What degree a gender therapist must have?

[Bird]

As the topic says.

What degrees should a gender therapist have? Does the person HAS to be a psychiatrist, or has to be a psychologist?

I ask because just plain anyone could claim to be a gender therapist, but what curriculum should they have to be a reliable one?

[Epigania]

I go to a Psychologist.   In the state of Washington to get certain things done (like the gender marker on your drivers license) they need to have a PhD (aka Doctorate Level) of education.

I've met many people who go to Licensed Therapist with Masters Degrees, but they tend to be a little squeamish about dealing with us.   

Psychiatrists are basically MD's in Clinical Psychology.   I decided to avoid those because I didn't want to risk being pathologized and try to be "cured" through a cocktail of drugs.  But that's probably just me.

[Janet_Girl]

Mine has an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy.  And he is great.  He knows a lot about our issues and what we need.  He is FtM.

[Colleen Ireland]

My therapist's website reads, in part:

I am a trained counsellor and psychotherapist with 7 years of experience.  I have a Masters degree from the University of Toronto in Counselling and a Diploma from the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy.  I have trained at the Stone Center, Wellesely College, Boston, in Relational-Cultural Theory and I have an Intensive Training Certificate from the University of Guelph in Sex Therapy.

And goes on to say:

I have experience and training that covers many areas of human interaction.  I am comfortable with the stories and life choices of clients from various communities including LGBTQ and other forms of alternative sexualities or relationship structures.  I understand the broad spectrum of expressions of spirit and self.  You can feel confident that your choices and identity, whether based in gender, culture, sexuality or spirituality, will be respected and celebrated when you work with me.

And she is fantastic!  I've had three sessions with her now, and tomorrow is my fourth, and she has made an amazing difference for me already.  She has never met the "old me" BTW, I went to the first session as Colleen, and that was pretty much the first time I had dressed except for a girls' night with some friends a week before.  And she has let me know that when I'm ready for HRT, she'll have no problem writing the letter, and even said she knows a good endo for my doc to refer me to!  I am SO lucky to have found her...

[Bird]

My therapist is just a psychiatrist.

It's the only person I had avalailable outside of travelling. There was a psychologist I almost went to... but I thought that being refered to a endo would be easier via a psych.

I asked because I am always looking at all options I have available. I found a online clinic here in Brazil, but the person running it has degrees in sexology and philosophy... so I was ( am still ! ) very doubtful, even if they have links with WPATH.

I want to be a pyschiatrist, so that must have weighted in my reasoning too.

[long.897]

The therapist that I see weekly has a PhD, but the gender specialist who wrote my letter has an MA. 

[lilacwoman]

here in UK with our Gender Clinics as part of our National Health Service a newcomer TS will probly get seen by the head shrink but then have following meetings with a person who may have some airy-fairy social work or therapies diploma.

[Bird]

I suppose every country has its up and downs for TS

It is funny that here we have free SRS via our public health care system with excellent surgeons, but HRT or FFS don't have the same support.

[Aidan_]

here in UK with our Gender Clinics as part of our National Health Service a newcomer TS will probly get seen by the head shrink but then have following meetings with a person who may have some airy-fairy social work or therapies diploma.

That doesn't sound too bad, no? Unless you have an obstacle that arises, there's no real need to waste time speaking to the head shrink.

Mine's specialized in sexual disorders/dysfunctions (I love how they tried to tell me Androgyny is a 'disorder' at first), but I'm only seeing her until I get my letter. After that, she's sending me to a local social worker for monitoring. I'll only see her again if I need to.

[Bird]

Well..

I have a very strong dysphoria. Just yesterday I had a hour long ( or more ) anxiety crisis... I had to sleep over at a friend.

So I guess I need a shrink.