@TraumaTherapySD

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    Letters for Gender Affirming Medical Care

    When it comes to writing letters for gender diverse folx in support of affirming healthcare, I operate from an informed consent model.

    This means that it is my job to support your right to personal autonomy in choosing your gender affirming care options. It is my job to provide you with needed information, including risks, benefits and alternatives.

    It is NOT your job to prove how trans or non-binary or gender fluid you are. I believe and trust that you know this about yourself. Your job will be to share what you know, what you’ve experienced and how you feel about it all.

    I do not pretend to know you and your gender better than you do yourself. I believe that you should have the right to make all of your medical decisions without my interference and gate-keeping.

    I offer this evaluation services at a reduced rate as it aligns with my values of reducing barriers to gender affirming care. My rate is $100 for the one time evaluation and writing of a letter.

    Steps to get a letter:

    Step 1: Contact me and we set a time to talk on the phone for 10-15 min.

    Set 2: I will send you a welcome email with some forms to sign and possibly some symptoms surveys to complete.

    Don’t worry, having symptoms, or having a mental illness or being on mental health medications (including anti-psychotics) does not prevent you from obtaining a letter from me.

    What I do need to see is that you are generally a competent adult who is able to make informed decisions for themselves, and that you are in contact with reality.

    Step 3: We will meet, in-person or by video, for up to an hour so that I can get the information that I need from you for the letter.

    In the highly unlikely event that we meet and I do not feel comfortable writing you the letter you seek I will give you an explanation why and if there are any steps you can take. (I have yet to have to do this, but I do want to be transparent and up-front).

    Step 4: If I have no concerns about your ability to make a fully informed decision about your healthcare, then I will draft a letter for you within a week of our meeting. I will send you this draft to review to ensure there are no inaccuracies. If there are no corrections then I will send you a signed, PDF version of the letter.

    Per most insurance companies, this letter will remain good for one year.