My final psychiatrist consult tomorrow - reflections on a journey

[Cindy]

In South Australia there is a legal requirement to have psychiatric consults before GRS. I've completed my journey and tomorrow is my final consult to sign off as me.

Many of us reckon seeing a therapist is a waste, gatekeeping and tiresome. It is my body and I know what I want.

On reflection I had similar thoughts, particularly at times when I was asked really hard questions. Questions that made me face myself.

I had to deal with abuse and rapes. Family and work, insecurity and fear. Baggage that I did not always know that I carried.

On reflection (isn't that easy) I'm so glad I was pushed, torn, made to face my fears, my doubts, insecurities and tears.

I am I think a happier woman now facing her life and for dealing with all of that trauma.

My final consult. It was suggested in case I had post surgery depression. I don't have any, but I felt it niggling in my brain.

I'm taking a bunch of flowers for the girls behind the counter; they who made me a cup of tea when I was crying. Who made my appointments and told me a joke and gave me a hug when I needed it.

I was lucky, I went to a practice that helped me and cared for me - a practice that is vilified as being uncaring and abusive.

I'm having my last appointment tomorrow. I'm going there to say thank you.

The end of my journey: To say thank you.

Cindy

[Ms Grace]

That's great. Being able to talk about your concerns and worries and figuring out how to deal with and confront them is great. We can't always do that with friends and family so having someone impartial and can help steer us in the best direction is always wonderful.

[katrinaw]

Wonderful validation of the support and care services that is available.

They'll love the kind thought and the flowers.

Try and keep a dry eye... Even as I know you won't... a Wonderful gesture

Hugs Katy

[Beverly]

In South Australia there is a legal requirement to have psychiatric consults before GRS. I've completed my journey and tomorrow is my final consult to sign off as me.

Congratulations!

Many of us reckon seeing a therapist is a waste, gatekeeping and tiresome. It is my body and I know what I want.

I also think that a sizeable percentage of people are too frightened that the therapist / psych might say "No you are not dysphoric". I was surprised at how easy I found the whole therapy business. Difficult questions required thoughtful answers, but that has always been the way of things in life.

I am I think a happier woman now facing her life and for dealing with all of that trauma.

I am glad to hear it. I wish you all the best for your surgery as well and a speedy recovery

[Julia-Madrid]

Well done on completing this part of the journey Cindy!  If only people in general knew how much of an effort goes into what we're doing.

Of course it's our body and we have the right to do what we want with it, but I agree that it's necessary to maintain some degree of reflection at key touch-ponts in our process.  Each step comes with different physcial, intellectual and emotional challenges, and I consider it fundamentally healthy to have a way to deal with these in an enviroment where we can receive feedback and contemplate the significance of what we're doing.

Flowers are definitely in order.  Hugs too.

Julia

[Rachel]

Cindy,

I am happy for you. You have been through a lot and you are an amazing person.

[iKate]

Cindy, I had no idea you were reconsidering GRS, but I am happy that you are finding peace with yourself. You have been an inspiration to many.

[kelly_aus]

Congrats, Cindy.

I don't understand the abuse.. If it's the same clinic, which I suspect it is, I always found all the staff there wonderfully supportive - even when I'd forgotten to pay my bill.. Yes, the psychiatrists can ask hard questions, but I kind of expect that.

My last appointment came as a surprise, sort of. I went with the view that I should ask for a referral to someone here in Melbourne. And was asked 'Do you really think you need someone now?' We agreed that I didn't, that I had good mental health and no longer had any gender issues worth mentioning. He sent me on my way happily and with a smile. It had been a long 4 years.

[Asche]

I went to a practice that helped me and cared for me - a practice that is vilified as being uncaring and abusive.

Um -- what??

I sense a back story -- would you care to tell it?

[Mariah]

Congrats Cindy. No greater feeling than putting therapy behind you after all the progress you have made. Wonderful touching thougtht with the flowers too. Hugs
Mariah

[stephaniec]

congrats, for myself I think I'm just too addicted to therapy. I like my therapist a lot.

[Cindy]

An update.

Well my psych (Helen) and I had a chat, and then she surprised me. She asked me about my philosophy in life and what I thought was important for a successful transition. She the said I was one of the most balanced women, cis or trans she had met (head was swelling!) she gave me her card and said if there was anything in life I ever wanted to discuss to call her and we parted with a hug and a kiss.

I saw the front staff, paid my bill, told them my journey was over and left to my car where I had a large flower arrangement.

I took that back in and gave it to them and said thank you. Goddess I had more tears and hugs than a girl can handle!

It was lovely.

[Eva Marie]

Cindy-

Reaching the end of therapy is one of the events that tell us we've completed a part of our journey. Like you I really enjoyed my therapy sessions and they helped me in *so* many ways. Driving home after the last session I realized with a shock that I had run one of my races and had crossed the finish line - after that I was quite sad and weepy for the rest of the trip home.

I wish you well as you continue your journey through life.

[Cindy]

Cindy-

Reaching the end of therapy is one of the events that tell us we've completed a part of our journey. Like you I really enjoyed my therapy sessions and they helped me in *so* many ways. Driving home after the last session I realized with a shock that I had run one of my races and had crossed the finish line - after that I was quite sad and weepy for the rest of the trip home.

I wish you well as you continue your journey through life.

Thank you Sis!

Sometimes we never see the starting gate before we reach the finishing line. We then look back and think, 'what happened?'.

[iKate]

congrats, for myself I think I'm just too addicted to therapy. I like my therapist a lot.

I like going to  therapy but at some point I will want to stop.

But I feel it is important for now. She gives me lots of good guidance and I am pretty sure I would have not gotten this far without her.

For example, she encouraged me to come out to my parents, and in that I found wonderful support in my mom.

She also encouraged me to go full time sooner at work.

Even something as simple as using the ladies' instead of the men's  restroom, she has encouraged me to do.

Most everything she has done has not steered me wrong, so I have a great level of trust in her.