If you’re the parent of a transgender or nonbinary teen who is struggling, you may be evaluating more than treatment quality alone. You also want to know that your teen will be understood, respected, and supported throughout their care.
Clinically reviewed by
Dr. Ian Wolds Psy.D.
Last reviewed on August 5, 2026
For families of transgender and nonbinary teens, understanding how a residential treatment program approaches gender identity can be an important part of evaluating care.
Muir Wood works with many transgender and nonbinary teens. Our goal is to create an environment where every teen feels safe, respected, and supported while receiving high-quality clinical care.
Affirming a teen starts with the simple act of being seen. We use the name and the pronouns your teen asks us to use. We don’t treat a teen’s identity as a problem to be solved, and we never try to change who they are. Our role is to support your teen’s emotional experience and to give them room to understand themselves — without pressure in any direction.
“We affirm and help teens explore their authentic self.”
Ian Wolds, PsyD
Chief Clinical Officer, Muir Wood Teen Treatment
For a teen who has felt judged or unsafe in other settings, being treated with respect can be the very thing that lets them finally lower their guard and engage in the work of healing.
Being transgender or nonbinary is not a mental health condition, and we don’t treat it as one. Some — though not all — transgender teens also experience gender dysphoria, the distress that can come from a mismatch between their identity and their sex assigned at birth. That distress is real, and we know how to support it. Learn more about how we support teens experiencing gender dysphoria.
Many transgender and nonbinary teens come to us for reasons that have little to do with gender at all — depression, anxiety, trauma, or substance use. Whatever brings your teen here, we care for the whole person, not a single part of their story.
Muir Wood supports teens with the emotional challenges they’re facing, including any distress related to gender, and we treat co-occurring conditions like depression and anxiety.
We are not a medical gender-transition provider — we don’t offer hormone therapy or surgical care. When a teen is already working with gender-affirming medical or therapeutic providers, we coordinate with them to ensure care remains consistent while your teen is with us.
Because this matters so much to families, we want to answer it plainly rather than leave you to wonder:
Our residential structure
At Muir Wood, residential housing and daily programming are organized by sex assigned at birth. We respect and affirm every teen’s gender identity — including the name and pronouns they use — and that respect coexists with a residential structure we maintain for the clinical focus and safety it provides for the whole community.
We know that for some families, this raises real questions, and we won’t pretend the answer is simple. What we can tell you is that within that structure, your teen will be called by their name and pronouns, treated with respect by our staff, and supported as the individual they are. If you have questions about what daily life would look like for your teen, we welcome that conversation before any decision is made.
You can also read more about why our residential communities are structured this way on our gender-specific treatment page.
Parenting a transgender or nonbinary teen through a mental health crisis can feel isolating, and families often arrive at understanding at different paces. Our family programming is built for exactly that — to help you support your teen and strengthen the relationship between you. Whatever your own questions or learning curve, you’ll be met with the same respect and care we extend to your teen.
We’d rather be honest with you than have your teen feel out of place. For some teens, being in a residential community organized by sex assigned at birth may not feel right, or may add to their distress rather than ease it. If that’s the case for your teen, we’ll tell you — and we’ll help you look for a setting that fits them better. Our goal is always what serves your teen, even when that turns out to be somewhere other than here.
Hope starts here.
If you’re trying to decide what your transgender or nonbinary teen needs, our admissions team is glad to talk it through honestly — about your teen, your questions, and whether Muir Wood is the right fit.
Yes. We care for teens of many identities and backgrounds, we use the name and pronouns your teen asks us to use, and we never try to change who a teen is. Every teen is treated with dignity and supported as a whole person.
Yes. We use the name and pronouns your teen asks us to use as a basic part of treating them with respect.
No. Muir Wood is a mental health and substance use treatment program; we don’t provide hormone therapy or surgical care. If your teen is already working with gender-affirming providers, we coordinate with them to ensure care remains consistent during their stay.
Residential housing and daily programming are organized by sex assigned at birth, while we respect and affirm each teen’s gender identity. You can read more about why our residential communities are structured this way on our gender-specific treatment page.
No. Being transgender or nonbinary is not a mental health condition. Some transgender teens experience gender dysphoria — distress related to gender — which we support, and many come to us for unrelated reasons such as depression, anxiety, or substance use.
We’ll be honest with you. If a residential community organized by sex assigned at birth isn’t right for your teen, we’ll help you look for a setting that fits them better. What matters most to us is that your teen gets the care they need.
Read about Muir Wood experiences from a parent who has been through it. Read these and other reviews from real parents of Muir Wood alumni. If you would like to speak to an alumni parent, contact us and we’ll arrange it.
Muir Wood has been a gift to our son and our family. Their focus on substance abuse, mental health and the family provides comprehensive treatment that our kids deserve but is so incredibly hard to find.
KM
Jul 2026
The staff at Muir supported our 15 year old son with professional expertise and with heart. We are very grateful for all the coping skills our son learned at Muir, and we observe him applying these skills to maintain his sobriety.
GH
Jul 2026
The program is great, but our son’s primary therapist Mimi was absolutely invaluable.
AF
Jul 2026
Addressed what my daughter needed
HW
Jul 2026
Muirwood has been our family’s saving grace. The staff is professional and committed to helping teen boys with not only life skills and sobriety but also understanding themselves. We will be forever thankful.
CV
Jul 2026
The therapist was amazing in helping my daughter heal and make progress. The strict rules and phone structure was very helpful
DL
Jul 2026
Provided incredible support for my child
MN
Jul 2026
Muir Wood Teen Residential Treatment is an incredible facility, focused on supporting the child client, with education and support for parents and family. This is a life saving program for teens struggling with mental health and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
SK
Jul 2026
*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal