First call to therapist, looking for encouragement.Okay

[Jessica Merriman]

Now all I can think about is bacon and boobies! *giggle* If only it was that easy, right?

[RobinGee]

I was very clear.  Bacon OR boobies

Please note in all seriousness my referring to boobies is just an attempt by me to stave off madness

[JoanneB]

I think you are on to something

Bacon Flavored Boobies 

[Jessica Merriman]

Bacon Flavored Boobies 

Joanne, you got me with that one!

Particle, you will be OK and you are not defective or mental. If they say it is Gender Dysphoria deal with it and learn how to live with it. You have all the help you will ever need with us. We all need each other now and then. Don't get too worked up about things until you talk to someone on a professional level, OK?

[svaso]

You will do fine!  I'm so happy for you that your making this call.  You will learn a lot about yourself.

I remember the anxiety I had when making that call.  How do I sound when I talk on the phone?  Do I sound too masculine to be ftm?  Would I be seen as a weird fraud?  Anyhow, The receptionist picked up and told me that my therapist was not taking any new patients.  I did tell her that my counselor was referring me, so the receptionist asked me what my reason was.  I thought it was awkward for a receptionist to ask that, but I said 'GiD'.  I was freaking out that I told this to a receptionist, and I was sort of hoping she did not know what that meant.  Anyway, she did, and I was worked in to see my therapist a few days later.  I remember sitting in the waiting room and thinking...'they know' .  When I left that first session, it turned out to be very liberating.  I don't know why I was that worked up.  I was immediately referred to an endo at my request, and have been moving happily along with my transition. 
   
**Stacy

[JoanneB]

Joanne, you got me with that one!

Particle, you will be OK and you are not defective or mental. If they say it is Gender Dysphoria deal with it and learn how to live with it.

From what I hear there are a lot of what I call "Rubber Stampers" out there. If you say you have GD, they will respond accordingly. If you want to be challenged..... That is different.

Many to most people seeing a therapist for GD are there for one reason, to start transitioning. In my contrairian world I have no doubt I am TG, even TS, yet not so severe (I think) that with the right set of tools I can avoid the need to transition to full time.

In the mean time there are plenty of messed up things in my head that need fixin

[Missy~rmdlm]

Oh, make the call. I can make an 80% bet you'll be leaving a voice-mail, then it's up to you to be steeled when they call back, and other than making sure you aren't currently in crisis, it'll just be to set up an appointment.

[RobinGee]

My non-gender therapist is an a-hole





Edited for language

[RobinGee]

I spent 20 minutes getting out the fact that I might want to be a woman
And the second sentence after I given a very long explanation of my emotions is so do you want to [have sex with] other men

And then after I tried to explain that I'm not attracted to men he says so you want to become a girl just to be with girls?


I walked out

ninja admin edit: dat word [language]

[JoanneB]

Oiy

Time to find a support group and get some recommendations for a therapist that might actually remember something from that class they took a quarter century ago. Better yet, someone with other TG clients

[RobinGee]

Discussion with wife about tg issues went well.  She's okay with me expressing more female, just no medical intervention and not publicly.

If I feel I need more, we'll worry about that then.

[RobinGee]

Currently negotiating with actual gender specialusy

[RobinGee]

January 16th. 

[Ms Grace]

That's great, particle. Hope it goes well.

[RobinGee]

The therapist is male, which I was hoping to avoid.  I feel like I'm betraying the patriarchy talking to a man about this.

But he takes my insurance.

I'm a little freaked, but in a good way.

[FalseHybridPrincess]

Meh , no need to worry about your therapist gender , he ll just do his job like any other...

arent most gender therapist male?
no? is it just me?

[Ms Grace]

My gender therapist is a guy, and a lovely supportive guy at that. Yes ladies, they exist! I had originally been hoping for a woman therapist too, but seriously if they know their stuff gender shouldn't make any difference.

[FalseHybridPrincess]

yeah absolutely ,

mine is also very fabulous lol and he understands me very well
though he's always late on our appointments   

[RobinGee]

Now to begin worrying about the actual appointment.

[Eva Marie]

Now to begin worrying about the actual appointment.

Robin-

When I had my first therapist appointment I was worried about all kinds of things, like sticking my foot in my mouth and worrying that the therapist would judge me. or think I was a freak.

My actual experience was finding a sense of relief and a sense of purpose after my first visit; I knew that seeing her was necessary for me to heal, and I knew that I was finally on the right path. Sure, we covered some sticky, tough, uncomfortable things as we went along but that's what I paid her to do.

I know that you've had some less than stellar experiences with therapists before; hopefully this one will be different. They are not all bad and you just have to find a good one.

I would tell you to come in off of the ledge and relax, but I know that it's impossible for you to do right now. So instead I'll tell you to remember to breathe  , and to be prepared to be brutally honest when you have your chat with the therapist. You won't shock him, and he's only there to help you. He should not judge you at all.