How to Find a Gender Affirming and Inclusive Therapist?
What is gender affirming therapy and what does it mean?
Is it just a buzzword? and how do I actually know if my therapist will be a safe person to seek treatment from? Gender affirmation can come in a variety of different ways and varies based on that unique individual. Affirmation can come in the form of; social, medical, and legal affirmation of a person’s gender. Therapists should be open to joining their clients on this journey of gender affirmation however it may look for them.
Many clients use a therapy space to experiment and reflect upon how different things make them feel socially. Clients may want to try out different hairstyles, activities and sports, pronouns and names and having a therapist engage and reflect with them during this process can be crucial. When exploring medical affirmation of gender, it can be helpful to work with a therapist that has knowledge around different medical procedures including surgeries and hormone treatments.
It is estimated that around 1.6 million people in the United States identify as transgender, 18% of which are between the ages of 13-17 years old. Trans and gender non conforming individuals (TGNC) with other intersecting identities may face even more marginalization and many don’t seek out treatment due to poor experiences with healthcare professionals as well as fear of not getting inclusive care. With suicidality, violence, and trauma disproportionately affecting TGNC individuals the need for compassionate and inclusive mental health care has never been higher (1).
Other studies have shown that accessing gender affirming health care settings greatly reduces levels of depression and suicidality in transgender and gender non conforming individuals. So how do you go about finding these clinicians? Here are some tips we hope will help you in your search;
Look for therapists that specifically list working with the gender diverse community as part of their focus or specialty. Many clinicians will offer a free 15 minute consultation to ensure goodness of fit. You can ask this clinician what types of trainings they’ve had in working with trans and gender non-conforming clients and how many years of experience have they had working in this area of focus.
Ask if your therapist is trained and able to write WPATH (The World Professional Association for Transgender Health) letters if gender affirming surgeries and/or HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is part of your treatment plan. Some surgeons require these letters before performing operations as well as some insurance plans require them to authorize medical coverage. Even if you’re not ready to pursue these avenues, if you plan to pursue or explore these avenues in the future, it’s great to have an already established relationship with a therapist!
Find out if your therapist is involved with other LGBTQ+ organizations locally, and if they do any advocacy work. If the therapist you’re considering working with regularly connects with and is involved with LGBTQ+ advocacy work, that is a good sign that they understand the unique minority stressors that TGNC clients face on a daily basis. Sometimes therapists will list this in their bios on psychology today or their practice website. Some therapist may even include in their descriptions whether are not they are a member of the LGBTQ+ community if they feel comfortable to do so.
Use a therapist directory that specifically creates a culture around anti-racism, social justice and inclusivity. You can use therapist directories to help narrow down your search and simplify the process of finding a therapist that matches your needs and whose work reflects your personal values. Directories like Inclusive Therapists have created a community of like minded therapists that agree to align their practice with the focus of amplifying voices of marginalized communities including TGNC clients. All therapists listed in this directory have agreed to practice with the aim of de-stigmatizing and decolonizing mental health. This directory also allows therapists to list many intersectionalities of their own identities, making it easier for clients to find therapists that share parts of their identities. If your therapist lists or tells you their pronouns and asks you what yours are that’s a good sign they are already thinking about what it means to be affirming.
Pay attention to how you feel if you decide to work with a therapist! Ask yourself, do I feel safe talking to this therapist? Do I feel that they understand the unique intersection of my identities? If you find yourself having to educate yourself on specific nuances related to mental health for trans clients, this might not be the best fit. If you spend a lot of time during your sessions in a “teaching role” this is taking away from your precious time that should be dedicated to your healing and growth. Being in the space of teacher/ educator as a client can often bring up past traumas of having to educate others in your life that were not affirming of your gender identity.
If you reach out to a therapist and they are not accepting new patients, or they have a waitlist, ask for referrals! Right now, our field is very impacted with an imbalance between the high demand for mental health services and a lower supply of therapists to provide that treatment. Especially if you are searching for a therapist in network with your insurance. Many therapists who provide trans affirming mental health care are connected with other providers that have openings and can provide those referrals to you.
Lastly, ask your therapist what type of restrooms they have available if you’re going to see them in person. Sometimes therapist offices will have single stall, gender neutral or “all gender” bathrooms. If you’d feel more comfortable using one of these while you’re attending your therapy appointment, ask your therapist what their restroom facilities are like. Some practices list this on their website which is even better and eliminates some bathroom anxiety, making your therapy experience as comfortable as possible.
We hope this will help you on your journey of finding a therapist that fits your needs. At Rose Wellness, we provide ongoing trainings to our clinicians in trans affirming care, as well as WPATH letter writing. If you are in the state of CA, you can reach out to us and request a free 15 minute consultation with one of our therapists that has openings. If we don’t have openings when you call, we are happy to provide you with referrals outside of our practice to meet your needs.
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