Gender, affirming care & Surgical Referral Letters

Marianne Oakes is the founder and lead counsellor at Evolve Online Counselling, offering specialist online counselling for individuals, couples and families across the UK.

With over ten years of professional experience and a Level 5 Diploma in Counselling, Marianne is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP, Membership No. 159445). She has extensive experience providing both face-to-face and online therapy, supporting clients through emotional challenges, relationships, identity exploration and significant life changes.

As a person-centred counsellor, Marianne believes that everyone has the capacity for personal growth when offered an environment built on empathy, authenticity and unconditional positive regard. Her approach is compassionate, collaborative and non-judgemental, allowing clients to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences at their own pace.

Marianne specialises in gender-affirming counselling and LGBTQ+ mental health support, with particular experience working alongside transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse individuals. Her work includes supporting people navigating gender identity, social and medical transition, relationships, self-acceptance and access to gender-affirming healthcare.

Alongside her therapeutic practice, Marianne has over ten years' experience providing gender-affirming surgery referral assessments and professional supporting letters, including top surgery referrals. She recognises that every individual's circumstances and healthcare needs are different and approaches each assessment with care, professionalism and respect.

At the heart of Marianne's work is a commitment to creating an inclusive, confidential and welcoming environment where clients feel heard, respected and empowered to make informed choices about their lives.

Marianne believes that counselling should be a space where you can be yourself, without judgement, pressure or expectations.

Joseph Oakes is a qualified, BACP-registered, person-centred counsellor specialising in gender-affirming counselling, transgender mental health and neurodiversity support. With six years of professional experience, Joseph provides compassionate, inclusive online counselling for adults and young people across the UK.

As one of the lead counsellors at Evolve Online Counselling and a member of the wellbeing team at Anne Health, a UK private gender healthcare provider, Joseph has extensive experience supporting transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse individuals at different stages of their lives. His work includes gender identity exploration, social and medical transition, emotional wellbeing, anxiety, self-acceptance and family relationships.

As an autistic counsellor, Joseph brings both professional knowledge and personal understanding to his work with neurodivergent clients. He recognises the importance of adapting counselling to individual communication styles, sensory needs and experiences, creating an environment where clients can feel comfortable, understood and respected.

Joseph's connection to the transgender community is deeply personal. Growing up with his transgender parent, Marianne Oakes, he has been part of the community for over 20 years. This lived experience, combined with his professional training, has shaped his understanding of the challenges, strengths and diverse experiences of transgender people and their families.

His person-centred approach is grounded in empathy, authenticity and unconditional positive regard. Joseph believes that everyone deserves a confidential, non-judgemental space where they can explore their identity, relationships and emotional wellbeing without pressure or expectations.

Alongside counselling, Joseph is also a qualified hypnotherapist, with experience using hypnotherapy techniques to support clients experiencing anxiety and needle phobia, particularly when preparing for medical aspects of gender transition.

Joseph's aim is to provide genuinely affirming, individualised counselling that helps every client feel heard, respected and empowered to move forward in their own way.