Are you a Mental Health Professional?

One of my greatest passions as a gender therapist is to educate and train other mental health professionals to work with trans/transgender clients.

I know a lot of therapists and counselors who are more than interested in working with this population. And yet the amount of knowledge and experience that needs to be achieved seems…well, overwhelming.

Here’s the way I see it. It usually takes years to become an “expert” or a “specialist” in a certain area of counseling. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it – you just have to know where to start.

Allow me to explain. Several of my colleagues and I started a Transgender Consultation Network in the town where I have my private practice. We’ve structured it with a “tiered” system in mind that explains to clients where your level of expertise lies.

Each therapist who joins the group indicates if they are Trans-Friendly (beginner), Trans-Aware (intermediate), or Trans-Knowledgeable (expert).

If you were to take a few hours to read through the material on this site, by the end of that time I’d have no doubt that you would be, at the very least, a Trans-Friendly therapist. From there, it’s up to you how far you want to take your experience and training (link to page about me providing training/consultation).

Working with the trans/transgender population is rewarding in more ways than I could have ever imagined. You aren’t just providing the clients with counseling. You are a part of a movement, one that is making historical changes in our society. You will see and experience, on a very tangible level, the realization that you are helping to save lives.