Last week, we shared resources and information about the LGBTQ community and specific resources to guide their mental health treatment journey. This week, we will focus on the specific barriers that the Transgender community faces. 

The two biggest concerns and barriers for the Transgender community and their access to adequate mental health care include internal concerns and fears of being stereotyped. Furthermore, there are also worries of incompetent mental health providers, including some who may over exert their personal biases into treatment sessions. Members of the transgender community may struggle with financial stress as well, due to a lack of health insurance coverage for gender affirming surgeries. This may cause additional stress and exposure to providers who lack sufficient knowledge on this topic.

So what can we do to fix this? Advocate for policy change to support more inclusive and accessible mental health care. Improve the cultural competencies of mental health providers to foster a more inclusive environment and safe space for their patients, end the stigma and reduce fears in asking for mental health support and integrating technology to improve access to mental health care. Get out there and VOTE! There is no better time than now to do your part to minimize mental health barriers for the LGBTQ communities. Please check out the links below for more information and resources.  

https://mhttcnetwork.org/centers/northwest-mhttc/lgbtqia-behavioral-health-resources

https://www.glaad.org/transgender/resources

https://transequality.org/additional-help

Register to vote!: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote