Anna Hutchinson (Audio); The challenges of gender identity services

The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments

keywords

clinical psychology, adolescent mental health, gender identity, Tavistock Clinic, diagnostic overshadowing, cognitive dissonance, ethical dilemmas, systemic failures, professional accountability, critical thinking, evidence-based medicine, mental health, physical health, clinical psychology, body-mind connection, multidisciplinary teams, stigma, parenthood, private practice, coping strategies

summary

In this conversation, clinical psychologist Anna Hutchinson discusses her extensive experience in adolescent mental health, particularly her time at the Tavistock Clinic's Gender Identity Disorder Service. She reflects on the challenges of diagnostic overshadowing, the cognitive dissonance she experienced while working in a rigid diagnostic framework, and the ethical dilemmas faced by professionals in the field. Anna emphasizes the systemic failures within the service and the need for critical thinking and accountability in psychology to better serve young people. In this conversation, Anna discusses the challenges and complexities of working in clinical psychology, particularly in relation to evidence-based medicine, the interplay between physical and emotional health, and the importance of understanding the body-mind connection. She reflects on her experiences in multidisciplinary teams, the evolution of mental health stigma, and how becoming a parent has influenced her professional perspective. Anna also shares her transition from the NHS to private practice and the coping strategies she has employed throughout her career.

Bio

Dr. Anna Hutchinson is a clinical psychologist with a focus on adolescent mental health, physical health and embodied distress. She was a senior psychologist at the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust between 2013 and 2017. During her time there, she raised significant concerns about the clinical practices, particularly regarding the rapid medical interventions for young people with gender identity issues. Her insights were part of the narrative in the book "Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children" by Hannah Barnes. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62814704-time-to-think)