mental health therapist+gender therapist???

[Orangaline]

So heres the dealio...

I have major mental health problems, i am in therapy for them right now with a therapist i have been seeing for over a year. I can not handle change, and honestly my list of problems is too long to just switch over to someone. I am happy with my therapist and how things are going with her, and it would be too stressful on me to have to change who i am seeing for my mental health problems.


I am going to see my PCP tomorrow first thing in the morning to talk about my options moving forward in my transition, preferably with going on HRT. I am pretty sure its gonna end up just being like "not my area of expertise, you need to see a gender therapist first" things like that.


I would happily go see a gender therapist, the thing is, i do not know if that is a possibility, for me to continue my mental health therapy at the same time. I have been in therapy for over 6 years now, and it is very likely that i will have to be in therapy for another at least couple years to get everything sorted out, and if im not able to see a gender therapist at the same time, i wont be able to go on HRT for a very long time.....

Its like my biggest hopes and dreams to be able to start T while im still young. If i start now while im still a kid (16) ill be able to pretend that im just a late bloomer, you know?  I know this is probably unrealistic, and this whole thing is really stupid, ive only been out for 4 months, but this is like my deepest hearts desires....

I just feel like an idiot... I feel like im gonna go to the apnt. and just make a fool of myself and get shut down and get told that this isnt an option for me..

Because of this i almost do not want to go...

But i really wanna be able to go on T, the dysphoria is killing me..

My original question was if anyone knows if it is a possibility to see both therapists at the same time, but i sort of went on a bit of a rant, im sorry....

Just try to let me down easy if thats the case, i mean were talking my deepest desires here, the biggest dream i could ever imagine for myself...

~kayden

[Dex]

I did not see a therapist who "specialized" in gender therapy. My therapist was a licensed family counselor who listed LGBT as areas of interest. But she had never counseled a transgender person through the recommendation letter process. She worked with someone she had networked with before at a gender clinic in a bigger city of my state to find out what the letter should contain and what her due diligence should be.

I don't think it would hurt to talk to your current therapist about it and see what he/she thinks. They may be totally fine with working with you to get through the process and that would certainly be easier and less stressful for you. If your therapist isn't comfortable with that, they may be able to recommend someone or devise some sort of care team approach for you to see someone else supplementally.

I definitely don't think it's outside the realm of possibility for you to be treated for both things simultaneously though. I can't say that for certain, and any other mental health concerns that could impede your transition would need to be stable before you would probably want to start HRT, but I don't see why anyone would deny you psychological care for both your current mental health concerns and also your gender dysphoria. Then when you were in a place to begin HRT, you would already have that relationship established.

[Orangaline]

Okay i get what you are saying.

I looked up gender therapists in my area, and surprisingly enough the facility i am through showed up there! But as far as i know they do not specialize in gender therapy, like im pretty sure that they dont have therapist specifically trained in gender therapy.

im the first trans person my therapist has seen.

I should be able to see her again on friday, so depending on how the doctors visit goes ill talk to her about it then.

[Dex]

I think that's a great start. Every gender therapy therapist has to have a first patient. So my experience has been that as long as the person (whether it be therapist, GP, etc) is compassionate and willing to learn, most practitioners will work with you. Good luck!