Step 1?

[Exus]

I'm a 19 year old FTM, I haven't started T yet or had any surgery just yet but my parents know and my friends, family members (most) I graduated this year from high school and soon after started to work to raise money for T and operation but to be honest, I'm questioning what should be my first step.
Should I take therapy to get my T letter first? (I know some people had to wait long) I don't want to be in therapy for 5 months+ I'm pretty sure of who I am and don't have that much money to waste on therapy.
I doubt there's a way you can skip the whole therapy is there?

I'm just curious to hear what steps you guys took first. I get my check this 14 and plan to spend it on my process.

[King Malachite]

Most T letters require therapy as you know, but you can also go the informed consent route there you basically go to a clinic and you are given the information of what T will do to you and the side effects and you basically consent, but if you're planning on getting top surgery, you need to check with the surgeon to see if they require a letter anyways.

[Danielle Emmalee]

It depends where your from if you need therapy first and if so how much therapy is required.  Some people live close to an informed consent clinic and can get on hormones right away.  Other's can spend 2 years on a waiting list just to talk to the only therapist within 500 miles once a month for another year just to get a letter where they then have to find an endocrinologist that will take them. 

[Jamie D]

First of all, welcome to the site.  Access to HRT pretty much depends on your local laws and regulations.  You will finds some places that operate on informed consent.  You might also find GLBT-friendly doctors who do not require any sort of therapy, especially if you are living in your desired gender role.

With that said, and even though I believe we know ourselves best, it would not hurt to talk things over with a therapist.  In fact, for many, it a very positive exercise.

[Exus]

First of all, welcome to the site.  Access to HRT pretty much depends on your local laws and regulations.  You will finds some places that operate on informed consent.  You might also find GLBT-friendly doctors who do not require any sort of therapy, especially if you are living in your desired gender role.

With that said, and even though I believe we know ourselves best, it would not hurt to talk things over with a therapist.  In fact, for many, it a very positive exercise.

Thank you! and I've contacted a therapist near by to my home, she works with transgender mainly, her price to me is a bit high since I'm doing my transition alone. I also did find a place where they perform top surgery and the cost is $6,000 or so, but can pay a certain amount each other day if you can't pay full.
I didn't come out to my parents until I was 15, after that they would allow me to dress as I wish, so I've been living as myself for 4 years now. My mother held me back for a while saying that it could be a phase, its been 4 years since then and I still haven't changed my mind in who I am but for top surgery I might need that letter.

It depends where your from if you need therapy first and if so how much therapy is required.  Some people live close to an informed consent clinic and can get on hormones right away.  Other's can spend 2 years on a waiting list just to talk to the only therapist within 500 miles once a month for another year just to get a letter where they then have to find an endocrinologist that will take them.

Actually, I just found out (literally right now) that the therapist who I've contacted in the past is a physicians who will prescribe HRT with Informed Consent.

[Arch]

Sounds like you're in luck, then. I tend to think that we should be evaluated by a therapist who is trained to make sure we are in our right mind, but after that, some of us just don't need our heads to get any smaller.

[aleon515]

Most people need T letters (I didn't) and a lot of top surgeons (but not all) and certainly most bottom surgeons. I think that therapy is valuable. I never got the sense that my therapist was "evaluating" me in anyway like that. And he is a mental health counselor and a trans guy (maybe why I didn't feel this). Of course I didn't know how trans I was or what to do about it, so I did have a goal.

--Jay