Hi, I thought I would start this thread to help any transgender people in the Mount Gambier region. When I first started questioning whether I was transgender. I had to go to each of these people without knowing how they will react. So hopefully this list will help other transgender people in and around Mt Gambier to get started. One thing I have realised is that most people have been very accepting whenever I bring it up. If anyone else has any suggestions please feel free to add
hugs
Alexia
GP
Hawkins Clinic
Dr Dani Woods she is very accepting and welcoming
I've had pathology tests for Gender Dysphoria at Healthscope on Gray St without any questions.
Therapist
Psychologist
Arissja Oberholzer who is from Portland but comes to Mt G twice a week. I think I was one of her first trans patients but she has been very helpful helping accepting I was trans and planning how to approach it. She also helped with my other anxiety issues.
Psychiatrist
Dr Robert Lyons in Adelaide, however most of my sessions are via skype. Very helpful and brought to my notice the option on medical non social transition. He also introduced me to Susans.
Beauty Therapist
Mandy at BeautyWorxmedispa (www.beautyworxmedispa.com.au) she is a beautiful person who is very accepting of me. Whenever I see her I am me. Not male, not female, not transgender but me who is a blend of those people.
This is a great idea as it is a small community and it is hard finding resources.
GP
Also at Hawkins Clinic:
Dr Christina Gabutina, she is fantastic, accepting and passionate about the needs of trans people and is known to take the time to check-up on me and others via the phone if she has any concerns or wants to offer support.
Before her I seen three GP's before I found the one I trusted. The first Dr Pradeep PV told me, "What you want is unnatural I will not be able to help. I think you would be better to go to community health to get assistance for your psychosis." The next I explained it too looked at me slack jawed and kept muttering in Indian before leaving the room. I waited for 15 mins until the Nurse/Sister arrived and explain the doctor is unwilling to aid as it was an ethical issue for him. The best part is the doctor is strongly apposed to anything LGBTQI related and vocal in public since then.
Beauty Therapist
Ask for Dani at Fuss. She has worked on three trans people that I know off and is very caring about privacy and ensuring people are taken care off. She is also the only 755nm Alexandrite laser hair removalist for 400km's. It uses the wide-range 1064nm Nd:YAG with sapphire contact cooling. Which is unreal.
http://www.fusswellness.com.au/ (http://www.fusswellness.com.au/)
Local Clinical Social Worker:
There are two in Mount Gambier one is at accare (Mount Gambier) who is happy to assist trans and intersex people, and the second is intersex themselves and is in the early stages of transitioning. They can do private counseling consults, internal/external agency referrals (links people to resources in the region that are supportive and inclusive)
Hope this aids in building up a network.