My experience of working in an NHS gender service for children and adolescents
Between October 2017 and October 2018 I worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the Leeds clinic of the Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). I left GIDS because I had serious concerns about the ethics of the clinical practice of prescribing puberty blockers and cross sex hormones to children and adolescents.
In July 2019 I wrote an open letter about my concerns from working in the service: medium.com/@kirstyentwistle/an-open-letter-to-dr-polly-carmichael-from-a-former-gids-clinician-53c541276b8d
My professional experiences of working at Tavistock GIDS are documented in Hannah Barnes' book, 'Time to Think' (2023)
Swift Press | Time to Think
Therapy for young people with gender dysphoria
Since leaving GIDS in 2018 I have spent a great deal of time learning more about the broader context and the history of paediatric medical transition for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. And, since 2020 I have been providing psychological therapy to adolescents and young adults with gender related distress.
I am confident that there are existing psychological therapy models that can be adapted to working with children and adolescents with gender issues. My approach is to understand what is contributing to their distress about their gender, their body and their relationships with others in the context of other significant aspects of their life such as attachment relationships, other mental health or neurodevelopmental issues, experiences of being bullied and so on.
I also believe that clinicians and therapists working with children and adolescents need to have a good understanding of the ever changing narratives about transgender and medical transition on social media in order to explore their adolescent client's beliefs about gender and medical transition. I encourage parents to be very engaged with their child's activity on social media and I think it is appropriate for parents to set boundaries on their child's social media use.
I fully support children and young people to experiment, play, take age appropriate risks and enjoy their self-expression using clothing, make up, language, theatre, creative pursuits and art. I support young people to give themselves time before making declarations about their gender or sexuality and to develop boundaries that enable them to protect themselves from peer pressure as well as the challenges, stigma and hostility that young people sometimes face in response to their sexuality or gender.
Detransitioned men and women
Since 2020 I have also been working therapeutically with detransitioned women. Myself and a colleague have a separate project dedicated to working with detransitioners: DETRANS FOUNDATION - Home
Dr Kirsty Entwistle (Clinical Psychologist) November 2024
Recommended Reading:
Cass Review, Final Report (April 2024): Final Report – Cass Review
MindEd Hub (2023)NHS England MindEd Resources for Parents of children with gender related distress
