Rachel Pepper

 
 

Rachel Pepper is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist whose specialties include working with the LGBT community. She is the author of several books, including The Transgender Child, and the award-winning collection, Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender Children. She lives on an urban farm in The Bay Area of California with her family, her dog, a couple of cats, and a flock of chickens. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Eric McNatt

 

Transitions of the Heart

"For many transgender or gender nonconforming people, our life journey is riddled with struggle, solitude, and a long road toward self-acceptance. The love from a mother is a treasured gift. Transitions of the Heart captures the complexity and depth of a mother's journey to understand and support her child --- a child who, confronted with questions, fear and self-doubt, is sometimes the one who leads the mother to understand the true meaning of unconditional love. The stories told in Transitions of the Heart are are brave, honest, compelling and timely. They represent a powerful tool that can guide a parent from struggle to acceptance."
—The Jim Collins Foundation

"These honest, deeply felt testimonies of parents discovering and grappling with the unexpected difference of their trans child -- exemplify the grace of parental love. I am moved to tears reading these stories, amazed continually by the insight, tender reflection, and courageous love that each parent exhibits in their struggle to understand their trans child, and to parent responsibly and with inspiration. The book, Transitions of the Heart, restores my faith in the world."
—Max Wolf Valerio, author of The Testosterone Files