Transgender Program
Milwaukee Transgender Program
Since 1983, the Milwaukee Transgender Program has offered support for people with gender dysphoria, conflict/confusion about gender, or feeling transgender. We also provide services to those who identify as gender fluid, gender queer, gender questioning, and cross-dressers, in addition to their loved ones. We recognize the complexities in gender identity often begin at an early age. We offer individualized services that encompass the needs of each person, no matter what age, and effectively address the individual’s internal and external struggles. The Milwaukee Transgender Program adheres to accepted professional standards of practice. All decisions related to hormone therapy and gender confirmation surgeries are made by in collaboration with your gender therapist. Our team of gender therapists meet the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) criteria for a mental health professional.
The Program
The Milwaukee Transgender Program adheres to WPATH criteria of gender transition. If significant medical or mental concerns are present, they must be reasonably well controlled. These concerns may include major mental illness, suicidal thinking or attempts, acute anxiety, and/or alcohol or other drug dependence. A letter from a psychiatrist documenting 4 months of stability on the current medication regimen will be required. Proof of a year of sobriety will also be required if substance dependence has been present.
Transitioning can be emotionally difficult and the individual will need proper supports and healthy coping mechanisms to do it successfully. Transitioning can also be expensive and the individual should ideally be financially stable. While insurances are increasingly covering gender related services, the individual will be responsible for out of pocket expenses including deductibles, co-pays, cost of professional consultations and letters to medical providers, and electrolysis and laser hair removal (to name a few). If the individual has a spouse or significant other, they also will be required to participate in counseling at some point. Upon the assessment’s completion, the therapist will meet with the applicant to discuss the results and impressions, and to make recommendations for therapy and admission to the program.
Treatment
The treatment process for a transgender person is often lengthy and always extensive in scope. In addition to role adjustment, the individual must make the necessary vocational, legal, social, and emotional changes to support the newly acquired gender identity role. After a period of treatment and a medical-evaluation, hormonal therapy may be initiated. At a mutually agreed upon point in the transitional process, the individual will initiate a 24-hour period of living in the internal gender role.
Having lived for a minimum of one year in the internal gender role, the transgender person may apply for gender confirmation surgery. If the person has demonstrated stability and productivity in daily life and met the appropriate criteria, surgery is usually granted. The choice of surgery or surgeries is an individual decision made in collaboration with the treatment team.
Ongoing therapy/support groups for present members of the Transgender Program meet each month. Regular attendance is recommended. Individual therapy is also available and often required. Complete health care services are available through the affiliated medical staff of the Transgender Program for current and former program participants.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact David Bedrin at (262) 754-5925 (dbedrin@pathwayscounseling.com) or
Lynn Dusold at (262) 754-5913 (ldusold@pathwayscounseling.com)
Since 1983, the Milwaukee Transgender Program has offered support for people with gender dysphoria, conflict/confusion about gender, or feeling transgender. We also provide services to those who identify as gender fluid, gender queer, gender questioning, and cross-dressers, in addition to their loved ones. We recognize the complexities in gender identity often begin at an early age. We offer individualized services that encompass the needs of each person, no matter what age, and effectively address the individual’s internal and external struggles. The Milwaukee Transgender Program adheres to accepted professional standards of practice. All decisions related to hormone therapy and gender confirmation surgeries are made by in collaboration with your gender therapist. Our team of gender therapists meet the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) criteria for a mental health professional.
The Program
The Milwaukee Transgender Program adheres to WPATH criteria of gender transition. If significant medical or mental concerns are present, they must be reasonably well controlled. These concerns may include major mental illness, suicidal thinking or attempts, acute anxiety, and/or alcohol or other drug dependence. A letter from a psychiatrist documenting 4 months of stability on the current medication regimen will be required. Proof of a year of sobriety will also be required if substance dependence has been present.
Transitioning can be emotionally difficult and the individual will need proper supports and healthy coping mechanisms to do it successfully. Transitioning can also be expensive and the individual should ideally be financially stable. While insurances are increasingly covering gender related services, the individual will be responsible for out of pocket expenses including deductibles, co-pays, cost of professional consultations and letters to medical providers, and electrolysis and laser hair removal (to name a few). If the individual has a spouse or significant other, they also will be required to participate in counseling at some point. Upon the assessment’s completion, the therapist will meet with the applicant to discuss the results and impressions, and to make recommendations for therapy and admission to the program.
Treatment
The treatment process for a transgender person is often lengthy and always extensive in scope. In addition to role adjustment, the individual must make the necessary vocational, legal, social, and emotional changes to support the newly acquired gender identity role. After a period of treatment and a medical-evaluation, hormonal therapy may be initiated. At a mutually agreed upon point in the transitional process, the individual will initiate a 24-hour period of living in the internal gender role.
Having lived for a minimum of one year in the internal gender role, the transgender person may apply for gender confirmation surgery. If the person has demonstrated stability and productivity in daily life and met the appropriate criteria, surgery is usually granted. The choice of surgery or surgeries is an individual decision made in collaboration with the treatment team.
Ongoing therapy/support groups for present members of the Transgender Program meet each month. Regular attendance is recommended. Individual therapy is also available and often required. Complete health care services are available through the affiliated medical staff of the Transgender Program for current and former program participants.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact David Bedrin at (262) 754-5925 (dbedrin@pathwayscounseling.com) or
Lynn Dusold at (262) 754-5913 (ldusold@pathwayscounseling.com)