The Advocate 2023
VOL . 46 , NO . 3 www . amhca . org
SPECIAL FOCUS : GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE / PAGES 2 , and 8 – 23
Department : Member Rerlections Trans-Affirming Care — From an Agency Perspective / Fredrick Dombrowski , PhD , LMHC , CASAC-M , LPC , LADC , NCC , CCMHC , MAC , ACS , BC-TMH , HS-BCP , ICADC , DCMHS / page 2 Feature Articles
THE IMPACT OF BINARY GENDER-ROLE SOCIALIZATION ON GENDER-DIVERSE FOLX / page 8
Working with clients who haven ’ t been encouraged to freely express and explore gender
By Michelle Crossley , PhD , LMHC , NCC , ACS
LCMHCS ’ ROLE IN SUPPORTING GENDER-AFFIRMING MEDICAL CARE / page 12
Practice standards for writing letters recommending HRT or gender-affirming surgery .
By Aaron Norton , PhD , LMHC , LMFT , MCAP , CCMHC , CRC , CFMHE
FOSTERING EMPOWERMENT AMONG TRANS YOUTHS AND THEIR FAMILIES / page 16
Designing a gender-inclusive practice , plus advocacy in the schools and understanding medical options and implications
By April J . Megginson , PhD , LMHC , RPT
NAVIGATING MASCULINITY : EMBRACING POSITIVES , ACKNOWLEDGING NEGATIVES / page 20
Recognizing the positive dimensions of masculinity can powerfully influence therapy for male clients
By Daniel Bates , PhD , LMHC ( WA ), LPCC ( KY ), LPCC ( OH ), NCC
INSIDE AMHCA page 6
Being a Medicare Provider : What You Need to Know
DEPARTMENTS
Present a Webinar to Your Peers
AMHCA ’ s 2024 Annual Conference — Save the Dates !
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE NEWS / page 7 By Kathleen McCarthy
When students change gender identity , and parents don ’ t know
When Will Ferrell ’ s best friend of 30 years came out as trans , it was “ all new territory for me ”
A bipolar general wages war on the stigma of mental illness
How lack of independent play affects kids ’ mental health
Psychiatrists call for social rather than biological treatments
NTSB Summit examines mental health in aviation
The second pandemic — stress
COLUMNS
AMHCA The President Chapter ‘ Leaders s Perspective / page / 4 page 4 UPDATE update update update update
Special update update Invitation update ! to the
By Deirdra Sanders-Burnett , PhD , LMHC , QS : 47 ( June th AMHCA 9 – 10 President , Charolette , 2023 –, 2024 NC )
2024 Leadership Symposium
From the Interim CEO / ED / page 5 Medicare : Expanded Access — At Last !
By Beverly Smith , PhD , LPC , NCC , CCMHC , ACS , NCSC , CFT , HS-BCP , BCC , MAC , BC-TMH , CCTP , BCPCC : AMHCA President , 2021 – 2022 , and Interim CEO / ED
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS
Clinical mental health counseling is a distinct profession with national standards for education , training and clinical practice . Clinical mental health counselors are highly skilled professionals who provide flexible , consumer-oriented therapy . They combine traditional psychotherapy with a practical , problem-solving approach that creates a dynamic and efficient path for change and problem resolution . The mission of AMHCA is to enhance the profession of clinical mental health counseling through advocacy , education and collaboration .
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The Advocate Magazine 2023 , Issue # 3 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org 33