I’m a mental health therapist in Idaho who treats children and adolescents.
There’s hardly anyone these days who doesn’t know a family whose child has “come out” as gay or transgender. We are witnessing a tidal wave of youth who report their “deeply felt belief” that they
were “born in the wrong body.” In fact, in England, the number of children requesting “gender transition” treatment skyrocketed over 4,000 percent in just eight years. Is this just a fad, like the Rubik’s Cube or Cabbage Patch kids? How can this same trend be happening to our youth in Idaho? I know this can be a terrifying subject, but don’t stop reading. You can help these kids.
Transgender Activism in Mental Health
Part of the reason for this growing trend lies in the fact that when a child experiences mental distress, therapists are governed by professional associations like the American Counseling Association, and the National Association of Social Workers. These associations have long provided ethical and ‘best practices’ standards mental health professionals have turned to for ethical guidance in the treatment of adults and minors. But did you know that they are pushing something called gender affirming therapy when a minor reports to the therapist they are experiencing gender confusion? Gender affirming therapy “affirms” the child/teen’s belief that he/she was born in the wrong body.
Your Tax Dollars are Funding the Push to Socially Transition Children
But it isn’t just mental health professional associations that are embracing the trans tidal wave. As you will see in the video link below, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) is pushing gender affirming therapy as THE standard of care therapists must follow. (This is the same IDHW that MVLA and Idaho Freedom Foundation caught offering ‘porn literacy’ and radical sex ed curriculum endorsed by Planned Parenthood to K-12 students).
Here’s how.
Therapists rely on IDHW Medicaid program for payment in treating minors in Idaho. Optum Idaho manages the mental services program for IDHW. So, if you’re a therapist that accepts Medicaid insurance for treatment of your child and/or adolescent client, IDHW and Optum Idaho now requires you to provide gender affirming therapy. Yes, requires.
As you will see in the video, most parents are unaware that their tax dollars are funding IDHW and Optum Idaho to sexualize our kids. This is happening even though credible research shows that 80 to 95 percent of kids with gender confusion will embrace their biological gender by late adolescence if they don’t receive gender affirming therapy. What’s worse, gender affirming therapy does not require therapists to assess for underlying causes of gender confusion, such as untreated depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse, abandonment, or social pressure to fit in.
Watch My Video
I have made a video that shows the HOW, WHY and WHO of the mental health gender affirming movement in Idaho. Please take time to watch it because knowledge is power. We need the power to draw a hard line against the sexualization of children in our state. The following screen shots are from the CANS (Child & Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment) training presentation for therapists, with my comments on the right.
True Compassion
There’s one thing that needs to be said. The purpose of exposing these facts is not to bring harm or hatred to LBGTQ youth or adults. We can’t be like the Pharisees whose scorn gave lost souls no refuge for healing. The high rate of depression among these groups warns us that they are vulnerable and suffering. I’m advocating for ethical therapies and informed consent for individuals who want help with unwanted same-sex attraction and gender confusion.
At the same time, we must expose the dangerous social and political agendas of activists who are sexualizing our kids. Words like diversity, empathy, and compassion are being weaponized against people who believe that there are two genders, male and female. True compassion requires us to push back hard.
Take Action
Now that you are informed…
- Share this article and video with everyone you know.
- If you are a parent of a child in therapy, find out how your therapist feels about gender affirming therapy.
- Have a personal story to share with MVLA News? Leave a comment below in the reply box.
- Subscribe to Idaho Family Policy Center, Idaho Freedom Foundation and MVLA newsletter for the latest updates.
If you are a concerned parent or a mental health therapist, I urge you to visit the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity. They are working hard to provide evidence-based training for therapists and help for parents of kids with gender confusion and unwanted same-sex attraction. - Child and Parent Rights Campaign was organized to defend child and parental rights from the radical ideologies that are harming our families.
- You can reach me at peggymcfarlandlcpc@gmail.com.
