Amy C. Tishelman, PhD

amy_tishelmanDirector of Clinical Research, Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS); Director of Clinical Research, Behavioral Health, Endocrinology, and Urology (BE-U) Program; Senior Attending Psychologist, Boston Children’s Hospital; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology), Harvard Medical School

Dr. Tishelman (she/her) is a clinical psychologist, and Director of Clinical Research in the Behavioral Health, Endocrinology and Urology (BE-U) Program, and Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). These programs provide clinical care to youth, young adults and families related to Intersex/Differences of Sex Development (DSD; BE-U) and gender diversity (GeMS). She is also a Senior Attending Psychologist at BCH and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tishelman previously worked extensively in the areas of child maltreatment and trauma.
Dr. Tishelman has been awarded several NIH grants as an MPI or Co-I, investigating well-being and/or gender development in children and adolescents, and youth/young adults with DSD. She also co-authored a clinical report for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), published in Pediatrics, on fertility and sexual function counseling for at risk pediatric patients.
Dr. Tishelman was selected by the World Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) to be the international lead developing new global standards of care for prepubescent children, and by the American Psychological Association to co-chair a national task force on DSD. She is on several journal editorial boards and speaks and publishes frequently in her areas of expertise.

Representative Publications

  1. Olezeski, C.L, Pariseau, E.M., Bamatter, W.P., & Tishelman, A.C. (2020) Assessing gender in young children: Constructs and considerations.  Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. On line ahead of print.
  2. Nahata, L., Chen, D., Quinn, G.P., Travis, M., Grannis,. C., Nelson, E. & Tishelman, A.C. (2020). Reproductive attitudes and behaviors among transgender/nonbinary adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health. On line ahead of print.
  3. Pariseau, E.M., Chevalier, L., Long, K.A., Clapham, R., Edwards-Leeper, L. & Tishelman, A.C. (2019). The relationship between family acceptance-rejection and transgender youth psychosocial functioning. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology.
  4. Tishelman, A.C., Sutter, M.E., Chen, D., Sampson, A., Nahata, L., Kolbuck, V.D., & Quinn, G.P. (2019). Health care provider perceptions of fertility preservation barriers and challenges with transgender patients and families: Qualitative responses to an international survey.  Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. On line ahead of print.  doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1395-y
  5. Tishelman, A.C. (2019).  Pediatric fertility counseling.  Journal of Adolescent Health. 64(5):547-548
  6. Nahata L, Quinn GP, Tishelman A; AAP Section on Endocrinology (2018). Counseling in Pediatric Populations at Risk for Infertility and/or Sexual Function Concerns. Pediatrics, 142 (2).
  7. Tishelman, A.C. & Fontes, L. (2017). Religion in child sexual abuse forensic interviews. Child Abuse and Neglect. 63, 120-130.
  8. Tishelman, A.C., Shumer, D.E., & Nahata, L. (2017). Disorders of sex development: Pediatric psychology and the genital exam. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 42 5), 530-543.
  9. Edwards-Leeper, L., Feldman, H.A., Lash, B.R., Shumer, D.E., & Tishelman, A.C.  (2017).  Psychological profile of the first sample of transgender youth presenting for medical  intervention in a U.S. pediatric gender center. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 4(3), 374-382. 
  10. Tishelman, A.C., Kaufman, R., Edwards-Leeper, L., Mandel, F. H., Shumer, D. & Spack, N.P. (2015). Serving Transgender Youth: Challenges, Dilemmas and Clinical Examples.  Professional Psychology: Research and Practice,46 (1), 37-45.