For Therapists

The unique characteristics, traits and gifts of adult females on the autism spectrum.

This blog was written to address the autistic female crisis and does not mean that other genders do not or will not identify with this work.

Link: https://taniaannmarshall.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/moving-towards-a-female-profile-the-unique-characteristics-abilities-and-talents-of-asperwomen-adult-women-with-asperger-syndrome/

The ISSD Task Force on Children and Adolescents is pleased to present the Guidelines for the Assessment and Treatment of Dissociative Symptoms in Children and Adolescents.

Link: https://www.isst-d.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/childguidelines-ISSTD-2003.pdf 

Over the past 30 years, the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of dissociative disorders have been enhanced by increased clinical recognition of dissociative conditions, the publication of numerous research and scholarly works on the subject, and the development of specialized diagnostic instruments.

The information in these Guidelines represents current and evolving principles that reflect current scientific knowledge and clinical consensus developed over the past 30 years with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of DID. Given that ongoing research on the diagnosis and treatment of dissociative disorders and other related conditions such as PTSD will lead to further developments in the field, clinicians are advised to continue to consult the published literature to keep up with important new information.

Link: https://www.isst-d.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GUIDELINES_REVISED2011.pdf

LGBT concerns overarching page of the American Psychological Association

Advancing the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge on gender identity and sexual orientation to benefit society and improve lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people’s lives.

Link: https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/index

Research findings that show the critical role of family acceptance and rejection – and earlier ages of coming out – call for a paradigm shift to serve LGBT children and adolescents in the context of their families.

This resource guide was developed and is being disseminated throughout health and social service systems to help practitioners who work in a wide range of settings to understand the critical role of family acceptance and rejection in contributing to the health and well-being of adolescents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

Link: https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/FamilySupportForLGBTChildrenGuidance.pdf

This page has been developed to support your commitment to ensuring transgender and gender-diverse youth have access to lifesaving, gender-affirming care.  You will find information ranging from how to make a referral to our Gender Clinic, to local and national educational resources to support your commitment, to providing quality care to transgender and gender-diverse youth. 

Link: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/clinics/gender-clinic/education-resources-healthcare-professionals/ 

When gender nonbinary patients interact with health care providers, they often feel “misunderstood, disrespected and frustrated,” according to a new study.

“Best practices for all health care staff include avoiding assumptions about patients’ gender identities, asking for information about name and pronouns in order to adopt these consistently throughout the clinical setting, and describing anatomy and related terms with gender-inclusive language.”

Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/nonbinary-patients-seeking-health-care-can-be-painful-task-n941341

The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) Measure was developed to assess aspects of minority stress and resilience faced by people whose gender identity or expression is different in any way from that socially expected based on their sex assigned at birth.

Link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj37fbG2bn3AhWJKzQIHTiEBFIQFnoECAYQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paloaltou.edu%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FGender%2520Minority%2520Stress%2520and%2520Resilience%2520Measure.pdf&usg=AOvVaw07vLjxBuPrg-sf5lDZrTsN 

GQ/NB young adults have unique healthcare needs but often do not feel understood by their providers. There is a need for existing healthcare systems to serve GQ/NB young adults more effectively.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29641314/

Increasing numbers of non-binary people are seeking treatment for gender dysphoria in the UK. But they say that the National Health Service is dramatically failing to adequately or efficiently support their needs.

“Non-binary people I know have found it very, very hard to access services. I found it like I had to jump through hoops and I had to behave myself and I had to wait for somebody to tell me that I was trans. I didn’t feel like I was being listened to or that things weren’t happening fast enough. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to cope.”

Link: https://www.vice.com/en/article/vv59my/how-the-healthcare-system-screws-over-non-binary-people

Top Surgery is the most commonly performed gender-affirming surgery for trans masculine people and evidence shows that it improves quality of life and reduces the symptoms of gender dysphoria.

“Generally accepted standards of medical practice means standards that are based on credible scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community, Physician Specialty Society recommendations and the views of Physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas and any other relevant factors.”

Link: https://www.topsurgery.net/top-surgery-medically-necessary.htm

We believe the standards of healthcare for transgender and gender expansive patients are considerably lower than ideal, and the existing standards can even be even lower when someone identifies as non-binary. This content has been developed to help prospective patients understand that Dr. Mosser performs non-binary top surgery and he also has processes in place at his practice that are aimed at creating a safe and gender affirming environment throughout the entire top surgery experience.

Link: https://www.genderconfirmation.com/non-binary-standards-of-care/

Rachel Lynn Golden, a clinical psychologist, lays out a plan a provider or parent can follow to have a sex positive talk with teens across the gender and sexuality spectrum. She calls upon providers to have this conversation “with care and consideration for all bodies, all orientations, and all ways to engage in sexuality,” and stresses that avoiding the subject further invalidates and stigmatizes transgender patients.

Link: https://genderqueer.me/2017/09/25/fv-15-talking-sexuality-transgender-nonbinary-teens/ 

Experiences of healthcare discrimination are not homogeneous across transgender help-seekers. Predictors of the latent classes indicated that transgender help-seekers holding an additional marginalized identity may be at higher risk for healthcare discrimination or care from providers with limited trans-competence. Targeted engagement and education interventions might improve these transgender help-seekers’ access to and connections with care.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32001051/

Advancing and Promoting the Endocrine Health and Well-Being of Children and Adolescents

Link: https://pedsendo.org/ 

Dion O’Reilly interviews Finn V. Gratton, LMFT about their poetry, their work as a somatic psychotherapist, and their book, Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults.

Link: https://hivepoetry.org/2020/01/06/dion-oreilly-interviews-finn-gratton/ 

The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center is part of the Division of Education and Training at The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health.

The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center aims:

• To advance health equity for LGBTQIA+ people and the populations which may intersect with the LGBTQIA+ community
• To address and eliminate health disparities for the LGBTQIA+ community
• To optimize access to cost-effective health care for the LGBTQIA+ community
• To improve the quality of care for LGBTQIA+ people by providing training and technical assistance to health care providers and staff across the globe

Link: https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/

Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.

Fenway offers several drop-in, staff-facilitated, peer-led, short-term, therapy and one-time social group activities and options for transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people as well as for non-transgender partners, parents or guardians of TGNC individuals.

Link: https://fenwayhealth.org/care/medical/transgender-health/

TransLine is staffed by medical providers with specialized expertise in the care of transgender individuals from around the nation who can help you provide the best possible care to your transgender patients. Responses to your clinical questions are guaranteed within two business days!

Link: http://project-health.org/transline/ 

Suggestions for improved care include increased education of providers on trans and gender nonbinary identities and health needs, inclusion of non-binary gender and pronoun options on intake forms and medical records, and de-emphasizing gender in healthcare.

Link: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/1197/

2015 U.S. Transgender Survey Report

The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) was the largest survey ever devoted to the lives and experiences of transgender people, with 27,715 respondents across the United States. The 2022 US Trans Survey (USTS) aims to be even larger, with a targeted participation of more than 40,000 respondents across the United States.

Link: https://www.ustranssurvey.org/reports

The scholarly literature makes clear that gender transition is effective in treating gender dysphoria and can significantly improve the well-being of transgender individuals.

This search found a robust international consensus in the peer-reviewed literature that gender transition, including medical treatments such as hormone therapy and surgeries, improves the overall well-being of transgender individuals. The literature also indicates that greater availability of medical and social support for gender transition contributes to better quality of life for those who identify as transgender.

Link: https://whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-the-well-being-of-transgender-people/

We sought to describe a single-institution experience of chest-affirming procedures performed in nonbinary patients, including patient characteristics, surgical techniques, practice pearls, and outcomes.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30007346/

Version 8 of the Standards of Care

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health promotes the highest standards of health care for individuals through the articulation of Standards of Care (SOC) for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People. The SOC are based on the best available science and expert professional consensus.

Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644