Exploratory Therapy for Kids with Gender Dysphoria - What it is & What it isn't

When people bring up concerns about the affirmation only approach to children with gender dysphoria (which involves social , medical and surgical transition) We are left to wonder what do the critics think should be done instead?

The kids are real. Their distress is real. Should nothing be done?  The term "watchful waiting" is often used, but that sounds like doing nothing. Is that really all we can or should offer these kids?  

Watchful waiting doesn't mean doing nothing for kids who are in distress. It's an older term for a process that's now more commonly called "Exploratory Therapy."

It isn't that simple though - the idea that affirmation may not be the right choice for every child and that there is a role for understanding a  dysphoric child's history and underlying psychological issues is itself controversial.  Some critics equate it to the unethical practice of gay conversion therapy. But is that true? What exactly is exploratory therapy for gender dysphoria kids?

This question was directly addressed in a January, 2023 livestream by mental health professionals from the Gender Exploratory Therapy Association, hosted by the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism in Medicine.

This video is an excerpt from that presentation.

PRESENTERS:

*Roberto D’Angelo* is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in private practice in Byron Bay, Australia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He is a training and supervising analyst at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles, and President of the Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine. He has authored publications about psychotherapeutic treatment of gender dysphoria and has critiqued the gender affirming approach. He works with adolescents and adults with gender distress.

*Sasha Ayad* is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works in private practice, and has treated adolescents for over 10 years. Her work focuses on teens and young adults struggling with issues of gender dysphoria and gender identity. Sasha is a founding board member of the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine and of the International Association of Therapists for Desisters and Detransitioners. Along with Stella O’Malley, she hosts the ‘Gender: A Wider Lens’ Podcast. Sasha holds a B.S. in Psychology and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:29 Exploratory Therapy - Background
03:42 Open to a Range of Outcomes
05:25 Dysphoria Emerges in a Context
07:30 Identity is Developmentally Informed
09:06 Comorbid Conditions
11:15 Sexual Development
12:59 Occurs over time
15:51 Evidence Based Approach to Suicidality
17:07 Informed Consent
17:59 Not Conversion Therapy
19:50 Trans Identity not universality adaptive
21:26 Affirming interventions not universally helpful
23:14 Does not obfuscate biological facts
25:01 Learn More

REFERENCES:

Original Full Presentation: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SbrUfxaw7QI
Gender Exploratory Therapy Association: https://genderexploratory.com/
Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism in Medicine: https://www.fairforall.org/fair-in-medicine/
Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine: https://segm.org/
Genspect: https://genspect.org/