Experiences and Letters of Recommendation

[Lylapanda]

I just had my first session with a gender therapist, and it went really well! I opened up for the first time about my past and how I truly feel, and he was very supportive. I let him know my goals, and he told me that he has helped over 200 trans people -which is a big deal here! I am curious to know how many sessions you girls and guys attended before you received a letter of recommendation for hormones. I would also like to hear some of your personal experiences with therapy.

[Abby Claire]

Got mine today (second visit). She told me on the first visit that it was basically going to happen, but she sends the letter out for me next week (I still have to visit for a third time, but I plan on going as often as I can, so long as my finances allow).

Therapy has been one of the most amazing things ever. Even when I was crying all over myself today I was so overwhelmed with joy after. Lol

I don't know if I'm the norm or not as far as getting letters early. I know some girls got theirs on the first visit, but I don't want people to just expect it. I'm a fairly simple case since I have no prior history of substance abuse or sexual abuse or anything that serious. So when I'm talking about my depression and anxiety it clearly points to one sign and that's my gender identity issues. Basically, there isn't much in my history to iron out before I got my letter since all my "issues" were more or less gender related.

[suzifrommd]

1. My therapist is great. She really understands me and understands what it is to be transgender.

2. However, I feel like I haven't really needed her help. I knew I needed to transition, and I would have transitioned with or without her. She was warm and understanding, but I really have figured things out on my own (and some help from my friends at Susan's Place...)

3. All other contacts with the transgender-serving mental health community have been JUST HORRIBLE. In particular:

* The first therapist I saw claimed to be experienced in working with transgender patients. However she didn't know what the word "cisgender" meant, knew nothing about groups and other local support systems for trans people, and kept referring to a "gentleman she knew who used to go out wearing women's clothes".
* I was evaluated by a world-famous psychiatrist who declared that I couldn't be a "typical transsexual" because I could stand up to urinate.
* I saw a WPATH certified gender therapist who tried talk me out of my notion that HRT could possible make my face shaped more like a woman's and make my body hair less coarse. In fact, it has done both.
* I paid a different gender therapist US$190.00 for a session to get a second referral letter for surgery. After the session, he said he wasn't ready to write my letter because I was still living with my wife.

It's small wonder 40% of us attempt suicide, given the questionable folks who have been assigned to care for us.

[Jessica Merriman]

My therapy team is at Oklahoma State University and have been wonderful. I saw them for 4 months once a week until a letter was given for HRT. I was upset at first with the wait, but now looking back I do not see gate keeping instead I see a team who wanted to make sure I could handle HRT and the social/physical ramifications as good as possible. We even went out for walks on campus with me presenting and ate out so they could see just how well I was doing and if I had the confidence and self belief in myself. When my passing was effortless I think they had as much fun as I did around people. Had I started HRT before some issue's were addressed it would have led to total failure. Now I have been on HRT a while and my two letters for SRS are complete. They will be in my hand in Dec 2014 when is the end date for my RLE (which I will never, ever go back to being male)!! 

[Missy~rmdlm]

I just had my first session with a gender therapist, and it went really well! I opened up for the first time about my past and how I truly feel, and he was very supportive. I let him know my goals, and he told me that he has helped over 200 trans people -which is a big deal here! I am curious to know how many sessions you girls and guys attended before you received a letter of recommendation for hormones. I would also like to hear some of your personal experiences with therapy.

I had gone to 12 sessions but I never received a recommendation for HT. I visited a endocrinologist that simply started me after his own interview process and conferring with my therapist.

[Lylapanda]

I want to start my transition as soon as possible, because I can feel my face and body becoming more masculine every day. The waiting alone seems to trigger my dysphoria. Is it wrong to be impatient?

[Jessica Merriman]

Is it wrong to be impatient?

It is perfectly normal sweetie! With something this life altering take it slow and make the right decisions. Some of transition can not be taken back. I know you are sure this is what you want, just make darn sure it is done right and with support. This is just one thing you have to have support to be successful with. You will also want people to be there for you on the hard days. Just be patient and the time will fly faster than you think. It did for me.