1. DSM IV is this something you use in your practice?
2. Today a client asked that we stopped calling her _____as its her homeless name, and her government name is _____.
3. How to approach transgender issues – we have a client,_____ who comes in with her partner, _____. _____ is a female but wishes to be treated like a male, but still wants to utilize _____ services.

Reflections on clinical supervision and notes like this made it worth shelling out $100 an hour.

Point 1: I also had a good chuckle at point one. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is a vital tool to my practice. It helps formulate a concrete diagnosis, and insurance companies heavily depend on it as they bill by ICD 10 codes.

Point 3 The gender question stumped a “green” me. My first thought reading that question now: the answer is obviously patient safety first, because this was a women’s only shelter. This was a question I was advised to raise to my supervisor, as it was vital for us to know if such a policy around gender issue was in place (there wasn’t one, my boss informed us to use our best judgment). I can tell by my notes scribbled all over the pages this was a hot topic issue. I also learned the following term: gender fluid, a term the millennials were using. I jotted down questions from others in the group that I wanted to look up “Are there any gender queer role models in the media (this was at a time when many didn’t feel it was safe to share their sexuality)?” “Can you get a driver’s license if you’re transgender?” My overall ignorance in this area as a heterosexual woman would led me to go back to my University as an alumni and speak with them about starting an elective course on gender identity.