schedule
an appointment for counseling online 24/7
The
Counseling Process
The counseling process with Michele
O'Mara is designed to help you access the insight and understanding
necessary to assist you in living more happily with your gender.
The counseling process does not give you the answer to your gender
dilemma, it gives you the tools and processes to allow you to uncover
these answers for yourself. There
are no right answers, just answers that are right for you.
Fees
Sessions are 50 minutes and cost
$90.
Michele does request full payment
from each client at the time of service unless a special
arrangement/agreement has been made in advance. She
will provide you with receipts and related documentation (codes for
service, diagnosis, and dates of service as requested by insurance
company) for your reimbursement.
Michele is a Licensed Clinical Social
Worker in the state of Indiana (License # 34003162A). These
credentials are recognized by most insurance companies and as a result I
am most often a reimbursable provider. (Meaning, if you see me, even if
I am out of your network, which I probably am, your insurance company is
still likely to cover me for out-of-network services).
Michele
does not submit insurance claims on behalf of clients. She will provide
receipt of services for you to submit to your insurance company for
reimbursement, for tax-deduction purposes, or for use with your Flex
Accounts.
Local
Support Group
Michele
O'Mara, LCSW MTF Support Group
This
is a support group that I conduct in my counseling office on every other
Wednesday from 7pm-8pm. The cost is $20 per group
and group attendance offers several benefits, particularly to those
seeking HRT. In accordance with the Standards of Care, I require
the minimum of 3 months counseling prior to providing a letter of
recommendation for Hormone Therapy. Because this can become a
costly experience, I have created a support group which is an excellent
supplement to individual therapy, and can reduce the overall expense of
the counseling experience as much as 40%.
INDY
BOYZ
The
group welcomes female-born persons exploring gender identities on the
FTM spectrum and those who support them. Group members may identify as
tomboys, butches, FTMs, transmen, drag kings, intersexuals, those
questioning, or SOs, friends, family, and allies.
Effects
of Masculinizing Hormone Replacement Therapy
Females
transitioning to males (FTM) may experience the following permanent
effects of testosterone:
-
Atrophy of the
uterus and ovaries, resulting in sterility
-
Beard and mustache
growth
-
Deepening of the
voice
-
Enlargement of the
clitoris
-
Increased growth
of body hair
-
Sterility
-
Baldness,
hair loss, especially at temples and crown of head
Temporary
changes, which are reversible after HT is stopped, include the
following:
-
Behavioral
developments associated with testosterone production during male
puberty:
-
Aggression
-
Increased
Libido
-
Development
of acne, similar to male puberty
-
Increase
muscle mass and strength
-
Increase
in number of red blood cells
-
Redistribution of
fat from breasts, hips, and thighs to abdominal areas
Risks associated
with FTM testosterone therapy include the following:
-
Cancer of
endometrium
-
Diabetes
-
Hypertension
-
High
Cholesterol
-
Breast cancer
-
Liver
Disease
Tobacco increases a
person's risk for disease and complications. A general medical
checkup is necessary before treatment, as well as a review of patient
and family health history.
Requirements
for Hormone Therapy for Adults
The
Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association provides the
following eligibility and readiness criteria for transgender adults
seeking hormone therapy:
Eligibility
-
Demonstrable
knowledge of what hormones can and cannot medically do and hormone
benefit and risks
-
A documented
real-life experience of at least three months prior to the
administration of hormones; or A period of psychotherapy of a
duration specified by the mental health professional after the
initial evaluation (usually a minimum of three months*)
-
Legal
age of majority (age 18 in the United States)
Readiness
-
Real-life
experience or psychotherapy has further consolidated gender
identity
-
Patient is deemed
likely to take hormones responsibly
-
patient
has made progress in improving or continuing stable mental health
(implies control of sociopathy, substance abuse, psychosis, and
suicidal tendencies)
Web
Resources
Indiana
Transgendered Rights Advocacy Alliance
Transgender
Crossroads: News and Views from the Midwest
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CHANGE SELF-SERVE LINK