Curt and Katie interview Jordan Held, LCSW, about gender affirming care, trans mental health, the practicalities of transition (as well as the different types of transition), specifics when working with trans youth, and the politicization of trans folks. We also explore culture and privilege related to transition.
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An Interview with Jordan Held (he/him/his), LCSW is a Primary Therapist and Gender Specialist at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. Prior to Visions, Jordan was a Therapist and Intake Coordinator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in the Center for Trans Youth Health and Development, the largest trans youth health clinic in the USA.
Jordan’s mental health practice centers around creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered space for both adolescents and their families. Jordan’s expertise is working with gender and sexual minority youth with complex histories of PTSD and trauma. Jordan speaks internationally about creating and supporting affirmative LGBTQ+ environments with an emphasis on informed consent and enhanced family communication. As a queer-identified, transgender man, Jordan brings an important dual perspective to his work as a mental health provider.
Prior to social work, Jordan worked extensively in secondary school education, with a decade of experience teaching, coaching, and developing health and wellness curricula. Jordan’s work focuses on gender violence prevention, diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultivating strength and belonging for teens. Jordan is on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Laurel Foundation, JQ International, and Mental Health America of Los Angeles. Jordan is also a long-time facilitator at Transforming Family, a support group for gender-diverse youth and their family.
Jordan holds a Master of Social Welfare degree from UCLA, a Master of Sports Leadership degree from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Connecticut. Jordan is an avid sneakerhead who self-cares by lifting heavy weights, going to the beach, loving his rescue dog, and embracing his gender euphoria!

For Pride Month, we wanted to deepen our conversation on trans mental health and what therapists should know when working with trans individuals.

What is gender-affirmative care?
The way that “gender affirming care” is being taken out of context
What is actually happening, how it has been politicized
The misinformation related to what is available to children who are exploring their gender (i.e., parental consent and youth care)
The role of therapists versus the role of medical providers
Discussion of gender norms
Different types of transition for trans individuals
Social transition (name, pronouns, clothes, haircut)
Medical interventions that may start during puberty (i.e., puberty blockers, progesterone only birth control)
Cross sex hormones and surgeries (which actually require a long process)
States are very specific for what they require for gender care (as do insurance companies)
Conversations in therapy for trans youth
Gender journey
Meeting the kids where they’re at
Lying to get what they need
Letters and recommendations for surgery
The gender dysphoria diagnosis and sorting that out from depression, anxiety, etc.
Supporting trans youth with social transition and getting the support they need
The concerns with maladaptive coping skills available online
Positive resources for trans youth (scroll down to resources)
Identity and impacts
The Politicization of Trans Individuals
Jordan grew in privilege when he transitioned
Legislation
Schools removing conversations related to gender and sexuality
Play and sports being withheld from trans kids
Bias and how being trans is perceived
The actual numbers of trans folks who want to play sports or want to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity
Advice for trans kids and families where gender care is illegal, advice for therapists
Age limits and laws that don’t align with logic
Culture, privilege, and being trans
Increasing or decreasing privilege when one transitions
Getting used to the changed dynamic within society based on external experience
The complexity of the experience and the changing of the experience
The concept of “passing” and how it taps into bias

Our Generous Sponsors for this episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide:
GreenOak Accounting
Thrizer

A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.

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