Taraleigh Stemler is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and certified as an Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP). With nearly a decade of trauma-focused experience in private practice, Stemler emphasizes systemic, evidence-based care that supports healing, self-regulation, and personal agency.
Key Points from the Interview:
-
Rise in Transgender Identification
Stemler suspects a social contagion effect is partly responsible for the rapid increase in transgender identification across generations. -
Overlooked Trauma in Gender Dysphoria
Cites a 2018 Italian study by
-
56% of participants with gender dysphoria had experienced four or more forms of trauma by adolescence.
-
In contrast, only 7% of the control group reported that level of trauma.
-
Trauma types included emotional/physical neglect, abuse, exposure to violence, separation, and loss.
Contradictions & Lack of Trauma Focus
A 2022 study on gender dysphoria treatment claims that the only treatments are:
-
Psychosocial therapy (to SUPPORT transition)
-
Hormone replacement therapy
-
Non-genital and genital surgeries
-
Stemler notes none of these options address childhood trauma or attachment issues.
-
None of these “treatments” attempt to reaffirm biological sex.
Commercial Incentives Behind Gender Transition Care
-
Hormone therapy is a $1.6 billion industry in the U.S. (2023), projected to grow steadily.
-
Sex reassignment surgery reached $2.1 billion in 2022 with 11.25% CAGR through 2030.
-
Stemler criticizes the “lifetime client” model, where individuals require ongoing support, generating long-term revenue for providers.
Parallels with COVID-19 Response
Draws a comparison to early COVID-19 treatment narratives—limited options, suppression of alternatives, and pharmaceutical profit motives.
Alternative, Trauma-Informed Approach
Stemler suggests exploring:
-
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
-
Somatic therapies (e.g., trauma-informed yoga, breathwork)
-
Assessment of early attachment wounds and dissociative coping
Clinical Insight: Gender Dysphoria as Trauma Response
Suggests gender dysphoria may often represent a dissociative escape from the body in which trauma was experienced.
Case Example of Detransitioner
Shares the story of Max Lazzara: multiple traumas, suicide attempts, emotional abuse, and eating disorders preceded the decision to transition. Stemler underscores that trauma treatment might have been a more appropriate intervention.
Final Message to Parents & Clinicians
-
Don’t panic.
-
Prioritize trauma-informed alternatives to reaffirm biological sex over dangerous medical transitions.
-
“Let’s stop funding the industry profiting from pain. Explore healing first.”
To find out more, you can visit Taraleigh’s website and Instagram page:
Website: www.tscounseling.com
Instagram: @ts_counseling
Epidemiologist and Foundation Administrator, McCullough Foundation
www.mcculloughfnd.org
Please consider following both the McCullough Foundation and my personal account on X (formerly Twitter) for further content.
