Seeking information to become a gender therapist

[ethereal-ineffability]

So I haven't been online much at all lately because I've been researching where to even begin with graduate school, and I keep running into the same blocks... That is, "what do I actually NEED in order to become the most useful to my future transgender clients?"

As the title says, the goal is to become a gender therapist. I'm a third year undergraduate in psychology, so it feels like grad school is sneaking up on me, and I still don't even know where to even start... My professors aren't much help either, since none of them know more than the absolute basics of gender therapy. I was hoping you guys might be able to help me even if it's just through personal experience alone? Some things I'm trying to figure out are:

To what extent is therapy required in each state/province in North America in order to legally transition? How much does it differ from place to place? (This is the one I was hoping you guys could help me on, I don't know where I'm eventually going to live yet so I need to be prepared for anything...)

Same as the first one, but in English-speaking parts of Europe?

What degree is required in which states/provinces in order to diagnose and work with gender dysphoria, including the ability to sign letters for HRT and SRS? (And in Europe?) Where is a PhD required and where is a simple master's in psychology required? Do you have to be a psychiatrist to diagnose gender dysphoria and sign letters? Are letters even important in places other than the American south where I live now and have the most experience with this?

Who might be able to answer all of this and also questions like where practicing gender therapists have studied and how long they have studied on average (besides wpath.org who doesn't seem to have ANY method of contact, and a couple gender therapists in North America  I've emailed who haven't gotten back to me yet)?

I basically just... I want to be as useful to the community as I can as a psychologist/counselor, that's been my life aspiration for years... But I have no idea what I'm doing right now...

[Shannon14]

I won't be much help as far as the specific info you're looking for but in my professional field, it was most helpful for me to contact people practicing in the areas I was interested in and pick their brains.
Not all of them will be open to helping a student, but, if it's similar to my experience, most will be happy to.
I love to help mentor students in my field.

[pianoforte]

NOTE: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL (YET) EITHER. I've been looking into a lot of the same stuff, just got my BA in psychology and thinking of grad schools, so here's some of what I have come up with so far:

I believe that any masters-level licensed counselor can specialize in gender issues. You can go about this by going to a school that has special classes in gender issues, by writing your master's thesis on gender issues, or by keeping up on the research in gender journals and participating however you can in ongoing research in the field.

When you do your professional internship, try to do it under the supervision of a gender therapist. Many gender therapists are open to this, because they want more gender therapists to exist and be awesome!

WPATH standards are all over the U.S. and I think they are also used to some degree in other countries. Membership in WPATH (one way of recognizing your professional status in trans healthcare) seems to be pretty open in terms of who can become a member http://www.wpath.org/site_page.cfm?pk_association_webpage_menu=1358&pk_association_webpage=3946

I get the feeling that anyone who is a member can write letters for people to start HRT/get surgery? Not 100% certain though.

ICATH standards are also an option, meaning that you believe your clients should be able to get treatment (HRT, surgery, etc) without an "official" (WPATH) letter. If you choose to uphold these standards in your practice, the ICATH website has tools to help with that. http://www.icath.org/

I would recommend continuing to contact gender therapists individually to ask questions. You may only get one response per 5 emails, but it's still worth it. Make sure not to write too much (as I tend to do), just be direct and to-the-point. It will make it easier for them to read and respond in between their busy schedules.

[ethereal-ineffability]

Oh my gosh thank you so much I've been asking so many people questions about this for the past 2 years and that is the most useful answer anyone has ever given me

Good luck with your grad school hunt!!

[Illuminess]

If I had acquired an interest in psychology 15 years ago I would have gone in that direction as a career; or I'd have tried to, anyway. Today, I study it as much as any student at university, but for my own understanding of things and to serve as an "armchair therapist" to friends and family. The satisfaction of helping others tackle their mental and emotional obstacles is enough payment for me, and I don't have to stay within "professional" guidelines.

I think the human brain is, by default, susceptible to various levels of malfunction to the point that everyone is afflicted. Things become "disorders" when the affliction is more prominent. We're the only species that is prone to over 4,000 psychological conditions, and also the only species where you will find psychopathy (primary and secondary). That tells me that we are not — contrary to creationism — a perfect design. As bleak as that may sound, it provides a much wider possibility for understanding the immense neurological diversity we have. By narrowing our focus on what is most obvious we miss all of the hidden nuances that could point the way to the cause of the disorder.

I also incorporate the use of tarot in my personal therapy sessions. The original intended use of the tarot is to reach into the subconscious, because the subconscious communicates through symbols, not words. You can come to some very helpful revelations and conclusions through tarot readings. They aren't meant to tell the future, nor do they provide any absolutes about one's life. They simply reveal elements of your current situation, and the reader then works with the person to pinpoint what things in their life need to be addressed. Even if you don't choose to use the tarot it would still be very helpful to understand the card meanings and the value of the practice.

I know that has nothing to do with your question, but I thought I'd say it, anyway.