When Gryffin started coming to the Bert Nash Center for services, they found the help they needed.
They also found a sense of connection and community.
“As a trans individual, especially someone nonbinary, I’m often the odd one out,” Gryffin said.
“I don’t often get the chance to participate fully, there are parts of my experiences, my identity, which just don’t fit.”
After joining a trans dialectical behavior therapy group led by Bert Nash Center therapist Amy Hammer, Gryffin fits in.
“That really was an aha moment. Suddenly I didn’t have to explain or exclude my experiences,” Gryffin said. “They just got it. In this group, I have become more certain of myself.”
Three years ago, when Gryffin began coming to the Bert Nash Center, they were at a low point.
“I’ve been depressed and anxious for as long as I can remember. I was miserable, but I was making it,” Gryffin said. “And suddenly I couldn’t do that anymore. I had heard good things about Bert Nash. I came here looking for some sort of support.”
Gryffin began seeing therapist Emma Kaiser, a member of the Bert Nash Center’s dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) team and found the support they needed.
“Emma and I have a really great relationship,” Gryffin said. “Before I had this problem where I wouldn’t tell my therapist the truth. I wanted to give them the best version of myself, which isn’t the most honest version of myself. Now I’m able to just let my guard and say when I’m needing some support. And that’s been wonderful.”
When Gryffin came to the Bert Nash Center, they were feeling unstable and didn’t have many personal connections. Through DBT, Gryffin has learned valuable life skills.
“I particularly benefit from DBT skill building,” Gryffin said. “That has been really helpful in helping me navigate the intricacies of becoming a person and building for myself that life worth living that we talk about a lot in DBT.”
Since they joined the trans DBT group, Gryffin has settled into their own identity. They came out publicly and began dating a trans woman. Gryffin and Audrey became partners and are now engaged.
“I have that stability and those strong relationships that I really longed for,” Gryffin said. “I feel grateful for the connections that I’ve made through Bert Nash, the skills that I’ve learned, and the stability that I’ve gained.”