Katharine Dalke, MD

I am a psychiatrist who focuses in mental health care for people with sexual and gender diversity, including people who are LGBTQI+ or who have differences of sex development. I see adolescent and adult patients (ages 14+) in a psychiatric clinic at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, and in the Gender Health Clinic at Penn State Health Hershey Children’s Hospital.

I provide general psychiatric treatment (medication management and some psychotherapy), gender and sexual identity counseling, and family support and education. I also provide psychiatric services in support of gender affirming care, including writing letters of support for hormones and surgery. My approach is always to assume that a person knows what is best for them, and that my job is to help clear the way for them to achieve their goals.

I am actively involved in LGBTQI+ health education and advocacy, and teach frequently in medical schools and at national conferences. I am a professional member of WPATH and GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Health Equity. I am also a long-time advocate for people with intersex traits, and currently serve as a member of the Medical Advisory Groups to the Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome-Differences in Sex Development Support Group and interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth. I hold an appointment to the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, and am Co-Chair of the Commission’s Health Committee.

I completed medical school and psychiatric training at the University of Pennsylvania, where I had specialized training in evaluation and support of transgender and gender expansive children and adolescents.