Sydney is very fortunate to have a
gender centre which provides a range of of services, including specialist counselling, for various gender issues. Even better, it's state government funded so the services are free. I've been going there since about May this year, every six or so weeks. I'm using those sessions as an alternating support with my shrink (definitely not free!). It's also helped point me towards a great endo and electrolosist... so, kudos & yays!
My counsellor is a wonderful, very supportive and compassionate. I showed him an article I wrote back in 1989, my original "coming out letter" if you like. After reading it he said he felt the young trans* people who go to the centre would really relate to it and asked to make a copy of it for them (I've posted it in the
writing section of the forum if you're interested in checking it out
). We also discussed my transition at work... I mentioned an idea I had for a "misgender swear jar" idea which he loved.
Then at some point I got around to talking about having joined Susan's and how supportive I found this forum - both in terms of sharing, giving and getting advice and feedback, and as a great community in general. I told him it had allowed me to re-engage with feelings around my original attempt at transition. One thing's for sure those feelings are now a lot more stirred up than I realised because when I started talking about it the water works really started. I think I've tried very hard to block that time of my life from my memory, obviously without much success! I'm not averse to a good cry but don't do it often, I have to say it was a great relief to get it off my chest.
Anyway, a great session, if it sounds like it was a bit traumatic it wasn't, I really needed that cry!
