QuotePhysicians following WPATH protocols for safety require that a patient be receiving professional counseling before starting HRT.
Are you sure about that? I just asked my doctor for hormones and was referred to an endocrinologist, without any therapist. I live in Ontario, where informed consent is all that's required and I believe WPATH is being followed.
"
Decision to start hormonesAlthough the decision to implement treatment with
hormones for a trans client is individualized, there are
some common guidelines undertaken by our health centre
These guidelines are designed to maximize the safety of
the client, fulfill the legal and ethical requirements of
the primary care provider, and reduce the possibility of
inappropriate treatment
The trans population has suffered
a great deal of prejudice, misunderstanding and harm
from the medical community, and systemic oppression
experienced by trans clients has often resulted in the
denial of service
11,7
The health care provider's role in
assessing a client's eligibility and readiness for hormone
therapy can create an unfortunate dynamic, with the
provider positioned as the 'gatekeeper' to treatment
12,13
In
response to this, a number of community health centres
in the US have implemented what has become known as
the 'informed consent model' for hormone provision
12,14
In this model, the focus is on obtaining informed consent
as the threshold for the initiation of hormone therapy,
with less emphasis on meeting DSM diagnostic criteria
for Gender Dysphoria or requiring a mental health
assessment unless significant mental health concerns
are identified"
http://sherbourne.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Guidelines-and-Protocols-for-Comprehensive-Primary-Care-for-Trans-Clients-2015.pdf
