Trans & Gender Diverse healthcare without the long waitlist!
Trans Space is a multidisciplinary health service that provides trans affirmative support to trans & gender diverse (TGD) people and their families.
We are located in Brunswick, Victoria, on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people.
Our Services
Discover a safe space where you can truly be yourself. Our team of professionals are here to provide trans affirmative support, helping you navigate your journey. We are led by the trans & gender diverse community and exist to serve our community. We are committed to providing compassionate care for every step of the way.
Trans Space is a central hub run by Trans & Gender Diverse (TGD) people for TGD people. We connect people seeking trans affirmative support with experienced:
Psychologists
Counsellors
Occupational Therapists
Dietitians
Our Values
Autonomy
Connection
Diversity
Honesty
Legacy
Thirst for learning
Meet the Team
Lee Taube (they/them)
Director & Psychologist
Lee is the founder and Director of Trans Space, is a registered psychologist and the first author of four academic peer-reviewed publications. Lee’s publications use strengths-based approaches to improve mental health for Trans & Gender Diverse (TGD) people.
Lee is experienced in using the informed consent model, Transgender Affirmative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TA-CBT), and Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). Lee is well versed in working with TGD children and adults with gender dysphoria, and parents of TGD children. Lee has lived experience of undergoing medical transition via testosterone and top surgery/ chest surgery. Lee has availability to do WPATH assessments for clients seeking gender affirmation hormone treatment and gender affirmation surgery. Lee can also provide psycho-education to caregivers to assist making informed decisions using evidence based research.
Lee has a warm and relaxed person centered approach in providing therapeutic counselling services. Lee is skilled in working with depression, anxiety, neurodiversity, binge eating disorder, and clients that are LGBTIQA+, sex workers, and polyamorous.
Lee has over ten years of leadership experience beginning when they co-founded Ygender which is Melbourne’s first youth-led social support group for and by TGD young people. Lee wrote a proposal, negotiated in meetings with Swinburne's Vice Chancellor, and successfully secured gender neutral bathrooms on Swinburne campuses. Swinburne were the first Victorian University to implement gender neutral bathrooms and other Australian universities followed in implementing gender neutral bathrooms.
Lee is available for in person sessions at the Brunswick site, can provide online telehealth sessions, and Medicare rebates are available to clients within Australia with a mental health care plan referral from a GP. Lee also provides psychological services to clients on NDIS, supervision to practitioners, and professional development and training on trans & gender diverse affirming healthcare.
Email Lee at lee@transspace.org.au
Korey Baruta (they/she)
Dietitian
Korey is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (CEDC) with a passion for helping people of all shapes, sizes, identities and abilities to develop a healthier relationship with food, their mind and their bodies. They utilise Health At Every Size (HAES®) and the Non-Diet Approach to guide their practice, with a commitment to providing compassionate and weight-neutral care.
Korey has experience working in eating disorders and across all diagnoses, formal and informal. She draws upon her empathetic nature and lived experience to provide person-centred care to her clients. She has experience working with children and adolescents and their families involved in Family Based Therapy (FBT), including difficulties with feeding within neurodivergent children.
Through her lived experience and work, Korey has developed a specific interest working with neurodiversity and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. They have worked with trans and gender non-conforming people experiencing disordered eating and shape control behaviours, related to the common crossover between body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria. Korey has passion working with folks in with disabilities and marginalised bodies to provide safe and non-discriminatory care.
Julia Verso (she/her)
Occupational Therapist
Julia is a registered occupational therapist with 7 years experience in a variety of sectors, including early childhood intervention, complex physical disability, schools and NDIS.
Julia has a passion for supporting adults, children and families of all varieties. She draws on her lived experience of ADHD to provide neurodiversity affirming care to those in the neurodiverse community. Julia enjoys providing person centred care to individuals with a variety of disabilities and mental health conditions, with or without a formal diagnosis.
Julia seeks to provide neurodiversity affirming care by recognising each individual’s strengths and abilities and using these to support the person to participate in activities that are important to them. A neurodiversity affirming approach recognises that brains work differently and that this is not something that needs to be “fixed” or “changed” but rather, accommodated and supported.
Julia has an interest in supporting people from all backgrounds and identities, and acknowledges the strong link between neurodiversity, mental health and LGBTIQ+ identities. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion in workplaces, schools and broader society. Julia has a strong interest in mental health and has worked with trauma affected children and adults over her career. She has completed training in trauma informed practice, child and infant mental health, supporting gender diverse communities and providing culturally safe care for First Nations people.
Julia has experience delivering a range of interventions including: support for sensory regulation, support for daily routines, prescription of assistive technology, simple home modifications, emotional regulation, behavioural support, fine motor and handwriting interventions and many more.
Jazs Van Gils (he/him)
Psychotherapist
Jazs is a psychotherapist who is passionate in supporting the trans and gender diverse and neurodivergent community using his lived experience as a trans man.
Jazs utilizes person centered collaboration in working with clients. His lived experience with ADHD helps him to empathize and provide neurodivergent affirming care that is tailored to individual clients specific needs and goals. Jazs’ approach centers learning about his clients with gentle curiosity and adapting sessions based on feedback to suit each unique person.
Jazs’ practice aims to create a relaxed safe space where gender identity can be celebrated and explored. Jazs utilizes Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in his practice alongside his experience as a counselling client to inform his approach to mental health with gender diverse and neurodivergent people seeking support with an affirming community.
Abby Draper (they/them)
Mental Health Accredited Occupational Therapist
Abby is an AHPRA Accredited Occupational Therapist with 14 years of experience working in the mental health system, including inpatient units, prevention and recovery care services, homeless programs, and community mental health. Abby identifies as non-binary and is part of the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent Communities. They draw from the psycho-social and internal challenges they have experienced with their sexuality and being gender and neuro diverse. They celebrate diversity and uniqueness and understand how affirming practices lead to more positive mental health and well-being outcomes.
Abby is a passionate advocate for equality and values creating safe, inclusive, and trauma-informed spaces for individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, cultures, genders, races, and sexual orientations. They focus on the client’s strengths rather than diagnoses and use a trauma informed approach to care. Abby's expertise lies in sensory modulation techniques to promote calmness, safety, and harm reduction. In their practice, Abby offers a non-judgmental approach, empowering clients to become more autonomous and resilient in their mental health and well-being journeys.
Abby provides sensory modulation techniques to support individuals with regulating their arousal levels, behaviour and emotions. Abby can assist with environmental accessibility to encourage engagement in meaningful daily activities. Abby can help build organisational skills for daily structure and weekly routines to support managing home tasks, handling life administration, practicing self-care, nurturing social connections, and pursuing study and work goals. Abby is experienced in conducting functional assessments, sensory profiles, sensory safety, relapse prevention and risk management plans.
Abby works with adults 18+ and is experienced in using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Neuro-Divergent Friendly Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Transgender Affirmative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TA-CBT), Schema Therapy, and Somatic/Embodied Trauma work.
Georgia (BEXSc) is an exercise scientist and founder of the Conscious Combat Club. The Conscious Combat Club is a safer, accessible space for people living with trauma to reclaim their body, confidence and strength through trauma-informed martial arts. Georgia is a Kyokushin karate black belt, pro-level Muay Thai fighter and BJJ blue belt with 17 years of experience in martial arts. Georgia is passionate about creating spaces where all bodies can heal through movement, especially bodies which are frequently excluded from movement spaces.
Georgia has presented at national and international conferences on the importance of trauma-informed practice for LGBTQ+ people including Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference and the Pride in Practice Conference.
Georgia is offering an 8 week trauma-informed kickboxing program for trans and gender-diverse adults (18+) at Trans Space. This course is aimed at helping you to connect to body, practice setting boundaries, connect with community, and practice emotion regulation. While the Conscious Combat Club is usually only open to women and gender diverse people, this will be an all-gender program! If you're curious to learn more, please book a free consultation.
Georgia Verry (she/her)
Trauma-informed Kickboxing Facilitator
Darcy is a Registered Psychologist who values the power of authenticity, relational healing, and moving towards an integrated self.
Darcy works with adolescents (16 years +), and adults. Darcy is experienced working with identity struggles, impacts from trauma, (including PTSD, complex PTSD), anxiety, (diagnosed or general experiences of anxiety), and disordered eating/diagnosed eating disorders. Darcy utilises a Health at Every Size lens (HAES), Neurodivergent-affirming framework, and prioritises working with our LGBTQIA+ community (as a proud member herself). Darcy is also skilled at working with disabled communities, including Autistic folk and ADHDers in the neurodivergent community, (self-identifying, exploring or diagnosed).
Darcy employs the latest evidenced based modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing and elements of Solution Focused Therapy where appropriate.
Darcy Richardson (she/her)
Psychologist
Alfie (he/him)
Therapy Dog
Darcy's 3 year old Groodalier (Golden retriever x poodle x cavalier king Charles), Alfie, often joins her during therapy sessions where he may offer emotional support and comfort for clients (where appropriate).
Alfie loves short walks on the beach and making new friends!
Maxi Xie (he/they)
Relationship Therapist
Sexologist
Maxi is a Master of Counselling graduate that works with couples providing relationship counselling and sex therapy. Maxi supports people in understanding themselves better, and develop curiosity, and self-compassion. Understanding that everyone is different, Maxi creates specialised plans and treatments for all of his clients using evidence-based psychological therapies.
Maxi is experienced in a range of therapeutic approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Schema Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Sex Therapy, and Psychosexual Therapy.
Priding themselves on being non-dismissive and non-discriminative, Maxi will through therapy, help you unpack your situation, support you to find your strengths and goals, help you to cope with inner conflicts, and build the meaningful life you desire.
Maxi is fluent in Mandarin and can provide services bi-lingually.
Maxi works with clients aged 16 and over.
Contact us
For general enquiries
Otherwise, please book directly with the practitioner that you’d like to see
Make a Donation
If you love the work that we do and would like to support us, please give generously and be a part of improving trans affirming healthcare!