LONDON, UK. September 18th, 2024 - Voda launches Trans Library, the world's largest free mental health resource to support trans mental health amid mental health crisis
- The library contains 52 self-led digital wellness programmes, covering topics including coping with gender dysphoria, long waitlists, misgendering, social media trolling and medical stigma.
- The collection was created by a panel of 4 trans therapists, with lived experience across sexuality, gender, ethnicity and neurodivergence
- Voda surveyed over 2,400+ trans participants and consulted thought leaders from the trans community to ensure that the content is relevant, affirming and effective.
Voda, the LGBTQIA+ mental health app designed by LGBTQIA+ therapists, has launched the world’s largest free mental health resource for the trans community.
The Trans Library, featuring 52 self-led digital programmes, is designed to meet the unique mental health needs of the trans community, offering inclusive and evidence-based support at a time when it is urgently needed.
The collection, released on 18 September 2024, was created by a panel of 4 trans therapists, with lived experience across gender, sexuality, ethnicity and neurodivergence. Voda also surveyed over 2,400+ trans participants and consulted thought leaders from the trans community to ensure that the content is relevant, affirming and effective.
Each of the 52 programmes is created using evidence-based therapy modalities, ensuring that the content is both effective and affirming. The library, available for free on the Voda app, covers a wide range of topics, from managing gender dysphoria to frustration with long waitlists and medical stigma.
In the UK, the trans community faces significant mental health challenges, often compounded by systemic discrimination, long NHS wait times and increasingly hostile political rhetoric. Despite growing visibility, the gap in targeted mental health resources for trans individuals remains wide. Voda’s new library aims to bridge this gap by providing an accessible source of high-quality mental health support tailored to the needs of the community.
According to NHS data from 2018 to 2023 obtained by the BBC, wait times for gender-affirming care can stretch into 5 years, leaving many trans people in a state of prolonged distress. Meanwhile, a recent study from the University of Manchester found that the risk of a long-term mental health condition is up to five times more likely for trans people than cisgender people.
The development of Voda's Trans Library is a response to the growing challenges faced by the trans community, particularly in light of issues such as the UK government's response to the Cass Review. The impending permanent ban on puberty blockers also further marginalises trans youth, increasing the urgency for accessible mental health resources.
This project is led by Voda’s Lead Psychotherapist, Chris Sheridan MBACP (they/them), and supported by a psychotherapist panel including M Fok MBACP (they/them), a non-binary counsellor; Ellis J. Johnson MBACP (he/him), a queer and trans man of colour and psychodynamic psychotherapeutic counsellor; and Jessy Woods MBACP (she/her), a counsellor and psychotherapist.
Chris Sheridan MBACP (Accred) FRSA (they/them) commented, “Our community has long faced mental health challenges that are often overlooked or inadequately addressed. When support is available, it is often expensive and comes with long waiting lists. We created the Trans Library to provide our community with timely access to mental health support and inclusive programmes to help individuals navigate their mental health journeys in the context of systemic oppression. We hope this ever expanding library becomes a source of support for trans people, not only in the UK but around the world."
Jaron Soh (he/him), co-founder and CEO of Voda commented: “It should not be the sole responsibility of trans people to self-regulate and heal from the systemic trauma they are put through. We should be changing society to rid it of stigma. But until that day comes, we hope that the library provides a much-needed safe space for trans people to find mental health support created by those who have lived through the same stigma they have.”
The library is designed to help trans people cope with transphobia, discrimination, and stigma. Voda’s app, which has already served over 20,000 LGBTQIA+ users, is available for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With this release, Voda aims to provide vital support to millions of trans individuals around the world.
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