Deepening Our Expertise - Trans Mental Health

Waves’ clinicians work to improve our expertise in each of our areas of interest. Dr. Abi Weissman (they/she; Waves’ founder!) has long had an interest in deepening their work in trans mental health. Abi is proud to share that they has earned the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) Global Education Institute Certification - SOC8 Certificate of Achievement! Yay!

How Abi’s Trans Training Begun

Abi had begun this journey back in 2016/7ish by attending a set of training courses on the WPATH’s Standards of Care 7, guidelines for working with trans people who are looking for social or medical gender transition. Abi has continued learning by taking a later version of the WPATH’s set of courses, this time on the Standards of Care 8 in Marbella, Spain. In Marbella, they met amazing clinicians and educators from all over the world and, surprisingly, a few hours away from them in Southern California. :) 

Certification

Abi has wanted to be certified once they knew this to be a possibility. Focusing on trans mental health has always been a priority since they began her doctorate in clinical psychology. Honestly, they had an interest before, when doing their semester abroad in the Netherlands, that their interest in sexuality had a bit to do with gender as well, and later, when they attended the Summer Institute on Sexuality, Inexuality, and Health Studies and saw their first genital surgery on the big screen. They knew that they were probably not interested in the medical side of things, as that was also the last time that they watched a surgery outside of the ones required for the WPATH training.

At various practica and internships during graduate school, they always looked for ways to work with trans clients and completed their clinical research project (aka their dissertation) on working effectively with trans Jewish-American clients. It wasn’t enough to learn through papers or their clinical training, however amazing it was (I’m looking at you, New Leaf, Services for Our Community and the amazing clinicians, colleagues, and friends, I met there and at all of my placements), Abi wanted to learn all that they could. Thus, when an opportunity to become a certified WPATH member arose, Abi began the process. 

*The WPATH site has updated to list Dr. Abi Weissman as a certified member. Yay! Please check it out using this link!

The Steps

According to the WPATH, the achievement consists of:

1. Be a member of WPATH in good standing for 2 years at the time of the final exam

2. Be licensed and board-certified (if applicable) in your specialty or the global equivalent

3. Complete the following courses in the WPATH Core Curriculum:

   • Completion of the WPATH Foundations Course

   • Completion the following WPATH Advanced Courses:

   • Completion of WPATH Advanced Mental Health or WPATH Advanced Medical Course

   • Completion of ONE of the WPATH Advanced Workshops (i.e., Child & Adolescent, Ethics, or Planning & Documenting for Medical Transition). Offerings will vary.

   • 10 hours of accredited elective coursework outside of the WPATH Core Curriculum (this can include both WPATH GEI-certified courses and other accredited professional courses in the field), showing a mapping back to the core competencies (Caregiver – Care Receiver Relationship, Content Knowledge, Interdisciplinary Practice, and Professional Responsibility)

   • 10 hours of mentorship with a WPATH GEI Certified Mentor.

   • 5 additional hours listening to voices of the transgender and gender non-binary communities, examples include: attend town halls at WPATH conferences, attend community-focused sessions at WPATH conferences, attend community-led conferences/workshops, attend local community events, listen to/watch community-led and community-focused online content (online listening and virtual conferences can fulfill this requirement)

4. Provide evidence of knowledge, skill, and accomplishments in transgender health i.e. CV, publications, case studies, experience, learning initiatives

5. Agree to adhere to the WPATH SOC 8 or the latest published revision

6. Successfully pass the certification exam, which is given online, free of charge, in an open-book, multiple-choice format.

7. Agree to comply with the Ongoing CE requirement of 20 CE hours every two years to maintain certification 

(from https://wpath.org/gei/gei-certification/ ) 

I really appreciate Dr. Ruben Hopwood’s mentoring and the wealth of information I’ve learned along the way.

I did the certification because it was a good way to show that what I say, to clients, to consultees, and to students is based on learning from the foremost experts in the field of transgender health, both mental and physical.

I do still have my own opinions, yes. I don’t agree with everything that everyone at the WPATH says because well, the group consists of humans with varying opinions teaching us guidelines, but I DO respect the heck out of my teachers and my colleagues and am proud to be a certified member of WPATH. 

Start Working With a WPATH GEI SOC8 Certified Member in San Diego, CA

I look forward to supporting my trans clients and advocating for trans rights with this updated knowledge. 

If you are a California resident, please contact me, Dr. Abi Weissman, should you need a letter in support of your or a loved one’s surgery. I am also available for therapeutic services and worldwide opportunities to educate others about trans rights and trans mental health needs. I am currently also offering a homestudy course on working with trans clients online with APA credit. Please see here for more information. :)

Please reach out and schedule a free 15-minute consultation appointment with Waves Psych by following these simple steps:

1. Contact Waves Psych

2. Meet with Dr. Abi Weissman and learn if Waves can support you and your needs.

3. Start supporting trans mental health!

Other Services Offered at Waves

At Waves Psych, we want to help you navigate through life's challenges and reach your full potential. Transgender therapy isn’t the only service our team of therapists offers in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. We also offer Grief Therapy, Yoga Therapy, Couples and Chosen Family Therapy, Therapy for ADHD, Therapy for Students, Kink and BDSM Affirming Therapy, Jewish Affirming Counseling, and more! Be sure to check out our FAQs and Blog for more about us and our services!