Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Okay I am looking to get a therapist to continue my journey and get letters for various things. You know the letters for gender marker changes, surgeries, and prescriptions. I am looking at my options in the Redding, CA area. I have found many therapists, but does it need to be a PHD or just a LMFT, LCSW, MFTI? I have never had any therapy in my life except my ecclesiastical leader, which that's questionable as to whether they are even qualified. Any help in this would be great.

Look for an LGBT+ positive or affirming therapy/center. I found mine online, and she specializes in gender related therapy. If you are unsure, just ask when you call, and it's good to find out right away. I also got some tips from the trans lifeline. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171222/893889a7028d2e03814ab12323d92076.jpg)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your provider will follow the WPATH guidelines: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Standards_of_Care_for_the_Health_of_Transsexual,_Transgender,_and_Gender_Nonconforming_People

Any therapist can help you through your issues.

When it comes to surgery  letters, the individual surgeon determines the requirements. My surgeon needed a letter from my primary care, one from a therapist, and one from a psychologist.

My primary care office sent me individual letters and applications for Social Security, birth certificate, etc.

Hugs, Devlyn

If you are going by the WPATH guidelines, you need one letter for hormones and two for surgery.  The letters should be written by a "qualified mental health professional", basically a psychologist with a Masters or Phd, or a psychiatrist.

If you bypass the WPATH guidelines and go "informed consent", then you probably don't need letters at all.  It may be up to your insurance to decide that.  You should check if they have any requirements.

Some doctors and agencies layer additional requirements on top of the WPATH guidelines.  Locally, that makes getting your letters a mess.  Dr. Brassard, for example, apparently wants one of the letters to come from a Phd level psychologist or a Psychiatrist.  And our local health care system requires one of the letters to be from a "specialist-level" medical doctor.  So to meet the combined requirements in these parts, you have to choose your referees carefully: a psychiatrist would fill several of the requirements, so only one other letter would be required.  But if your specialist is an endocrinologist, then you would need three letters.  I give you the example from this area only to show the need to check with your insurance, and with the doctor you intend to see, to see what they require.

Well, you guys have given me more tasks to do then, lol!!!!! I guess I need to call the insurance company and I already planned on getting a PCP too. I just have never had any of this since I have been out of college. So I might as well be a 20 year old and dealing with all of this, hehehehehehe!!! My entire adult life I have never had insurance to able to go to a doctor so thanks guys. I have read the WPATH some, but it is a very dry read, lol!

Well, you don't have to have insurance if you can pay your own way.  But transition can get expensive without it.

Quote from: Jailyn on December 22, 2017, 05:23:51 PM
Well, you guys have given me more tasks to do then, lol!!!!! I guess I need to call the insurance company and I already planned on getting a PCP too. I just have never had any of this since I have been out of college. So I might as well be a 20 year old and dealing with all of this, hehehehehehe!!! My entire adult life I have never had insurance to able to go to a doctor so thanks guys. I have read the WPATH some, but it is a very dry read, lol!

I didn't see a doctor or have insurance from 2005 to February 2016. In seven months I went informed consent HRT and had an orchiectomy. I paid $6,000 in premiums and $6,800 in deductibles and associated costs (letters, consultations, etc) for the year. If you find a PCP who is knowledgeable about transgender treatment, they'll walk you through it.

Local support groups can usually point you to LGBT friendly medical providers. Here are the North American listings.

https://www.susans.org/links/Local_Support_Groups_&_Organizations//North_America//

Hugs, Devlyn

Kaiser Permanente I believe is in Redding and they give fairly good coverage for transgender care.
General, psychologist and endocrinologist, within a month I was on the path I'm on now.