Find therapists

Therapy First is building a directory of mental health providers who practice thoughtful, developmentally appropriate psychotherapy with individuals struggling with biological sex and exploring gender identity. As well as the basic details listed for each mental health professional, you can find out more about individual practices by clicking on the profile.

The purpose of the directory is to help prospective clients connect with therapists who agree with the tenets Therapy First’s membership statement. We do not fully “vet” these providers, and it is the client’s responsibility to do due diligence, as he or she would in any search for a new therapist.

Please check the Therapy First directory below before contacting us. If you can’t find anyone who is appropriate we can try to match you with a therapist. If you would like for us to do this, please fill out this form. We will respond to you promptly.

Therapy First Directory

Before choosing a therapist

  • Therapeutic work with gender dysphoria is an evolving area of clinical practice. Even the experts are still learning and there is much we don’t know. Any therapist claiming to have hard and fast answers or offering strong predictions or promises is likely making outsized claims and should be avoided.
  • Psychotherapy often involves a long process and is always without guarantee of a specific outcome. If a therapist claims to offer a guarantee, this should arouse suspicion.
  • If therapists are engaging in behavior that seems unprofessional, they should be avoided.
  • You may want to check a therapist’s social media presence as part of your vetting process. If there is something that seems “off” to you about a therapist’s public presentation, that is probably good information to pay attention to.
  • If a therapist recommends an intervention that feels wrong for your child or family, you should listen to your instincts and bring this up with the therapist. It is your responsibility to advocate for yourself and your child.
  • When feeling vulnerable and desperate for help, it’s especially important to exercise care and caution when selecting a therapist. Wherever there is a crisis, there will be opportunists.
  • Before working with any therapist, it is always a good idea to ask about the following;
    • Is the person licensed in the jurisdiction in which she/he is practicing?
    • What is her/his clinical training?
    • What is her/his approach to working with families?
    • What is her/his approach to gender dysphoria?
      • Does she/he believe it is ever okay for a young person to transition?
      • Does she/he communicate with or include parents when working with individual adolescent clients?
    • How long has she/he been working in the field of gender?
    • How does she/he conceptualize gender dysphoria? What does he/she believe has caused the rise of young people identifying as trans in the past decade?
    • Has there ever been a complaint against the therapist to his/her licensing board? If so, what was the nature of the complaint?

Disclaimer

Before continuing, please confirm that you understand the following:

  • The mental health providers in this directory have not been vetted by our organization or its leaders.
  • Therapy First bears no responsibility for overseeing the behavior of the professionals listed here.
  • If a problem develops in your relationship with a mental health professional listed here, the issue should be resolved between you and the therapist, not with Therapy First.
  • As a prospective patient, verifying a therapist’s credentials and competence is your responsibility.
  • The information in this directory has been given to Therapy First by providers. Therapy First has not independently verified its accuracy.

To proceed to view the directory, click ‘I agree’, below. By clicking this button, you confirm that you have read the disclaimer above, as well as the information about choosing a therapist, and agree not to hold Therapy First responsible should any problems arise.