Informed Consent for Mental Health Counselors Working with Transitioning Clients

Course overview

Informed Consent in the world of medicine relates to a patient being educated and indicating an understanding of both the beneficial and the potential negative effects of a particular medication or treatment. For people transitioning from their assigned gender at birth to their identified gender, Informed Consent goes beyond the physical effects of hormone therapy or surgery and needs to cover the full spectrum of psychological and environmental effects of each step in the transition process. This presentation covers the range of issues about which a mental health provider needs to inform transitioning clients for them to be reasonable in their expectations before, during, and after the transition.