RESOURCES
|
| ||||
Trans-Specific/Non-Binary/Gender Fluid Services, FAQ:
How long have you been providing gender counseling?
The first gender variant person I knowingly met was in 2007 when I was working as a volunteer crisis advocate. At the time, I was acutely aware of the lacking education I was provided on this topic and I began to research what was then called, Gender Identity Disorder (now called Gender Dysphoria) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-V). Since, I have graduated with my masters and am now a LPC and a supervisor, and more versed in Gender Dysphoria and learning every day.
What kind of gender-related issues do you work with?
Folks come to see me for many reasons related to gender.
Some of reasons include:
Do you see children and adolescents?
Yes! I have experience working with children as young as 5 who have expressed gender identity variations or questioning sexual orientation. I do require a parent or guardian to legally sign paperwork for a person under the age of 18 to be a client. If a child or adolescent is considering talking to a counselor, it may feel more comfortable to seek counseling for other concerns such as bullying, depression, or anxiety initially or when talking with parents about seeking counseling services.
What guides your therapy process?
If you are interested in a letter of referral for HRT, a typical counseling process with me is based on the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care. My role is outlined in the Standards of Care (SOC), and in a nutshell, this involves two primary tasks. Assessing you to be sure you are dealing with Gender Dysphoria, and that it has not been confused with something else. And two, ensuring that your life is set up in such a way that you can be emotionally, physically, socially, and financially successful in your transition (this is called the “readiness criteria”).
The process is pretty smooth and usually results in a letter at the end of the sessions unless you decide in the meantime that it’s not what you want, or if you have some unexpected complication (such as a serious drug addiction or mental health issue such as schizophrenia or another severe condition which might impede your ability to make such irreversible decisions). An unexpected complication although not typical, but it does occur for some folks; and I am invested in being completely transparent about how this process works, at every step.
Who provides the hormone replacement therapy?
I will write the letter of referral to the doctor of your choice. If you do not have a doctor and need a referral, I work closely with local doctors to whom I can refer you.
Do you provide services online?
Yes, as of August 2020.
The first gender variant person I knowingly met was in 2007 when I was working as a volunteer crisis advocate. At the time, I was acutely aware of the lacking education I was provided on this topic and I began to research what was then called, Gender Identity Disorder (now called Gender Dysphoria) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-V). Since, I have graduated with my masters and am now a LPC and a supervisor, and more versed in Gender Dysphoria and learning every day.
What kind of gender-related issues do you work with?
Folks come to see me for many reasons related to gender.
Some of reasons include:
- I think I am transgender, but how do I know for sure?
- I would just like support and someone to talk to about what I am going through.
- I am afraid what my family will think, how do I talk to them?
- I am ready to begin a formal gender transition.
- I am ready for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- How do I tell my kids?
- I would like chest surgery (FTM) and I need a referral.
- I need help with my gender transition at work.
- I am unsure about my gender and I need help sorting it out.
Do you see children and adolescents?
Yes! I have experience working with children as young as 5 who have expressed gender identity variations or questioning sexual orientation. I do require a parent or guardian to legally sign paperwork for a person under the age of 18 to be a client. If a child or adolescent is considering talking to a counselor, it may feel more comfortable to seek counseling for other concerns such as bullying, depression, or anxiety initially or when talking with parents about seeking counseling services.
What guides your therapy process?
If you are interested in a letter of referral for HRT, a typical counseling process with me is based on the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care. My role is outlined in the Standards of Care (SOC), and in a nutshell, this involves two primary tasks. Assessing you to be sure you are dealing with Gender Dysphoria, and that it has not been confused with something else. And two, ensuring that your life is set up in such a way that you can be emotionally, physically, socially, and financially successful in your transition (this is called the “readiness criteria”).
The process is pretty smooth and usually results in a letter at the end of the sessions unless you decide in the meantime that it’s not what you want, or if you have some unexpected complication (such as a serious drug addiction or mental health issue such as schizophrenia or another severe condition which might impede your ability to make such irreversible decisions). An unexpected complication although not typical, but it does occur for some folks; and I am invested in being completely transparent about how this process works, at every step.
Who provides the hormone replacement therapy?
I will write the letter of referral to the doctor of your choice. If you do not have a doctor and need a referral, I work closely with local doctors to whom I can refer you.
Do you provide services online?
Yes, as of August 2020.