We provide a supportive and compassionate assessment that aims to gain an understanding of a person's experience of gender related distress and difficulty, establish their needs and goals and explore how they, and we, may be able to help them to feel more comfortable in their gendered self. As part of the assessment a diagnosis of Gender Incongruence (WHO ICD11*) and/or Gender Dysphoria (APA DSM-5) may be provided if appropriate.

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What is Gender Incongruence?

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The World Health Organisation defines 'Gender Incongruence of Adolescence and Adulthood' (ICD-11 Diagnostic code HA60) as "characterised by a marked and persistent incongruence between an individual´s experienced gender and the assigned sex, which often leads to a desire to ‘transition’, in order to live and be accepted as a person of the experienced gender, through hormonal treatment, surgery or other health care services to make the individual´s body align, as much as desired and to the extent possible, with the experienced gender. The diagnosis cannot be assigned prior to the onset of puberty. Gender variant behaviour and preferences alone are not a basis for assigning the diagnosis".

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What is Gender Dysphoria?

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The American Psychiatric Association defines 'Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Adults' (DSM-5 Diagnostic code 302.85) as a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and their assigned gender, lasting at least 6 months, as manifested by at least two of the following:

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• A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)

• A strong desire to be rid of one’s primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one’s experienced/expressed gender (or in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)

• A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender

• A strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

• A strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

• A strong conviction that one has the typical feelings and reactions of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

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In addition, in order to meet criteria for a diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria, the condition must also be associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

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