Expectations for Providing Affirmative Care
For more information about what affirmative care/therapy is click here:
According to the American Psychological Association Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance, "less than 30% of psychologist and graduate student participants reported familiarity with issues that TGNC [Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming] people experience," in a 2009 study (APA TFGIGV, 2009). Though this number has risen over the years, there is still a need for increased knowledge and training for working with trans and/or non-binary folks.
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Below you will find the list of guidelines that the APA recommends psychologists and mental health professionals to follow when working with transgender and/or non-binary individuals as well as a link to an additional page of more information about the guidelines and ways these guidelines can be applied.
If you are interested in reading the document provided by the APA in its entirety:
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Guideline #1:
"Psychologists understand that gender is a non-binary construct that allows for a range of gender identities and that a person's gender identity may not align with sex assigned at birth."
Guideline #2:
"Psychologists understand that gender identity and sexual orientation are distinct but interrelated constructs."
Guideline #3:
"Psychologists seek to understand how gender identity intersects with the other cultural identities of TGNC people."
Guideline #4:
"Psychologists are aware of how their attitudes about and knowledge of gender identity and gender expression may affect the quality of care they provide to TGNC people and their families.
Guideline #5:
"Psychologists recognize how stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and violence affect the health and well-being of TGNC people."
Guideline #6:
"Psychologists strive to recognize the influence of institutional barriers on the lives of TGNC people and to assist in developing TGNC-affirmative environments.
Guideline #7:
"Psychologists understand the need to promote social change that reduces the negative effects of stigma on the health and well-being of TGNC people."
Guideline #8:
"Psychologists working with gender questioning and TGNC youth understand the different developmental needs of children and adolescents, and that not all youth will persist in a TGNC identity into adulthood."
Guideline #9
"Psychologists strive to understand both the particular challenges that TGNC elders experience and the resilience they can develop. "
Guideline #10:
"Psychologists strive to understand how mental health concerns may or may not be related to a TGNC person's gender identity and the psychological effects of minority stress."
Guideline #11:
"Psychologists recognize that TGNC people are more likely to experience positive life outcomes when they receive social support or trans-affirmative care."
Guideline #12:
"Psychologists strive to understand the effects that changes in gender identity and gender expression have on romantic and sexual relationships of TGNC people."
Guideline #13:
"Psychologists seek to understand how parenting and family formation among TGNC people take a variety of forms."
Guideline #14:
"Psychologists recognize the potential benefits of an interdisciplinary approach when providing care to TGNC people and strive to work collaboratively with other providers."
For more information about the listed guidelines, including explanations, statistical contexts, additional resources, and tips on how to apply these guidelines to one's practice: