Welcome to therapy first
Psychotherapy as first-line treatment for gender dysphoria
We’re here to help.
The purest form of listening is to listen without memory or desire.
Wilfred Bion
Therapy First is a U.S. based non-profit organization and international professional association of mental health providers dedicated to offering developmentally informed psychotherapy as the first-line treatment for youth gender dysphoria.
Our mission is to advance the field of mental health in this area and to raise the standard of care for children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing gender dysphoria by supporting and training clinicians, conducting research, and offering public education on mental health and psychotherapy.
Start here
Therapy First exists because we see a great need arising from the current oversimplification and politicalization of gender dysphoria in the field of mental health.
Therapists
Join a professional association of mental health providers who view psychosocial support and a whole person approach as the appropriate front-line treatment for gender-related concerns.
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Clients & Families
If you or someone you care about is suffering from gender-related distress, we offer compassionate and evidence-based resources and can help connect you to a mental health provider.
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Transition-Related Grief
We offer resources and information for those who experience grief related to medical transition, including therapists experienced in working with people who choose to detransition.
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Join Therapy First
Therapy First’s professional association is open to licensed mental health providers. Once you become a member, you’ll join a community of over 300 professionals worldwide who actively support one another in exchanging ideas and sharing resources.
You’ll also gain access to weekly peer supervision groups, get discounts to Therapy First webinars and trainings, and have the opportunity to list your practice on a public directory of psychotherapists.
Featured webinars
Therapy First provides a range of trainings for mental health clinicians working with young people who are questioning their identity.
Tuesday July 22nd
at 12pm EDT
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the ways concepts like internalized transphobia, imposter syndrome, and intrusive thoughts function to express, manage, contain, and dismiss questions and doubts.
- Examine community members’ alternative explanations for gender dysphoria, trans identification, and the desire to transition.
- Explore what trans identification and transition symbolize to girls and young women, drawing on discussions in online communities
Presenter Bio:
Sarah Mittermaier is a researcher examining the online communities where young people form new beliefs and attitudes about gender and develop expectations and intentions around transition. Her M.Sc. thesis, Questions and Doubts in Online Trans Communities, is available through McGill University. She is currently writing a book on gender medicine for Polity.
Therapy First has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7505. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Therapy First is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This webinar provide 1.5 hours of CE credits.
Download Therapy First’s free Clinical Guide for Therapists Working with Gender Questioning Youth. Developed by a team of clinicians with expertise working with gender dysphoric youth and their families, our clinical guide offers mental health providers an introduction to working with this growing population based on the latest research and a solid understanding of psychotherapeutic best practice.
Find a Therapist
We help prospective clients connect with therapists who agree with the tenets of Therapy First’s membership statement.
You can find out more about individual practices by clicking in and viewing their profile.
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