How do I know if my Therapist is qualified?

[TiffanyP]

I go to my first therapist appointment in two days, and shes a gender therapist I found on a trangender website. I think she's the only one in my area too. When reading about SRS I find that unless you go to Thailand, you need 2 therapy letters from someone with a masters degree and one from a doctor; but how do I know my therapist's credentials? I don't want to be rude when meeting her and say "Hi, are you qualified for a letter?". I mean seeing shes on a TG website I am assuming yes, but I just want to be sure.

Also just out of curiosity because it's been bothering me, what was you guy's first therapy experience like?

[awilliams1701]

My sister (who has a masters) told me its ok to ask for their credentials.

[Ms Grace]

You're paying her for her service, you're more than entitled to ask her about her credentials, how much experience she's had with trans people, etc. maybe ask towards the end of the session once you have established a rapport. It's not rude, if she has nothing to hide she should not mind you asking if you do so politely.

[suzifrommd]

I go to my first therapist appointment in two days, and shes a gender therapist I found on a trangender website. I think she's the only one in my area too. When reading about SRS I find that unless you go to Thailand, you need 2 therapy letters from someone with a masters degree and one from a doctor; but how do I know my therapist's credentials? I don't want to be rude when meeting her and say "Hi, are you qualified for a letter?". I mean seeing shes on a TG website I am assuming yes, but I just want to be sure.

Also just out of curiosity because it's been bothering me, what was you guy's first therapy experience like?

I've had all sorts of awful experiences.

My first therapist represented herself as a gender therapist but was so ignorant about gender issues that that representation was nothing short of fraudulent.

My second therapist was a WPATH member and well-recommended, but also problematic. He told me HRT would do nothing about my body hair (turned out to be wrong) or my face (also turned out to be wrong). When I pointed out literature that contradicted him, he argued with me.

My current therapist is excellent, but it took changing insurance carriers to get her.

As for surgery letters, my (American) surgeon needed only two letters and a pre-op checkup. Nearly all therapists have a masters degree, but you can easily check on a therapists website what degrees they have. Getting the second letter was somewhat routine (or would have been had I gone to the right person), but once I found someone willing to write the letter, all I needed was one session.

[awilliams1701]

Why would they need 2 letters? I thought that a single letter plus being on HRT for a year was enough.

[suzifrommd]

Why would they need 2 letters? I thought that a single letter plus being on HRT for a year was enough.

Beats the heck out of me. I'd say because the medical establishment sees transgender people as incompetents incapable of figuring out what we need and delusional on top of that, but that would sound cynical and bitter.