tools to navigate this change. I hope you'll check it out or share with someone who could use this information. Visit learn.heatherbranhamlcsw.com/free-webinar-for-partners to watch.

09/20/2021

My free webinar on How to Support Your Trans, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner will be available until Monday, Sept. 27th. Be sure to check it out before it goes away!

My hope is that after watching the webinar you’ll stop waking up at night wondering...

Is my relationship doomed because my partner came out to me as trans or non-binary? (Spoiler alert: It’s not!)

Do I have what it takes to support my partner through this change?

Who can I talk to about this who won’t judge me or my partner?

WTF am I supposed to do next?

Many of these questions come from binary thinking, which can make change feel scary.

Binary thinking is the habit humans have of putting things into distinct categories. You might also call it either/or thinking.

When the world feels overwhelming, your brain tries to help you by simplifying things that are actually really complex. I see this in my work as a trauma therapist all the time. The more scared you get, the more you see things in black or white because your nervous system isn’t resourced enough to tolerate the nuances of grey.

When I say “binary thinking,” I’m not just talking about the gender binary. We can put all sorts of things in boxes to try to control or make sense of them.

The problem with binary thinking is that it’s not a true reflection of reality. Not only that, binary thinking can be a tool of oppression, limiting the acceptable options for existing in the world. When a dominant group forces their fearful, limited binary thinking onto others, anyone who doesn't fit neatly in the right category is pushed out.

You may have been told that there are only two options for gender, that your gender is chosen for you based on assumptions made about your body by others & that your gender dictates who and how you can be in life.

Gratefully, binary thinking about gender is shifting in many places, but it continues to hold tremendous power in our lives. When the changes you are experiencing in your relationship are related to gender, that can feel scary not just because it's change but also because it threatens binary thinking. How much you rely on binary thinking to help you feel safe can impact how open you are to accepting the grey areas of gender.

This webinar will address the fears you might be feeling related to your partner's gender. Simply acknowledging your binary thinking can be a great place to start to shift it.

This free on-demand webinar will be available September 20-27. Get your free roadmap for supporting yourself, your partner and your relationship during gender transition.

09/16/2021

A long time ago I read a piece of relationship advice that’s stuck with me. It’s been so long that I don’t remember where I read it or who said it, but it went something like this: one of the best things you can do for your relationship is to always tell your partner how you’re changing.

I love this advice because at its heart is a transformative truth: change is a part of life and so change is a part of every relationship. Change and partnership go hand in hand.

Change is a necessary and essential part of the human experience. When we’ve stopped changing, we’ve stopped growing.

And change can be scary, no matter who you are or what changes are happening.

In relationships change can be scary because we can come to rely on our partners for our sense of security and when they change, that can cause us to feel insecure.

When your partner represents security and then they change, the insecurity you feel can cause you to question what else might change.

If you’re feeling scared or insecure in other aspects of your life, hearing about a change in your partner can feel overwhelming.

If you and your partner are communicating regularly about the changes you’re feeling inside of you, those changes might feel less scary than if you don’t communicate about how you're growing and changing along the way.

Sharing about the changes we’re feeling inside takes self-awareness, trust and the courage to be vulnerable.

My free on-demand webinar on How To Support Your Trans, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner will be available for one week starting next Monday the 20th. 

My intention is to offer guidance around a specific type of change you might be experiencing in your relationship: change related to gender. You may or may not be surprised to hear that navigating change around gender doesn't have to be all that different from navigating other changes that come up in our relationship.

If you're looking for support around this type of change in your relationship, I hope you'll click the link in my bio to sign up for next week's free on-demand webinar.

09/16/2021

[Free On-Demand Webinar] How to Support Your Transgender, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner - https://mailchi.mp/b2f194119611/free-webinar-for-partners-sept-2021 If you missed it last time, I'm offering another free webinar on How to Support Your Transgender, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner. This one will be offered on-demand, meaning it will be available for one week starting on Monday, September 20th. In this webinar you’ll find a roadmap for providing meaningful support to your transgender, non-binary or gender-questioning partner.

09/14/2021

If you missed it last time, I’m offering another free webinar on How To Support Your Trans, Non-Binary or Gender-Questioning Partner. This one will be offered on-demand, meaning it will be available starting next Monday the 20th for one week.

One thing I’ve noticed since entering private practice is that so many of the available resources about gender transition focus on the person transitioning, leaving partners to wonder how and where they fit into the equation.

In this webinar you’ll find a roadmap for providing meaningful support to your transgender, non-binary or gender-questioning partner.

This roadmap is designed to reduce your confusion, decrease your sense of isolation and empower you to take the next right steps to support yourself, your partner and your relationship.

This free webinar is for anyone who's dating, married to or partnered with a transgender, non-binary or gender-questioning person. (Providers who work with these folks are welcome to check it out too.)

Whether you've been married for decades or just started dating, having your person share with you that they’re questioning their assigned gender or beginning gender transition can bring up some fears.

Whether you've got lots of trans and non-binary friends or you've never met anyone who identifies as trans before, you may have some questions about the news your partner has shared.

If you've been working through these fears for a while or this change is so new you don't even know what questions to ask, you are invited to register for this free webinar to receive free guidance focused on supporting you, your partner and your relationship.

I hope it will leave you feeling more confident in your ability to face this change no matter where you are in the process.

This free on-demand webinar will be available September 20-27. Get your free roadmap for supporting yourself, your partner and your relationship during gender transition.

04/14/2021

I’m grateful for the clarity of Bree Newsome Bass’ voice in this moment.

with
・・・
The system isn’t broken. The foundation of this country is rooted in violent white patriarchal supremacy. The whole damn system is guilty as hell and only a total reimagining of a kind, equitable, just, care centered future will serve. Call it abolition. Call it defunding. Call it a world without racist state violence. You can call it whatever you want, but the system, as is, cannot and should not hold. It cannot be reformed. It is functioning as it was intended to.

’s life was stolen from him, from his family, his son, his girlfriend, his mother, those who loved him. May his memory be a blessing.

Go read “We Do This ‘Til We Free Us” by Mariame Kaba.

Lots of resources in stories.

*as I write this there is news of yet another school shooting in Knoxville. This is, and has always been, America.

Thank you for your wisdom and heart.