By: Dr. Jerry Bergman
Montpelier, Ohio
As a licensed therapist employed at several clinics, including Arlington Psychological Associates in Toledo, Ohio, I have worked with almost every psychological problem normally encountered at outpatient clinics.
One example is the so-called transgender dysphoria problem. The incidence was rare when I was working in the field, but recently it has been rapidly rising in prevalence.
Formal clinical diagnoses range from 0.002%–0.014% to 0.5%–1.3% for self-reported trans-identity problems.
Between 2011 and 2021, rates of recorded gender dysphoria have increased by a whopping 45 times, rising from 0.14 to 4.4 per 10,000 person-years.
Judging from enormously biased news reports and media coverage, millions of transsexuals exist in the United States. The fact is, gender dysphoria is a psychological disorder, not a physical disorder requiring surgery.
Therapists often talk shop during lunch and after work hours, comparing notes and seeking professional opinions and insight into the cases we are working with.
Our experience helping clients with gender dysphoria conforms closely to the textbooks, namely the vast majority of those dealing with gender dysphoria adjust, mostly by maturing and moving on with their life and accepting adult responsibilities, including work, family, and children.
Furthermore, underlying emotional issues or conflicts are often at the heart of the problem. Freud taught that dysphoria issues were a normal developmental state that most people mature out of as they move on with their lives.
Our goal was to help the client understand the central issues involved in gender dysphoria. This often involves reassuring them that concerns adjusting to their developing body and new social roles are normal. The therapist’s focus is to help the client progress to the next stages of their life.
The growing number of detransitioners is especially a concern for persons who undergo extensive surgery and hormone treatment, mislabeled “gender-affirming care” in a futile attempt to change their sex.
The reasons for detransitioning include health concerns related to so-called gender affirming surgery, unresolved mental health issues, or a change in their understanding of gender.
One result is in the United States 27 states have passed bans on certain gender-affirming care for youth aged 13-17. Furthermore, close to half of all nations ban or limit such medical treatment.
Related to this trend, President Trump has been under fire by the media for endeavoring to limit girls’ sports to girls, and not allowing boys to play the role of a girl in women’s sports, in effect negating the entire purpose of Title IX.
A Recent Court Case
In New York, a jury found a psychologist and surgeon liable for malpractice after they performed breast removal surgery on a 16-year-old girl who identified as transgender.
The woman, now 22, was awarded $2 million in damages, with $1.6 million for past and future pain and suffering, and another $400,000 for future medical expenses.
The jury found that the surgeon and psychologist had ignored certain steps when evaluating whether she should go forward with surgery. Some psychologists encourage or even push so-called gender-affirming care instead of attempting to help the client adjust to her conflict.
Partly because of past acceptance for the medical approach, the hormonal and surgical solution once has become common. This may be changing.
The woman in court described her very negative reaction to seeing her post-surgery chest. She also noted that the surgery left her with nerve pain, which she described as a “searing hot …ripping sensation across her chest.
I felt shamed. It’s hard to face the fact that you are disfigured for life.” The claim was that the doctors “drove the train” and had been “putting ideas in Fox’s head” during their attempts to change her gender.
The defense attorneys argued that the decision to wear a chest binder, and later the breast removal, was her idea.
In his closing arguments, the woman’s attorney said that the problem was the attitude, “Whatever the kid wants, the kid gets, and better judgment is ignored.”
Another Court Case
Federal judge, Judge Roger Thomas Benitez, on December 22, 2025, ruled against California policies that prevent parents from learning if their children had decided to switch genders.
The policies prohibit teachers from telling parents when their children begin going by a different name and gender and forcing teachers to use those new names and pronouns at school.
He ruled that these policies harm the parents by depriving them of the long-recognized Fourteenth Amendment right to care, guide, and make health care decisions for their children, and by substantially burdening many parents’ First Amendment right to train their children in their sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Benitez added the policy harms “teachers who are compelled to violate the sincerely held beliefs and the parents’ rights by forcing them to conceal information they feel is critical for the welfare of their students.”
Attorneys for the Christian Thomas More Society, who represented teachers in the case, celebrated the ruling. This case shows that Christians can make a difference.
California attorney General Rob Bonta reinforced the transgender myth, stating he has filed an application to stay the injunction, stating. “We believe the decision will ultimately be reversed on appeal.
We are committed to securing school environments that allow transgender students to safely participate as their authentic selves.” The problem is, sometimes oneself denies reality and the transgender myth is only one of many examples of the radical leftist inventions.
Both biology and Christian (and Jewish and Muslim) traditions teach that God created the first male and female to biologically and psychologically complement each other (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-24; 1:31) and to reproduce and multiply to populate the earth. For this reason, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.
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Dr. Bergman is a multi-award-winning professor and author. Has 9 degrees and has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate level for over 40 years. His over 2,100 publications are in both scholarly and popular journals. Dr. Bergman’s work has been translated into 15 languages. He has spoken over 2,000 times to college, university and church groups in America, Canada, Europe, the South Sea Islands, and Africa. He lives in Montpelier and is available to present in churches and schools. Jerry can be reached at JerryBergman30@yahoo.com