👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 Posting the confidential anonymous safeguarding concerns from health professionals around the world RE: safeguarding children, medicalisation, ethics, therapy, ethical & moral dilemmas, workplace harassment, board/licensing harassment & any other related matters #donoharm
https://twitter.com/TaniaAMarshall/status/1417745710875766784
I speak with #HealthCareWorkers #professionals in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Europe, the UK, Sweden, Finland, amongst others. Their stories, POV & voices deserve to be heard and this is their space. I will tweet comment, field of work and country only.
“I am a board member of ***** , a clinical psychologist and supervisor. I have raised my concern several times with the board and each time falls on deaf ears. Nearing retirement and may speak publicly at that time”, Clinical Consultant Psychologist, Supervisor, USA
“I am a clinical psychologist and member of *****. I attended a recent training at work. The training included teaching that cross-sex hormones & puberty blockers are completely safe for children. When I questioned this, I was shut down. Later, I was cautioned by my employer” USA
“I am a therapist with concerns about ethics and young children. I love my job and was born to do this. My workplace has become so hostile and toxic that I am now going into private practice”. LCSW USA
“I am torn between moral conscience, ethics & colleagues behaviours. My training involved both awareness of my biases & engagement in personal therapy. I am seeing colleagues who are practicing biased therapy and promoting their own agendas onto clients” Psychologist, Australia
“I have worked at ***** for over 15 yrs. on a team providing care to victims of #sexualabuse Over time, the team has collapsed in on itself, due to ethics related to sexual abuse children trauma & gender dysphoria/identity. I am on mental health leave” Psychotherapist, UK
“I recently walked away from my 20 year career. I can no longer support what is going on in my field. I cannot support prescribing children hormones and surgery to treat their underlying trauma, undiagnosed Autism, sexual abuse and psychiatric conditions” Psychologist, Australia
“I am writing to share that I have been silenced by my board and coerced to either provide ‘affirmation therapy’ or refer children to ‘affirming’ therapists. I’m a developmental specialist! How can the board ethically control me like this?”Psychologist, Australia
“I am witness to team meetings where health professionals routinely tell young girls that they are boys if they feel like boys and start calling them “he”, all within the first session! This is not how I was trained & I am grateful I can easily find a new position” Therapist UK
“Having worked with abused women & girls for many years, I see the same issues within paediatric gender care, in the stories of trans & NB identifying girls (& detransitioners) as I saw underpinning eating disorders & self-injury 30 years ago.” LCSW USA
“I work in Child Protective Services. We see alot of Autistic children claiming to be trans & the legislation says we have to affirm without question. It’s not ethical. I now work with sex offenders & they are trying to work out how to make it inclusive.” Social Worker Australia
“I am disturbed by what is happening in hospital gender clinics pertaining to young girls I have been waiting for someone in the ASD therapist community to speak up for safeguarding I cannot bc I will lose my job Thousands of women & therapists in Australia support you” Therapist
“As a trainee psychologist I am terrified to go for my provisional registration let alone speak about this (medicalisation of children) in class. My decision has been to just avoid it altogether for my survival I was advised to do that for survival” Psychology Student, Australia
“I’m fighting against this crazy ideology. You arn’t alone. Several psychologists have positioned ourselves despite the high harassment” Psychologist, Spain
“My experiences working in the system have been nothing short of traumatising. I have seen young children be medicalised w/o proper assessment, little to no consent, dismissal of developmental disorders, psychiatric conditions, autism, ADHD, sexual abuse & trauma. 1/2
2/2 “They (supervisors) were telling us that sexual abuse has nothing to do with gender dysphoria, yet that was not my training or what I had researched. I spoke up about this issue and was chastised, told I was wrong and needed further training.” Psychologist, UK
“I am a therapist here in the US and the laws have us silenced here as well. I refuse to affirm this nonsense. One therapy does NOT fit all.” Psychologist, USA
“To me, It is vitally important that psychologists maintain an open, curious stance, especially with young people who are naturally questioning who they are. This is a responsible psychologist”. UK
“I am gender non conforming autistic lesbian, worked w/many (not all) autistic girls who have been harmed by cult of gender. Most homosexual autistic girls I know are either non-binary, trans man, or at one time considered transition. I can’t speak about this”, Therapist, USA
Too many experiences and concerns coming in. Please be patient as my team work through them and post Ty
“I am a therapist in private practice and I definitely feel silenced. My own child has ROGD ADHD and likely on the spectrum. I felt gaslighted & pressured down the affirmative path. I consider myself liberal but politics have no place in this issue”. Clinical Psychologist, USA
“I work in a team based role. I am attending therapy to manage the moral and ethical challenges I’m having as a result of my workplace. Staff morale is low, conflict is high and the stress is enormous. I am unsupported in my role and unheard”. Clinician, UK
“I work in the intersection of developmental disorders, FASD, Autism, crime, sexual abuse & sex offenders. The safeguarding peaked for me when the team saw a juvenile sex offender wanting to transition. I agonised over this issue, could not agree and resigned”. Forensics, USA
“I have a PhD in cognition and neuroscience, conduct research, teach & supervise grad students. I am finding I’m having more conversations w/ students on ethics, child development, the developing brain and safeguarding. This issue is regularly dismissed by them”, Professor, USA
“ I cannot be public about these beliefs, even my peers seem to have bought into the whole thing. I cannot lose my job over this. A colleague is currently being investigated because she questioned whether affirmation only was the right approach… 1/2
2/2 …in a Facebook support group for therapists? The threats to our career are real”!Psychologist, UK
“I have stepchild who began IDing as trans at 15 therapist focused on the child absolutely being trans ignoring severe depression, OCD, history of bullying Social Anxiety Disorder. The Affirmative model is so irresponsible. I refuse to use it in my own practice”. LCSW, USA
“I've received a warning from the health complaints commissioner the other day, after anonymous reports. Because we must comply with the transagenda, or be threatened with 10 years in jail. I don’t even work with transgender. Nice huh?” Psychotherapist, Australia
“Like so many I am afraid if I speak out about my concerns, I worry I will lose my job. I am not scared of the social fallout but the effect on my ability to earn a living. Seeing you do this is helping me work towards publicly standing up. I know they can't sack us all” 1/2
2/2 “My heart is broken as safeguarding is fundamental to my practice and my sense of integrity”. Clinician, UK
“I’m trans widow & being silenced by my 'professional body' & family law court to be able to protect my daughter. The journey has definitely been a confronting, disappointing & enraging one. TY for being the voice I haven’t felt brave enough to be yet”, Clinical Psychologist USA
This week a West Australian (Perth) hospital gender clinic went under review and new child patients now must seek approval from a judge and have independent counsel #gillick #kierabell #safeguarding #medical #scandal #crisis
I am speaking because I was #silenced re: child safeguarding This week a west Australian hospital gender clinic went under review and new child patients now must seek approval from a judge and have independent counsel #gillick
"I am a supervisor and I've recently agreed to do a workshop around trans issues for my psychology/psychotherapy team. The reality is I have huge concerns around what's happening. My team is largely naive and just want to do the right thing...1/2
I don't think they are aware of the issues around 'affirmation only' policy nor imminent legal moves to ban anything else but affirmation. I find this gravely concerning & need assistance to navigate the moral, ethical &legal minefields I am facing" Psychologist/Therapist, UK 2/2
“With nearly twenty years experience, I am dumbfounded as to how our professional bodies have let us down. I believe many more health professionals would have been raising the alarm if the @AustPsych @Ahpra and others had made it clear…
that it was professionally safe to question what was happening. I am both frustrated & horrified. My clinical concerns include those similar to yours. I cannot be public about my concerns as I have colleagues under investigation…
For questioning #safeguarding of children, informed consent, child and brain development, differential diagnosis! Clinical Psychologist, Australia
“I recently resigned from @AustPsych due to the #kierabell case in the UK. Upon hearing about the Gender clinic in Perth, I cannot be a part of an organisation that publicly denies children choices and privately silences psychologists”, Developmental Psychologist, Australia
“I’m well-established in private practice and can afford to be a bit more vocal. I am not currently seeing anyone who is trans identified or at risk of being transed, but I have had some young women, all with Aspergers, who were at risk. 1/1
2/2 “I saw their dysphoria as embedded in larger issues of identity and dissociation in general, and sometimes related to trauma. Had I been “gender affirming” we would have gotten to none of these issues”. Psychologist, USA
“If another dysphoria person crosses my doorstep, I will not practice “gender affirming” psychotherapy, which I believe to be antithetical to what good therapy is. I will do what I always do-listen carefully, provide a trusting safe environment, and explore”. Psychologist, USA
“I am currently participating in a training program for AEDP psychotherapy. It is virtual, and there are multiple instructors, and about sixty participants. Almost all list their pronouns with their name on the screen (visible at all times) and the instructors…1/2
…”and about sixty participants. Almost all list their pronouns with their name on the screen (visible at all times) and the instructors describe themselves and the patients that are presented for case material as “cis” or “queer”. ..
“I find it deeply coercive and troubling that an orientation so focused on connecting to the body (as AEDP does) and focused on healing trauma in particular, would be so captured by this ideology. I am surprised at how distressing it is to experience specific to help….
his show of pronouns. I have already given feedback that I am opposed to it, and refuse to use mine, and am considering writing a long letter or “coming out” as a GC feminist. I just wanted you to hear that even a seasoned clinician…
…who refuses to play along can feel pressured and disheartened. Please let me know if I can do something”. Psychologist, USA
“At the clinic I work at, there are no distinctions within our training about healthy supports for #genderdysphoria. The only training we are receiving is to ‘affirm’, fight the parents who aren't supportive, don't discuss rapid onset or desistance”. Clin. Psych, Australia
“I am writing about my experiences of harassment and bullying by colleagues. I belong to a large number of @Facebook groups designed to support, assist & mentor psychologists. The vast majority of times I have attempted to discuss gender dysphoria in children I have been…
unfriended, shut down, criticised, silenced, harassed, kicked out of groups & even reported to the board. The issue of #safeguarding children is not open for debate, questioning or discussion. These behaviours tell me something is very very wrong”, Psychologist, Australia
“I have worked in this area for over 35 years. I am concerned about newly practicing psychiatrists who believe that many adolescents are misdiagnosed with #autism when they are really transgender! I cannot speak about this”. Psychiatrist, Australia
1/7 I am currently in a training program for psychotherapy & am an experienced clinician The training is online, with multiple instructors & 80 trainees. Almost all list their pronouns w/ their name on the screen (visible at all times) & the instructors describe themselves & the
2/7 Patients (children) that are presented for case material as “cis” or “queer”. I find it deeply coercive & troubling that an orientation so focused on connecting to the body (this one does) & focused on healing trauma in particular, would be so captured by this ideology.
3/7 I can’t begin to tell you
how distressing it is to have this show of pronouns, let alone show deidentified patient case studies of children who are openly discussed as ‘queer’. I feel like I may be forced to reconsider my career if this is where the profession is headed…
how distressing it is to have this show of pronouns, let alone show deidentified patient case studies of children who are openly discussed as ‘queer’. I feel like I may be forced to reconsider my career if this is where the profession is headed…
4/7 As a seasoned clinician, I am finding it challenging to play along, however I feel pressured and disheartened How is this even ethical? I cannot speak about this, as there is talk amongst the group of the “many”‘transphobic’ therapists who fail children by not safeguarding
5/7 Them from exploratory psychotherapy or any other therapy. The discussion of child trauma being caused by the child not being allowed to refer to themselves as ‘Queer’ - and - that these child patients must refer to other children as “Cis”, has peaked me. This is not how I was
6/7 Educated or trained, yet the board and regulatory bodies promote this publicly. I find this training unethical, unsafe, deeply divisive and antithetical to evidence based research/science and psychotherapy. It it causing me all kinds of moral and ethical distress
7/7 but I cannot speak out about this for fear of being reported to the board & losing my license, so I remain quiet. I cannot find a second supervisor to guide me with this as my current supervisor is #LGBTQ I’m gay & cannot believe this is happening!”Psychologist, Australia
“I have been reading ‘Trans’ @HJoyceGender I am beyond furious that this is going on, and we as psychologists, are blind to it, deaf to it & mute (understandably) to it, due to the thought police within our field. I am not brave. I am terrified”. Clinical Psychologist, Australia
“I am concerned w/ the amount of young children we are seeing #gender dysphoric & obsessed w/anime/manga porn. We see children who “read” manga books depicting full on sex acts, rape, view BDSM, furries, sissy porn & worse. They are identifying as Queer”. Psychologist, Australia
@HJoyceGender Looks like some health professionals in #australia are finding value in your work Well done 👍🏻
“As a nurse who cannot speak up about this, I am growing more and more concerned about what I am witnessing happening to children. I work in a children’s hospital and to stay employable means I have to remain silent. Thank you for what you are doing”. Nurse, Australia
“I am one of those ‘problematic’ clinicians who took issue w/what I was seeing. I was silenced & harmed by my workplace. I raised safeguarding concerns, was silenced but had the evidence & legal backing. I won, was paid out & forced to sign an NDA” Psychologist, Confidential
“I am a parent first & a doctor second. I am outraged witnessing colleagues who negligently prescribe puberty blockers to very young children without informed consent. One was caught & it was then covered up! The cost is too high for me to talk about it”. Paediatrician, Australia
These concerns form chapters within my book and serve as an on-going ‘in real-time’ compilation of the experiences of health professionals worldwide as they have emailed, DM’d or messaged me. All are confidential and anonymous for safety reasons
“I am deeply concerned with the children that are in ‘virtual worlds’ or try on ‘avatars’ of others who they think they are, who don’t know the difference between what is real or their virtual world/selves. This denies them the chance to develop a ‘self’”, Psychotherapist, UK
“I have had violent threats towards me for fighting for ethical practice in my field, with some colleagues. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be attacked for safeguarding children, as a clinician working with children”, Clinical/Developmental Psychologist, Australia
“I am outraged at the failure of colleagues to assess for neurodevelopmental disorders as a primary diagnosis. My colleagues call me ‘transphobic’ for assessing this when working with dysphoria children. What a mess!”, Clinical Psychologist/Autism Specialist, USA
“As a mother, a family therapist and a supervisor, I no longer trust my own profession to safeguard children. I am providing supervision and therapy to health professionals for vicarious trauma. The fallout from this is going to be catastrophic”, Social Worker, Australia
1/2 “I have taught advanced graduate level courses in psychological assessment, psychopathology, child development and neurodevelopmental disorders, for many years. A student lodged a complaint accusing me of being a “gatekeeper”….
2/2 sorry 2/3 my response was and remains firm 👉🏻 For practicing psychologists: Performing differential diagnosis, helping patients make informed treatment decisions, including informed consent, is your job! It has nothing to do with “gatekeeping”…
3/3 For trainee psychologists 👉🏻 stop now and change careers. Psychology is not your best choice of career if you think differential diagnosis, informed consent, and treatment choices are ‘gatekeeping’”, Professor, Psychology department, USA
“My concerns are around informed consent, capacity and children. Informed consent is barely done at our clinic and is certainly no where close to what it should be. I witnessed a suicidal child give consent and I thought to to myself, “How is this even possible?”, Clinician, UK
“I was reported to the board for safeguarding. They were diagnosing gender dysphoria in children and prescribing testosterone within 3 appointments! One child diagnosed with GD was then dx. (years later) with #Autism #ADHD & #PTSD”, Psychologist, Australia
2/2 If we are screening eating disorders for autism, why aren’t we screening GD for #autism?”, so we don’t miss the autism? This a huge error. We know the consequences of a missed diagnosis”, Clinical Psychologist, Australia
1/2 “How can an #autistic child give informed consent without: knowing they are autistic, has EF issues that affect ability to make decisions, may have trauma, sensory issues, literal language & black or white thinking, communication challenges. Autism can make you feel different
2/2 I raised these safeguarding concerns and the lack of autism specialists for assessment and diagnose and was told “affirmation only”. It is their job to conduct differential diagnosis!” Developmental Paychologist, USA
They often have alexythymia, Synaesthesia, interoceptive, issues, great difficulty labelling & describing feelings, can have an unusual sense of their body in space. Couple that w/ explosive emotions feeling different no diagnosis or a misdiagnosis. What could possible go wrong?
“I raised safeguarding concerns re: ‘identity’ fixations in autistic kids Yes, they hyper focus obsess fixate in #OCD ways on an ‘interest’ Not all interests are healthy That is Autism They are failing to diagnosis #autism & focus on the Gender Dysphoria” Psychologist, Australia
“We raised safeguarding concerns re: children & the access to & viewing of trans/queer ‘sissy’ porn. We know porn causes brain damage. This is highly disturbing, grooming & a form of abuse. These traumatised children R being diagnosed w/ GD & medicalised”, Psychologist, Australia
“As a clinician for 30 yrs & parent of teenage children I am disgusted by our regulatory board & association There are many of us who disagree w/ their views. Children develop maturity differently & they should know better They give psychology a bad name”, Clin. Psych. Australia
“I struggle professionally, morally & ethically w/ trans teens prescribed Oestrogen & don’t want surgery. They talk about being proud they will soon have periods & how to prepare for their monthly cycles. They don’t have a cervix. This is a delusion”. Psychologist, USA
“I raised safeguarding concerns about the research on autistic children with GD. There are no referrals to Autism specialists and there is no awareness of the considerations and/or concerns in relation to Autism, ASD, FASD, ADHD”, Psychologist, Australia
“I no longer refer patients to #gender clinics because they get a ‘one size fits all’ treatment. They’re not getting support figuring out if they really need full medical/surgical transition. We should be listening to the thousands of “detransitioners.”, Paediatrician, Australia
“I have just finished the book ‘Trans’ by @HJoyceGender I had no idea and am ashamed of my colleagues, the field, the board and my association. I can’t speak up, but I would love to donate copies to those who wish to read this amazing book”, Clinical Psychologist, Australia
“This has been going on for years. I witnessed gender doctors openly schooling kids on the scripts to say to children to get what they want. Children use these same scripts and they are all over the Internet. I am horrified”, Clinical Nurse, Canada
“Reflecting on our ethical codes/guidelines I feel the field of psychology is on verge of total collapse & this will be a major catastrophe for the field The public are informed & w/trust in psychologists eroding people are going elsewhere for help”, Psychologist, Australia
“I left my career due to medicalisation of emotions caused by life experiences, their impact, trauma & ‘difference’ that doesn't fit into society's neat little box You can’t medicalise autism, ADHD, trauma, family violence, sexual abuse, mental illness, suicide” Therapist, UK
“I also raised safeguarding concerns to both the board & our overseeing organisation for denying biological reality & using a ‘one size fits all’ medicalisation approach 4 children w/ neurodevelopmental disorders. I was forced to be ‘reeducated’” Clinical Psychologist, Australia
“I am a mum to a gender dysphoric child. I expected a range of therapies to address this. Instead I was told the only accepted route was affirmation & medicalisation, for my 8 year old child? As a psychologist & my husband, a doctor, we are both outraged!, Psychologist, Australia
“I wanted to reach out to you to tell you how horrified I am by the British Psychological Society’s stance on affirming our clients as ‘sluts’. I have resigned and suggest my colleagues do so as well”, Psychologist, UK
“Their behaviours towards health professionals are off the scale. They go after them with online and offline narcissistic rage & mobbing attacks. Many have had to utilise Police, restraining orders, lawyers, courts & lawsuits, for doing their jobs”, Psychologist, Australia 
“I resigned from the gender clinic I worked for and now have a thriving private practice working with detransitioners”, Psychologist, UK
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