COACH & MENTOR

KRIS JANOVITZ

FOR CAREGIVERS
OF TRANSGENDER
CHILDREN
 Suicide Statistics
According to a 2016 study published in LGBT
Health, family rejection increases the odds of
substance misuse and suicide attempts in transgender
and gender non-conforming people. These results
mirror research by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and the Family
Acceptance Project, which found that LGBTQ youth
whose families affirm their gender identity and
sexual orientation are almost 50 percent less likely to
make a suicide attempt compared to those whose
families are unsupportive. The highest suicide rates
are among transgender boys and non-binary youth.
More than half of transgender male teens who
participated in the survey reported attempting suicide
in their lifetime, while 29.9 percent of transgender
female teens said they attempted suicide.
Among non-binary youth, 41.8 percent of respondents
stated that they had attempted suicide at some point
in their lives. Many transgender young people
experience family rejection, bullying and harassment,
or feel unsafe for simply being who they are - all of
which can be added risk factors for suicide. Parents
and families can start by learning the
facts and educating themselves about issues that
impact LGBTQ youth. Whether or not families have
openly LGBTQ children, it is vital to make home a
safe and affirming space for all identities.

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/lgbt.2
015.0111
https://www.hrc.org/blog/new-study-reveals-
https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/FA
shocking-rates-of-attempted-suicide-among-trans-
P_Family%20Acceptance_JCAPN.pdf
adolescen
PARENT'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE

OVERWHELM
..............................

WHERE TO START?
What I Offer Your
Clients?
LOGISTICAL GUIDANCE

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

TRANSITIONAL MENTORSHIP "NEW

COMMUNITY
NORMAL"
PEACE
CLARITY
CONFIDENCE
Logistics
• Name Change
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate
• Therapists
• Endocrinologists
• Surgeons
• Support Groups
• Family, Friends & Community
• Safe Folder
Emotional Support
Stages of Grief around:
• Name Change
• The "loss" of the Child We Knew

Fear and Concern for:

• Future
• Safety
• Love & Acceptance
Mentorship
NAVIGATING:
• Siblings
• Significant Other
• Extended Family
• Friends
• Community/Church/Social Groups
• Social Media

Stop, Drop & Roll
Self-Care
For real. Stop and take a
moment to douse the fire
engulfing you right now. What
does "self-care" look like to you?
success. So put out the kitchen fire
Thriving Through Transition
OVERCOMING THE OVERWHELM
Grab The Fire Extinguisher
& Start Somewhere
Small Wins
Oh look, the house is on fire too!
Welp, let's start with the fire in
front of you and go from there.
Small "wins" set you up for
and go from there.
Oh Look, We're on a Plane Fires Are Out and We've
& Now IT'S On Fire too... Landed Safely!
Put On Your Oxygen Mask Gratitude
Before Helping Others So get down on your knees and
Mindfulness
kiss the ground. Learn how
You're no good to anyone dead. So
changing your Attitude to
take care of you first and then
Gratitude is a total game changer
worry about them. Learn to breathe
through the chaos..
 Thriving Through Transitions
AN ONGOING JOURNEY

OVERWHELM SURVIVAL THRIVING

 What I Offer
Pediatricians?
BASIC EDUCATION (IF NEEDED)

A MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE TO

"go-to
YOUR CLIENTS

KEEP YOUR PRACTICE CURRENT WITH

peds" TRANSGENDER ISSUES & TOPICS

REFERRALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

BE THE AFFIRMING
SAFE FIRST STOP ON
A FAMILY'S JOURNEY
 WHO BENEFITS?
PATIENTS
The children who are going through this

PARENTS transition need unconditional love,

support and complete affirmation. When
Parents who may be feeling
their parents are affirming, they can
DOCTORS overwhelmed and insecure about the
then thrive.
next steps for their child will receive full
It all does not need to be 100% on you. I
support and guidance through this life-
help doctors serve their clients that need
altering transition.
my guidance and mentorship. Doctors, in
turn, provide a more complete care for
their TGNC families.
 About Me
TRANSITIONAL COACH

KRIS JANOVITZ
Coach, Photographer & Mom

I am the proud mother of three awesome children, one who is transgender. I’m also a
photographer and a passionate coach for women who are going through the
transition stage with their transgender child. It can be a confusing, emotional and
complicated process, one that could potentially throw lives upside down. After going
through this sometimes painful and complicated journey with my own daughter since
2011, I decided to shift my time, passion and career to helping women through this
emotionally complex process.