{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"An Island For So Long - A Journey to Gender Identity - a Conversation with Dayne Bachmann EP: 4","description":"Honestly, after conducting more than 40 interviews over the past two years for this podcast and another, this interview was one of the most challenging for me. In this conversation I speak with Mr. Dayne Bachmann, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Twin Peaks Counseling located in West Hartford, CT.  Dayne\u2019s is the first episode exploring the issues and challenges faced by those in the LGBTQ community. I plan to do others. For me, the challenge began with something as simple as language.  In the introduction, I referred to Dayne as a transgendED man.  A few minutes into our conversation, he gently corrected me.  \u201cThe proper term,\u201d he said, \u201cis transgendER man.\u201d  And so it began. Isn\u2019t this what it\u201ds all about---to begin to understand the world from the point of view of another? Continuing the interview, Dayne clarified additional terms, including, \u201cgender identity,\u201d \u201cgender reassignment,\u201d \u201cnon-binary,\u201d etc.  In the heart of this episode, Dayne shared his personal journey to find his own gender identity and the disconnect he experienced growing up feeling as a boy\/man trapped in the body of a girl\/woman.  These are concepts that can be difficult for straight people to understand, and you\u2019ll hear some of that in this conversation.  We also chat about: What it means to be transgender---the differnce between one\u2019s genetic profile and the sense of who they are truly meant to be. Transitioning----what does it mean?  Is it only one thing? Gender reassignment. Confronting negative stereotypes. How, as a licensed clinical social worker, Dayne helps others discover their own gender identities, and counsels individuals and families through the process. \u201cAn Island No Longer\u201d, Dayne\u2019s book describing his personal journey. He hopes it will give hope to those who are struggling with the same issues and challenges he confronted.                     And so much more\u2026 According to Dayne, \u201cIt is possible one day to feel more male (or female) at any given point in time.\u201d  \u201cYour gender identity is on a continuum,\u201d he adds.\u201d  \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be black or white.\u201d \u201cThere are people who stay in the closet forever because of fear, lack of support or lack of knowledge,\u201d says Dayne.  \u201cI hope through my work with the transgender and LGBTQ communities, and especially through my book, I am able to alleviate some of that fear, provide support and understanding and guide others on their journey to live the life they were meant to live. \u201c Find out more about Dayne, his upcoming book, \u201cAn Island No Longer\u201d and Twin Peaks Counseling at www.twinpeakscounseling.com. Or reach out to him at dbachmann@gmail.com. ","author_name":"Help Me 2 Understand","author_url":"http:\/\/helpme2understand.libsyn.com\/website","html":"