Phew! After about five years of various educational events, conferences, consultation groups, *and* a certification exam, I finished my WPATH Global Education Initiative certification for the SOC 7. Huzzah! This training and certification process has helped me feel more confident in my ability to provide culturally competent care to clients, and helps me feel more confident to train other professionals in turn.
![ribbon image reading 'SOC7 certified member' from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health](https://www.brilliancycounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/SOC-7-GEI-certification-badge.png)
Although WPATH standards cut both ways and can seem like an obstacle to trans and non-binary folks getting the care they need, I think it also provides some needed education and standards to bring the gender care professions forward. I hope to contribute to future GEI training by making non-binary, genderqueer, and other gender non-conforming folks’s needs more visible and present in WPATH’s offerings. I’m also looking forward to the release of SOC 8, which is rumored to be a lot more inclusive of different trans identities and better at removing obstacles to care.
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