ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Years before his gender transition, Jordan Held still remembers the day he asked his employer if he could wear the same clothing as the male faculty. The reply: "We're not ready for that yet." Whether or not your young person is questioning their sexual identity, gender, pronouns or any other aspect of themselves, you’ll get so much from this important conversation.

As a teenager, he had been a good student and athlete who just wanted to be the popular girl at school. He wore clothes that weren't comfortable, drank, smoked weed, hooked up with people he had no real interest in, and generally tried to fit in. But after college, Jordan met a trans man for the first time and many of the puzzle pieces from his early life began to fall into place.

While the administration of the school where he worked felt "not ready" for Jordan to dress as male faculty, he knew he couldn’t live his life as a lie forever. The administration’s denial was a catalyst for redirecting his life course.

Jordan Held now has a Masters degree in both Social Welfare and Sports Leadership, and a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. He’s worked in residential mental health treatment, as well as the world's largest gender clinic, giving him a great deal of experience with the most pressing issues affecting teens and young adults - especially those who are exploring their sexual identity.

As a private practice therapist, Jordan has deep expertise in gender and sexual minority youth with complex histories of PTSD and trauma. Many have been in substance use treatment programs as well. In this episode, we discuss why some young people are going "stealth", the post-pandemic spread of school avoidance, why kids don't even consider marijuana a drug any more, and how parenting without shame creates bonds of trust that leave families stronger in difficult times.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Jordan Held LinkedIn
• Psychology Today
• Netflix show, Disclosure

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