Austin Mitchell

Then I've used these various psychological measures or questionnaires that ask questions about mental health as well as gender related things. And then I would do a feedback session where I would verbally go over all of the results and information. And so, yeah.

Then I've used these various psychological measures or questionnaires that ask questions about mental health as well as gender related things. And then I would do a feedback session where I would verbally go over all of the results and information. And so, yeah.

Yeah. So, I mean, basically what it ended up looking like was, I think I did like one to two assessments a month. Oh, wow. So there were that few patients that... Yeah. Yeah. But what occurred to me after one or two of those assessments was that

Yeah. So, I mean, basically what it ended up looking like was, I think I did like one to two assessments a month. Oh, wow. So there were that few patients that... Yeah. Yeah. But what occurred to me after one or two of those assessments was that

It was just me making the decision, someone who was very new to this field, and only one person, where the Dutch had at least two people weighing in over the course of a year. So I felt very overwhelmed by the responsibility that was on me to... You know, be a gatekeeper, because really, I was expected to be a gatekeeper at that point. You know, these days, we never say that.

It was just me making the decision, someone who was very new to this field, and only one person, where the Dutch had at least two people weighing in over the course of a year. So I felt very overwhelmed by the responsibility that was on me to... You know, be a gatekeeper, because really, I was expected to be a gatekeeper at that point. You know, these days, we never say that.

And, you know, I don't really think of it that way. But at the time, I was absolutely expected to be a gatekeeper.

And, you know, I don't really think of it that way. But at the time, I was absolutely expected to be a gatekeeper.

Yeah, exactly. And so I guess I was nervous about that. You know, just being responsible for making a decision that would lead to a person, you know, a young person changing their body permanently. I mean, that just seemed like a really huge responsibility.

Yeah, exactly. And so I guess I was nervous about that. You know, just being responsible for making a decision that would lead to a person, you know, a young person changing their body permanently. I mean, that just seemed like a really huge responsibility.

We were going to require the young person to be in therapy with someone who was going to work with them longer term.

We were going to require the young person to be in therapy with someone who was going to work with them longer term.

We wanted them to be with somebody, like established relationship with a therapist, long enough that the therapist could weigh in. Right, and know that. And also so that therapists could stay with them through the course of, like, if they did start hormones and they would have someone to support them.

We wanted them to be with somebody, like established relationship with a therapist, long enough that the therapist could weigh in. Right, and know that. And also so that therapists could stay with them through the course of, like, if they did start hormones and they would have someone to support them.

The problem, though, for the first several years was getting those mental health people to agree to be a part of it because no one knew anything about this work. And so...

The problem, though, for the first several years was getting those mental health people to agree to be a part of it because no one knew anything about this work. And so...

You know, I spent time, you know, sort of being a cheerleader on the phone with people around the mental health people around the country and telling them, like, what kinds of things to do to provide support and how to, you know, ask questions to just engage in therapy with the kid and basically just help alleviate the therapist's anxiety around being involved.

You know, I spent time, you know, sort of being a cheerleader on the phone with people around the mental health people around the country and telling them, like, what kinds of things to do to provide support and how to, you know, ask questions to just engage in therapy with the kid and basically just help alleviate the therapist's anxiety around being involved.

You know, I felt like I didn't know a whole lot, but they knew even less. But it did feel good just to know that there was at least another mental health person who was weighing in. And I felt like I was more closely following the Dutch.

You know, I felt like I didn't know a whole lot, but they knew even less. But it did feel good just to know that there was at least another mental health person who was weighing in. And I felt like I was more closely following the Dutch.