I always thought I would write a book. I have been writing since I was 13 years old and performing spoken word since I was 21. But, it turns out my first book is even more exciting than that! My first book, the Gender Identity Journal: Prompts and Practices for Exploration and Self Discovery comes out this Tuesday, December 21st,...[ read more ]
By: Katie Leikam, MBA, LCSW, LISW-CP, BC-TMH Can I use Informed Consent for Hormones? The first thing to know about getting an HRT letter is that informed consent is possible and there are doctors’ offices that practice informed consent. Informed consent is when you give your consent to begin hormones after learning what happens to your body and the risks...[ read more ]
Before COVID-19, back when we could still all gather in large groups, I attended and presented at The Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference on Effective Communication with your Cisgender Partner. I gathered my main points from my presentation and added them here for you. These are sticking points that I have found with couples when one partner is cisgender, and one...[ read more ]
As a parent, I understand the levels of hesitation, fear and grief other parents might have when they find out their child is transgender. I have heard, that there is an initial period of shock and even the most supportive parent might be grieving the loss of their sex assigned at birth child. Parents may immediately jump to the level...[ read more ]
The topic of faith and acceptance from God is something I know many people in the transgender and LGBTQ community struggle with. I have struggled with my own journey of belief. If you were raised as a strict, or devout in yours or your parents’ beliefs, questions of love and acceptance may arise. You may be afraid of being unwanted...[ read more ]
What is Gender Dysphoria? It’s a mental health diagnosis that clinicians use when people are different from their assigned at birth gender. It’s also used to describe the feelings of dislike for their body related to gender some people have for themselves. Gender Dysphoria and the DSM V The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, is...[ read more ]
Self Love for Low Self Esteem It’s cold in Atlanta, Georgia today. This weekend, as I warm up, I have been thinking a lot about self-love. Self-Love and positive affirmations can increase self-esteem, battle gender dysphoria and decrease moments of depression. Positive affirmations can be hard to say at first, as you might not be used to talking to...[ read more ]
Is 2018 the year you start your transition? Is it the year you come out to your friends and family or at work? Have you made a resolution to yourself this year that you intend to keep? I don’t tend to make resolution’s every year, but I do think it’s an exciting time of year to initiate changes in your...[ read more ]
You don’t need Real Life Experience (RLE) for your HRT letter. You heard me correctly. If you are transgender, you don’t need real life experience for your hormone replacement therapy letter. Real life experience in your actual gender harks back to a time when it was required in the WPATH standards of care and in some cases, can have...[ read more ]
Everything is set out in the stores, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice and all will all be alive and happening in the next month and a half. My families traditions in Georgia, are to gather multiple times throughout the holiday to celebrate, give thanks and spend time with family. However, the upcoming holiday season can be hard if...[ read more ]
