About the Author

I am a Licensed Psychologist (California PSY15764) specializing in working with individuals with crossdressing and other gender identity concerns. I am a long standing member of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association (HBIGDA) and a founding member of the Bay Area Gender Associates, a peer supervision and consultation group.

My therapeutic orientation is Existential-Humanist. Essentially that means I place great emphasis on the current conditions of the client's life. It is impossible to fix the past. Only the present can be modified and made workable. Further, as an Existential-Humanist, I expect my clients to take full responsibility for their lives. This is especially important when one is discussing the possibility of changing one's sex. I am firmly committed to working within the limits of flexibility described in the HBIGDA Standards of Care. My experience in the area of gender issues is extensive, dating back to my graduate studies in 1978. I estimate that I have worked with over 350 individuals since then.

Although I am trained to work with a wide range of psycho therapeutic issues, I have come to understand that when working with my gender clients, my function is often simply that of being a knowledgeable guide. Ultimately, only the client can know the rightness or wrongness of gender transition. In my experience, most people who present with gender issues are responsible, capable and intelligent people. I see no reason not to take advantage of those abilities when helping my clients resolve their gender issues.

Disclaimer: Nothing on this site should be viewed as providing therapeutic advice. No formation of a client/therapist relationship with Dr. Vitale or the D Street Counseling Group is intended or to be implied or inferred. The information provided in this site is for educational purposes only. I attempt to keep the information current but make no representation or warranties in that regard. You should not rely upon this information as a substitute for consul with a qualified mental health professional.