Too good to be true?

[Olivey]

I recently talked to a friend who says they can hook me up with a therapist who will sign off on HRT after one meeting. The therapist operates more like a informed consent kind of thing but it costs $165 for the session with him. Does this sound too good to be true? $165 is alot of moneyvfor me to take a gamble on something that may not pan out :/

[Reyes]

This might just be my personal opinion, and who knows, maybe I'm wrong, but y'know what they say, if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, its probably not a horse.

Meaning if everything about it seems to good to be true, then it probably is.

Then again like I said, could be wrong. :3

[KarynMcD]

Where are you located?
Why can't you just do Informed Consent?

[JoanneB]

Sounds like what I call a "Rubber Stamper". If you seem stable, sure here is your CYA letter. $165 is not outlandish at all these days for non "sliding scale" rates. Especially for the first visit which is often a longer getting to know you session. Most do like to see you a few times to cover their arses.

Depending on where you live the letter may be the easy part. Finding an endo or MD willing to work with you is often difficult outside of major metro areas, also known as out in the sticks. If you are near a major metro area likely there is also some gender clinic who will work with you for far less.

[FTMax]

It's definitely possible. I paid $320 for 6 sessions and got a letter from an online therapist for top surgery. I believe the per session rate for mine was $50, though I'm not sure how many sessions he would require to write a referral for HRT. His website is gendertherapist.com if you are interested in looking him up.

I would encourage you to email that therapist directly and get things in writing:

"Good morning [NAME],

I am transgender and would like to begin HRT. I was referred to you by my friend [NAME] who mentioned that you had helped them with a referral letter for hormone replacement therapy. They specifically said that this was done over 1 session paid at a rate of $165. Would it be possible to have the same arrangement with you, and if so, how could we get that scheduled?"

That's what I would say. It locks them into a rate and number of sessions, and makes them aware that you know this has been done at least once in the past. What they may tell you is they'd be happy to work with you, but can't promise to refer you in just one session if your case is complicated.

I would say though, if you want the quickest route to hormones, why not just find a clinic or doctor that operates on informed consent?

[Olivey]

I'm located in the middle of Southwest VA, so not alot of resources floating around here. There's a clinic working with transgender patients in a nearby city but it's really new and really expensive. Their service is like $400 or more a month and you have to do 3 years of therapy.

I emailed this therapist to ask some questions. Supposedly he already has a doctor he can refer people to.

[FTMax]

I'm located in the middle of Southwest VA, so not alot of resources floating around here. There's a clinic working with transgender patients in a nearby city but it's really new and really expensive. Their service is like $400 or more a month and you have to do 3 years of therapy.

I emailed this therapist to ask some questions. Supposedly he already has a doctor he can refer people to.

I'm in northern VA. If you're able to drive to DC, there is a great informed consent clinic here. No therapy required. I'm happy to tell you more about it if it's something you're interested in.

I know there's also an income based informed consent clinic in Richmond.

[Mariah]

It seems possible, but l would recommend double checking to be safe. I payed 240 (80 each session) total between the first three sessions to get my letter for HRT. Hugs
Mariah

[SophieD]

I'm in northern VA. If you're able to drive to DC, there is a great informed consent clinic here. No therapy required. I'm happy to tell you more about it if it's something you're interested in.

Ditto on the resources available in Washington DC.  I was living overseas until recently, but a clinic in DC worked with me for HRT, based on quarterly exams/consultations.  That worked great for a year.  They were very supportive and flexible (I still use them).

[IdontEven]

Is there a Planned Parenthood you can get to? They operate on informed consent.

[Valkria01]

It's possible 


I payed no higher than $200 out of pocket to see a local therapist and got cleared 1st day.

I'm guessing it depends on how you approach the therapy sessions.
if you are super mentally unstable, then yeah, it's going to take a while vs Vise-Versa 

[Sharon Anne McC]

*

Arizona has a county health system structure.  The populous counties offer services at their campus clinics.

I went to a local Phoenix-area Planned Parenthood when I heard about their supposed opportunity to obtain hormones from them.  I did so out of curiosity rather than my own need.  That was about a year ago.  The local official told me that they did no such thing.  Maybe each office sets its own policies and that facility decided to not offer hormone therapy.

*

[KarynMcD]

Is there a Planned Parenthood you can get to? They operate on informed consent.

Not all of them. Most do not.

[Devlyn]

I recently talked to a friend who says they can hook me up with a therapist who will sign off on HRT after one meeting. The therapist operates more like a informed consent kind of thing but it costs $165 for the session with him. Does this sound too good to be true? $165 is alot of moneyvfor me to take a gamble on something that may not pan out :/

Here's a list of therapists, you will find some in there who do Skype sessions.

https://www.susans.org/links/Healthcare/Therapists_&_Counselors/

Hugs, Devlyn

[JenniferLopezgomez]

Definitely NOT too good to be true.

When I got my Doctor (MD) letter in England I was already living full-time female and had medical proof (lab tests) that I had already been on medical-grade hormones estrogen, spiro, and progesterone for quite some time already.
I started my transition to womanhood in a developing country where prescriptions are not required to get medical-grade hormones as they are in English-speaking countries.

The doctor had loads of questions, but since I was presenting myself to him with very female voice and pitch, female face, great skin, genuine small B-cup boobies, and totally feminine mannerisms, it would have been pretty difficult for him to deny that I am female.

Yeah, I was successful in getting my British Doctor's Letter in just one visit. The cost was 100 pounds = about $140 US dollars.

So, sure, in the right circumstances it is possible.

Please note also that I got the in-person referral from a British trans female friend who told me the Clinic name in London England when I met with her face-to-face about a month before my Doctor's appointment. I implicitly trusted her advice, and her recommendation was simply super of which Gender Clinic to go to.

Hugs,
Jennifer xx