Here we have compiled a list of resources that may be helpful to gender questioning, desisting, and detransitioning people. This is by no means a complete list, but these resources are a few places to start. Various groups and resources listed may have political interests that are not aligned with our individual values as detransitioned and desisted people or Detrans Voices as a group.
Therapeutic Services
The Gender Dysphoria Support Network (GDSN) : https://genderdysphoriasupportnetwork.com/
Detrans Foundation: https://www.detransfoundation.com/
GETA: Gender Exploratory Therapy Association : https://genderexploratory.com/
Stella O’Malley, Psychotherapist, Ireland: http://www.stellaomalley.com/
Ayad, Sasha, M.Ed., LPC: https://inspiredteentherapy.com/
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Cosmetic Procedures and Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Type of resource: Article
Description: “Most of us have one or two insecurities about how we look, and there are often some aspects of our appearance that we might secretly wish we could change. However, for individuals with body dysmorphic disorder, these issues become an obsession and a constant focus of concern to the point that going under the surgical knife over and over again to fix a slight imperfection can become a harmful routine.”
BDD and Plastic Surgery: When to Seek Treatment
Type of resource: Article
Link: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/bdd-plastic-surgery-treatment
Description: “Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a disorder where a person becomes obsessed and fixated on a particular area or areas of their body. […] It is estimated that of those with BDD, 26-40% seek out plastic surgery and 64% received some type of medical treatment for surgical or dermatological care for BDD.”
Differential Diagnosis
How To Do Your Own Differential Diagnosis (And Why It’s Total Bullshit That You Would Have To)
Type of resource: Article
Description: In this essay, Carey Callahan, MA, LMFT/LPC describes the importance of differential diagnosis in the treatment of Gender Dysphoria, explains her concerns around self-diagnosis, and offers links to a number of self-assessment tools, such as the PTSD checklist and the Dissociative Experiences Scale.
Dissociation, Derealization, Depersonalization
Mayo Clinic Description of Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Type of resource: Article
Description: “Depersonalization-derealization disorder occurs when you persistently or repeatedly have the feeling that you’re observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren’t real, or both. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization can be very disturbing and may feel like you’re living in a dream.
“Many people have a passing experience of depersonalization or derealization at some point. But when these feelings keep occurring or never completely go away and interfere with your ability to function, it’s considered depersonalization-derealization disorder. This disorder is more common in people who’ve had traumatic experiences.”
PODS – Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors
Type of resource: Website
Link: https://support.pods-online.org.uk/start-here
Description: Provides information about the experience and treatment of dissociation.
What Is Dissociation?
Type of resource: Article
Link: https://information.pods-online.org.uk/what-is-dissociation/
Description: “Dissociation is an entirely normal response to overwhelming trauma. It is a way of us surviving something that otherwise would be unbearably painful, by narrowing down our consciousness, and failing to ‘join up’ the different strands of an experience, such as our actions, our memories, our feelings, our thoughts, our sensations and our perceptions. […] For the rest of our lives, we may have difficulty making a connection between what happened to us and how we felt about it at the time, or its impact on us in terms of how we feel or behave now.”
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorder Hope
Type of resource: Organization Website
Link: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/
Description: “Eating Disorder Hope’s mission is to offer hope, information, and resources to individual eating disorder sufferers, their family members, and treatment providers.”
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://anad.org/
Description: Provides a number of tools for self-help, including information about eating disorders and body image, an eating disorders helpline, an eating disorder screening tool, a YouTube recovery channel, and a list of professional facilitated free community support groups.
Grief
Don’t Be Surprised When…Tips for Young Adults Grieving a Death
Type of resource: Article
Link: https://www.dougy.org/docs/Tips_for_Young_Adults_Grieving_a_Death.pdf
Description: A brief but thorough description of many unexpected ways that grief can show up in a person’s life – including feelings of not recognizing yourself and of being drawn toward major life changes.
The Dougy Center: The National Center for Grieving Children and Families
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/
Description: From their website: “The mission of The Dougy Center is to provide support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. Through our Pathways Program we provide a safe place for families living with an advanced serious illness. […] We provide educational materials about children and grief and training opportunities to local and national agencies in need of our expertise. We are widely known for our groundbreaking grief support group model, and our expertise has spread nationally and internationally. Around the world, The Dougy Center’s pioneering model has been replicated through our trainings and the trainings of programs we’ve trained. We now estimate that there are over 500 organizations worldwide that are using our peer support group model and credit the Center with their founding.”
High Control Groups/Dynamics
Freedom of Mind Resource Center
Type of resource: International Organization
Link: https://freedomofmind.com/
Description: From their website: “We support those affected by undue influence by providing coaching and consulting services as well as training and educational resources for individuals, families and professionals.”
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://ncadv.org/about-us
Description: From their website: “Our mission is to lead, mobilize and raise our voices to support efforts that demand a change of conditions that lead to domestic violence such as patriarchy, privilege, racism, sexism, and classism. We are dedicated to supporting survivors and holding offenders accountable and supporting advocates.”
RAINN: Rape Abuse and Incest National Network
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
Description: From their website: “RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, online.rainn.org y rainn.org/es) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
IOCDF – International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation
Type of resource: International Organization
Link: https://iocdf.org/
Description: From their website: “The mission of the International OCD Foundation is to help those affected by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders to live full and productive lives. Our aim is to increase access to effective treatment through research and training, foster a hopeful and supportive community for those affected by OCD and the professionals who treat them, and fight stigma surrounding mental health issues.”
Pure O: An Exploration into a Lesser-known Form of OCD
Type of resource: Article
Link: https://www.intrusivethoughts.org/blog/pure-o-an-exploration-into-a-lesser-known-form-of-ocd/
Description: “All humans experience unwanted thoughts. However, non-clinical persons, or those who do not have OCD, are able to easily dismiss the thoughts as uncomfortable, weird, or just something their brain does. What distinguishes Pure-O from a fleeting unwanted thought is the anxiety that becomes affixed to these thoughts which then creates a significant amount of distress to the sufferer.”
Substance Use and Addiction
SAMHSA National Helpline
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
Description: From their website: “SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.”
To access the helpline, call 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).
Trauma
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Type of resource: United States National Organization
Link: https://www.nctsn.org/
Description: From their website: “Our mission is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.”