Gender Health Center

Super conscientious and helpful, courteous and amenable to clients who’ve been out of the system for a while. I really really appreciate their help; the center is a weird little island where being Trans doesn’t mean aggressive hostility and instead means being valued and having your safety prioritized. In this way it literally doesn’t seem real but it is real in my experience.

The GHC from what I’ve seen is a really nice place for people to go to get help with several different things like affordable counseling, LGBTQ support and info, youth groups and volunteer medical groups to help with hormones as well as help with medical insurance.
My boyfriend visits regularly and they have been nothing but helpful to him. They answer his questions thoroughly and give him good advice on what he’s there for. He enjoys going and also recommends it to others within the LGBTQ community.

I first discovered tithe Gender Health Center in 2012, and I initially sought out services for therapy. Since then I have also been receiving hormones from their hormone clinic once that started up, had assistance in navigating my legal name and gender change through the California courts and other systems, as well as currently utilizing support from the Gender Health Center in navigating the health system in order to get coverage for my Gender Affirmation Surgery. At various times since 2012 I have also volunteered in different capacities at the Gender Health Center.
When trying to think about writing this review, it was hard for me to put into words the amount of gratitude I have for the existence of the GHC. They have always supported me in my own journey, on my own terms. They have treated me with dignity, and respect. They have empowered me to take ownership of my own life, my own health, and my own journey. In my experience, they have never pushed me or anyone else that I have observed, in any path other than the path they choose for them self.
When I first started utilizing GHC services, I was in a really bad space. The GHC not only provided me with services, but as a volunteer and overtime developing a community through the GHC, they literally helped me save my own life. i can’t thank them enough for all they have done for me, and all that they helped me do for my self. Thank you GHC for validating my experience, and supporting me in taking ownership of my journey.
Currently I am getting assistance in navigating the process for Gender Affirmation Surgery, and advocacy work In helping me get my surgery covered through insurance. I never once felt pressured by anyone in doing anything in my own journey unless I decided it was right for me. As soon as I had interest in going through the process, they have been very supportive through every step. I like to do things on my own, and so as much as possible they have helped me with this, And have only gotten involved as needed. The process seems so overwhelming, that I am not sure I would have gone through it at all, without the Gender Health Center being there for their support and advocacy through it all.
These are only a few reasons why I give the Gender Health Center a superb review. I can only speak from my own experience, and can not and will not demean or de value anyone else’s reiviews. Your voice and experience is just as valid as mine. From my own view point the work that the GHC is doing is super important, and I want to thank them for everything. thank you to everyone who has been apart of this wonderful organization. You all are helping your community prosper, and it is amazing.

This place is great!
I found the GHC online and when I called, I spoke with a gentleman who was so kind and sincere, and for the first time in my life, I knew I was talking to the right person!
That person was Ben. He and his staff are amazing and will provide nothing but support and ALL the resources possible to help Trans folks navigate this important step in there lives

It’s cheap and my counselor was nice.
Other than that: I had called to set up an appointment. It took a week of calling to get through to someone. They took my info down and said they would call me back in a week. After two weeks I called and they said they had no information for me. So they took down my info again and told me to wait for an appointment in a week. Three weeks later I get a call from them (by then I was across the country for work, so I couldn’t even come in). When I first went there, the guy at the front was extremely rude and rolled his eyes the whole time he helped me. The employees in general are pretty unprofessional and treat the office like a hang out spot. My counselor moved to a different place so they were supposed to put me with another counselor. They kept telling me to wait for an email regarding my new counselor. I called back a number of times about it and verified my email just in case. Still no contact a month later.

Edit: I have changed my review from 5 stars to 2, even though everything in the original review is still true. My wife tried for months to get an appointment here, but each time they told her they would call to schedule something, they never did. When she was finally able to get an appointment, her counselor was super flaky and would routinely either cancel last minute or just not show up. When trying to find a new counselor, she again kept calling with the promise of someone calling her to schedule an appointment, which they never did. She gave up.
Similarly, my awesome counselor recently quit, and as I (a returning client of about a year an a half) am now trying to find a new counselor, I’m running into the same problems my wife had. Don’t tell me you’ll call me in a week if you won’t. When I ask about it and it’s clear I’m desperate for help, don’t just tell me «yeah…yeah, it’s just gonna be quite a wait.» And for god’s sake, stop advertising on the radio when you can’t even meet the needs of the clients you already have.
Original review: I have been going to the GHC for a few months and definitely recommend it. My counselor is a great match for me and I always feel listened to and genuinely cared for. I also feel like if for some reason we weren’t a match, I could say so without being judged or hurting feelings. Both the office and my counselor have worked with me when scheduling issues come up (flu season!) and I’m always instantly emailed when I make an appointment, as well as a reminder the day of my session. The office is casual and cozy and packed with resources for the LGBTQ community. The location is super convenient off (and on) the freeway and there’s some street parking. I also love how discreet the building is; I don’t feel like I have to broadcast the fact that I’m going to counseling. Oh! And I can’t forget the cost. It’s a sliding scale, so I only pay $ 20 for an hour, in which I feel I receive proper, legitimate, high-​quality counseling. I’m also confident that if those $ 20 ever became a problem for me, they would work with me to figure something out. I’m so relieved I found this place!

I had my appointment canceled without my knowledge, and then the center was unwilling to work with me by squeezing me in with the person Ben and I carefully selected (after much anguish and time on my part). I also feel judged by Ben. I got the feeling he works hard at being nurturing and non-​judgmental, but that’s not the way that he is. He puts on a show like he cares about you and wants to place you with the right person but he really couldn’t care less if it works out in real time.
I felt totally unattended initially, and was assigned to someone who clearly felt I was a freak. She treated me how I imagine someone would treat someone they felt was a «c*nt.» She was patronizing, overly sympathetic, slow talking, controlling, and imposing. Some counselors think they have their job because people can’t think for themselves, and she seemed to be one of those.
I hope Ben doesn’t respond to this after blowing off my email and otherwise making me feel unwelcome by placating me, being inattentive and forgetful.
I’m not going to be re-​scheduled with another person after I was promised an appointment with a specific counselor, and then denied it through no fault of my own. The wait is long. I spent a lot of time arranging and maintaining that second appointment, as well as the first appointment. There was no one else on the payroll who seemed to match what I thought I needed.
I’m not willing to give a place another chance that can’t deliver on it’s promises after bleeding so much of my time, including the long and ultimately unproductive meeting I had with Ben and phone calls to the center where my appointment was canceled against my specific instructions not to do so. Additionally the awful meeting with the therapist. I was not impressed.
After the way I was treated by scheduling and my first appointment I would have had little interest in coming back. I would have because I don’t have a lot of options in accessing care, but if I did have options I would have turned to something else. This center is not for people who are truly in need, and is instead inaccessible while being dishonest and providing false hope.
I won’t compromise my dignity by waiting up to half a month for another potentially devastating appointment with another one of their «excellent counselors,» according to Ben. I saw the first counselor for longer than five minutes because he told me to «give her a chance.» You don’t give an otherwise random person a chance to care for your mental health if you are uncomfortable with them personally. To do otherwise is to demean yourself. To be encouraged to sit in an isolated room with someone you don’t know who is trying to take a crack at your psyche (regardless of how you feel) is negligent advice based on the best interests of the center.
It’s hard to believe the level of incompetence I experienced from Ben and the person who «scheduled» my appointment by canceling it against my wishes, and my therapist as well. It reflects badly upon the entire place.
I don’t see why you would come here, unless you can’t find someone else to talk to (like a FRIEND), or unless you don’t care about the character of the person/​therapist you’re talking to. I have known people who honestly don’t care who they’re talking to as long as they can say whatever comes to mind.
There aren’t any gender-​variant counselors here, and I think that’s important for a transgender person to know. You won’t be talking to someone who’s gone through a process similar to you.
If you need to talk to «just anyone» and are comfortable with «everybody», I’m sure this would be a great place for you. If you have a higher level of need than that I would steer clear of here. They pretend to be able to accommodate your needs when they’re only interested in filling appointments, and don’t see you as important as an individual. Unfortunately this negative type of environment has always been present for me around counseling.

Affordable counseling services that serve the entire community. Sliding scale payments. Counselors that are trained to help deal with the needs of the LGBT community. I recommend to everyone!

staff is super helpful. the founders are AMAZING! this place is great and doesn’t discriminate for gender, status, orientation or funding (or lack of funds)

Great, AFFORDABLE place to get counseling. I volunteered there for over a year and also had my nephew going there for therapy. He loved it.