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Finding a Therapist in NYC for Gender Identity?

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Snidi, Mar 3, 2016.

  1. Snidi

    Regular Member

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    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
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    Hi all,

    Forgive me if I'm posting in the wrong place, but I'd like to find a gender therapist. I've come to the conclusion that I feel bi-gendered/gender fluid at this current moment. I'm born a male, but right now, sometimes I feel like a girl, sometimes a boy. Just throwing it out there: I'd make a very pretty girl.

    I'm realizing I do need to find a therapist to talk to, but I haven't the slightest idea as to how to go about it. Who do I choose? How can I find someone who's worth my time and money, and more importantly, someone who's effective? I'd very preferably want to talk to a young and pretty woman about it.

    Thanks so much!
     
  2. Daydreamer1

    Full Member

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    Location:
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    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    You're in the right place, Snidi. I'll try to break down some of the questions for you and help in any way that I can.

    1) Who do I choose?

    - There's a lot of websites around where you can find gender therapists who are near you.

    If go through Psychology Today, you can narrow down your search to those who specialize in working with trans people in your area by city name or zip code. You can also try looking up "gender therapists in NYC (or zip code)" on google.

    For me, I'm in a small-medium city with little to no resources for trans people (despite us having protection laws for over 13 years). That said, I reached out to them and asked them if they take the insurance I have. If they didn't, I asked if they had a sliding scale payment system that I could work with. The cheapest sessions I had were $25 and the most expensive was $40.

    If there's a PFLAG chapter or Planned Parenthood near you, they could be resourceful as well. Since you're also in the NYC area, you might be able to reach out to the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia and see if they have any information as well--since there's only a two hour or so driving difference between cities.

    2) How can I find someone who is worth my time and money, and most effective?

    - If you find someone you think you might have a connection with, consider looking up reviews of them. Websites like Psychology Today I think have reviews from clients, and sites like Lauras-Playground, Susans, and TrueSelves have reviews from clients as well. They could help steer you in the right direction, if you're not having any luck with review websites.

    Some gender therapists hold trans support group meetups too. If you find one that does, maybe you can gauge how you feel about them and see if they're someone you want to work with.