Career Issues and Workplace Considerations for the Transsexual Community: Bridging a Gap of Knowledge for Career Counselors and Mental Heath Care Providers (Report‪)‬

The field of career counseling has addressed the needs of several minority groups; however, the transsexual community has consistently been overlooked. Transsexual individuals may face many personal and professional obstacles due to the complex psychological aspects and expensive medical procedures inherent in transitioning (the complex and multidimensional process of changing genders). Maintaining employment and a steady income are vital when engaging in this costly transition experience. In this article, the authors bridge a gap of knowledge for career counselors and mental health care providers by identifying possible workplace issues and propose 4 primary competency components. A critique of the current literature, recommendations for counselors, and directions for future research are discussed. As the field of career counseling has expanded, relevant information has become more accessible to minority and underrepresented populations (Bieschke, Eberz, Bard, & Croteau, 1998; Croteau, 1996; Leong & Hardin, 2002; Thompson, 2005). Unfortunately, one group that has consistently received little attention in the career literature is the transgender/transsexual community (Chung, 2003). This community has been referred to in articles discussing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues; however, limited information is provided regarding unique career issues or workplace concerns for those who identify as the "T." Although career issues are a common concern for transgender/transsexual individuals seeking psychotherapy (Rachlin, 2002), no known published empirical research exists to date that specifically addresses how counselors (both career and mental health) can assist with career and workplace concerns.