Is six sessions about standard before hrt?

[JustSarah]

I finally got a therapist after my mother agreed to pay for a gender therapist (Although I was initially planning on waiting till I move out in a year.)

However there were some things I've noticed that seem a little strange to me. I'm starting to wonder if my therapist is a gatekeeper, although I'm a little leery to rush into applying the label. In the second session, he openly talked about other patients he "didn't" pass for surgery.

He also referred to her as a cross dresser, and gave me all this other information I'm not even sure as another patient I even need to know. (I don't.)

He also seems to depict the standards of care as law, and says that other therapist who don't use it are only in it for the money and don't have their patients best interest at heart. If he is one, I'm wanting to leave as nonabrasive as possible when I go to Lisa in Nashville.

I'm almost afraid to find a new one, even though I want to. Are there any recommended therapists in Nashville?

[Jamie D]

http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_results.php?sid=1368090998.8714_13832&city=Nashville&county=Davidson&state=TN&spec=187&lmore=22

Try this link, for Nashville, TN.

Referrals for surgery seem to have a higher standard than referrals for HRT.  Have you been on HRT for any length of time?

You can also search on that site for therapists or psychiatrists in your own state, county or city.

[Sammy]

You dont want SRS before You have been on HRT for at least two years. Also, being in a kind of rush is typical at this stage and therapy helps to cool Yourself a bit down, delve deeper into Yourself and come to terms with various issues, which will start to arise. Also, I understand that he is male, and should attempt a therapy session with a female therapist - just to see the difference.
The job of therapists is to help You sort Yourself out and they do it by letting You talk, asking You questions and hearing Your replies. Sometimes those questions and inconvenient, sometimes they are leading to some point which You dont get and sometimes You have no idea why therapists are asking those questions - and sometimes maybe therapists themselves have no clue. What is my impression from dealing about two months with a male therapist (not a gender therapist) - he is trying various general approaches, he has no clue about female emotional world and thinks that existing as an effeminate man would confer the same level of internal freedom, because society would not care about that much. He has his own perception what does it mean to live a happy female life and if my views are different, he is trying to scare me - like I could not do it myself. He has no clue what hormones can do and is focused on SRS only - I was lucky that I tried to push him for hormone prescription quite early, otherwise I would have lost a lot of time - so I learned out that contacting endo was my own responsibility and I am not getting any referrals or other sort of documentation from him (although he is ready to talk about all other facets of my past, present and future). I found a female endo, who had some knowledge of TS issues and we instantly connected to each other... I felt that she perceived me as female and she was truly and emotionally concerned. I talked with my GP about this and she gave her opinion that the gender of therapist really makes a difference - and I also found out that my GP has psychotherapy background as well too and knows about TS-stuff.
So my advice would be to "shop around" if You can See if You like them and if they treat You good

[JustSarah]

Thanks, I appreciate it.^^

I may have been a little unclear a little bit about what I'm looking for. I actually haven't been on hrt at all, and its the referral for a hormone letter I'm looking for. I'm fine with a turtle pace to get the srs letter, I just don't want progress to get the hormone letter to come to complete stop.

I might shop around for ones in Nashville.^^

[LordKAT]

6 sessions isn't all that bad of a wait. Most times you see your therapist once a week, so 6 weeks.

[Cindy]

I had a comment today

First session I hear their story, second I tell them what will happen to them, third I see if they are lying about session one. Then they can go for it if there no co-morbidities.

[JustSarah]

Uh the problem with it having to be six sessions is obvious. Like if they are only able to come once a month. I think in three months time is more than enough time to determine if I'm competent for hormones.

The method above seems just about perfect.^^

[Naomi]

I had a comment today

First session I hear their story, second I tell them what will happen to them, third I see if they are lying about session one. Then they can go for it if there no co-morbidities.

That sounds great too me, at my next session I want to try and find out if my expectations for how long things take is reasonable.

[Sammy]

I have been seeing my therapist for 3 sessions now.  On the 3rd session, I asked her opinion if I'm truly Transgender and if HRT would be appropriate for me.  She told me she would be willing to write an HRT letter any time.  That set me back a bit.  Gulp.  It's real.  I don't know if I'm ready yet.  I have a lot of sorting to do, things to think about, issues to work first.  Maybe I can feel sure in 3 sessions, maybe it's going to take longer.

Take Your time! I remember asking my general psychiatrist after we had met for 1,5 months and getting surprised looks - what, hormones? But those are dangerous! No, I am not going to prescribe You then or refer to anybody - go see any GP/endo and figure out yourself. Meanwhile, lets come back to our favourite topic "how would you describe relationship with mother during your childhood...". Meh... But from another point of view, it gave me more time to drop even more weight before starting HRT, settle other things down, come to terms with those close to me and instead of jumping straight ahead into it - which I would have surely done - I took small, calculated steps - and voila! I still got there - 3 months later than I expected, but now I do no regret that time, though during those months there were a lot of anxiety, stress and other unpleasant thingies.