“I feel very fortunate to have known Martha and to have benefited from her experience and guidance when needed at various points in my life. She was a true blessing when I decided to begin my FtM transition and was a great resource for personal counseling and helping me understand and prepare for the journey. Because Martha is recognized as an expert in the field of transgender issues, my employer hired her to come to our office for a day and help educate co-workers and answer questions related to my transition, which was a tremendous help. I am thankful for Martha and the experience and support that she has been able to offer over the years and I would absolutely recommend her to others.”

As a reconstructive surgeon doing a large volume and variety of surgeries for transgender individuals, I often rely on the evaluations and recommendations of mental health specialists prior to performing surgery. In the past several years, I have received a number of patient evaluations from Martha Harris, a licensed clinical social worker associated with the Banyan Counseling Center in Alexandria, Virginia.

Ms. Harris’ evaluations are consistently detailed, insightful, and comprehensive. She has specialized in counseling for the transgender community for many years, and her long experience with this patient population gives her a level of understanding and expertise matched by few others. She consistently writes quality reports which are invaluable to my decision making process when contemplating gender reassignment surgery. Whether her recommendations are positive or occasionally negative regarding a patient’s suitability for surgery, I always take her opinions seriously and, in fact, rely on her evaluation and opinions before committing myself to performing any type of transitioning surgery.

I would recommend Martha Harris to anyone in need of counseling guidance, and support before, during, and after the process of gender reassignment.

Yours truly,

Dr. Sherman Leis

When I moved to the DC Area three years ago, Martha was one of several therapists I initially contacted.  I liked a lot of what I heard about her, but I also was hesitant to work with her because I wasn’t sure I wanted a therapist who focused on gender identity issues.  I didn’t want to walk in and have myself reduced to simply being a transgender person in need of help “becoming” a woman; I knew there were many more important things going on in my life right then, especially as I was right out of college and figuring out how to live as a newly independent adult.

She quickly proved to have an open mind and was quick to learn about my unique identity and unique interests.  I was able to educate her and she in turn was better able to help me, even if she didn’t already have experience with topics like music subcultures or kink subculture.  Her experience with transgender clients has proven helpful, perhaps more often than I’d like to admit.  She has guided me through several life changes in those three years, including new relationships, joining a sports league, surgery, and a career change.  She has always been able to adapt without judgment as my identity and outlook on life has shifted over time.  I eagerly look forward to each and every one of our appointments.

“Having been through three counselors over twenty-four years, I was directed to Martha by fate and it’s made all the difference to my world.  During this time, I had peered over the edge and into what appeared as a bottomless pit an endless number of times, always afraid to jump, to be myself.  Martha assured me that I would experience a soft landing.  I jumped and discovered that it wasn’t a pit and it wasn’t bottomless.  I’ve discovered myself and have started living an authentic life.  For the first time in my life, I love who I am and who I am becoming and Martha has played a big part in that.  She’s helped me stay my path and walked along my side when I’ve struggled.  I love you Martha.  May the warmth of a sunny day always shine upon your face.”

I came to Martha a distressed and confused individual, struggling mightily with who she was. Approximately a year later, my distress has been replaced by happiness and my confusion with razor-sharp focus. Martha asked the right questions… some forced me to take a critical look at myself. Some gently encouraged me in the direction in which she sensed I was yearning to go. Martha’s style can be described as supportive and empathetic when she needs to be, yet respectfully assertive when I wasn’t being honest with myself. There were times when I needed gentle support. And times when I needed a wake-up call. I got what I needed and was and am very well cared for.

I’m very fortunate to reside in the D.C. area and be able to work with a therapist such as Martha. Her many years’ experience with people wrestling with their gender identity has also afforded her a network of resources… other people who help with your process in other ways. Both the sessions, and referrals to other providers proved invaluable as I began my transition. The path for my life is clear, and I now look forward to the future, instead of being afraid of it. This would not have been accomplished without Martha’s help.
I am excited to continue my journey and will remain committed to the therapy process with Martha as I grow as a woman.

I recently moved to the Washington Metropolitan area three years ago from California. Having spent the last five years and having gone through as many counselors who claimed to have had gender counseling expertise, I searched for and discovered Banyan Counseling Center in Alexandria, VA, on the web.

I thought I knew what to expect, being a “seasoned” client, but I was truly surprised and ecstatic with what I found. I was relieved to find a center in the Washington Metropolitan area, that had extensive real-life contact and working knowledge with hundreds of people like me and that had a fireside manner that was both warm, engaging, realistic, and candid. I have been to counselors, from the north, east, south, and west, and have not found such a safe and healing environment in which to work through issues that my life has dealt me or that I have created myself.

I will not go to any other counselor because this is the place for reflection, counseling, discussion, introspection, and encouragement. It is a reflective sounding board for my very real and very present pressing issues.