I want to take steps to start transitioning and beginning HRT and top surgery. I was hoping some people in Ohio could recommend a counselor/therapist that I could go to that would be able to quickly get me signed papers to prescribe treatment. I don't want to walk into a session just to waste my money and find out the counselor I chose is a gatekeeper or not trans friendly. Also did a lot of you have to go out of your network health insurance to find the right person? I'd prefer to be in network if possible but I'm wondering if that's pretty slim considering there might not be a lot of people who look after people who are transgender. Feelings of depression and dysphoria have been overwhelming and I need to see someone ASAP and get treatment before I go off the deep end.

EDIT: Also the Ohio Declaration of Gender Change form, would I need to bring that to my therapy session so I change my gender marker on my ID? What kind of paperwork would they provide me to change my passport and social security card gender marker?

EDIT2: I'm in the Toledo/BG area so near there is preferred, but I'll take recommendations anywhere in Ohio or maybe even southern Michigan.

EDIT3: Can just about any counselor/therapist give me a prescription for T/surgery, even if they don't specifically cater to transgender individuals? I'm finding most trans friendly ones are at least 2 hours away and I don't know if I have the funds for all of that travel.

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Hugs,
~Jill

Hey I'm in the BG area and have been using my insurance and a few search engines to find local psychiatrists that at least deal with transgender issues. There are a few but I have no idea what methodology they use. I just did a search in Google for them and from there found a few sites that break it down a bit based on reviews and what you want to see them for. My insurance's search engine was not nearly as helpful but I used it to find out who was covered at least. From there I'm guessing it'll have to be trial and error finding one that'll work with us.

I've heard there's a top surgeon in Cleveland, and there's a lot of resources in Columbus (I live on the southeastern part of Ohio) I'm pretty much in the same position you are xD

My Therapist is in Ann Arbor. 18 years Experience dealing with gender identity. She is amazing.  There were a lot of choices in A2. It is a drive from OH. But it is a great town for resources.