Do you have to go through therapy

[Alora]

Hey ladies,

Is therapy a must? I hate therapy, and I don't need someone trying to tell me that I'm not feeling what I'm feeling and that I'm just depressed or something.  If therapy is a must does anyone know the minimum amount of time required before I can move onto HRT?

Are there any ladies in the Seattle area that has any therapist recommendations?

Loves 💋❤️💋

Alora

[Brooke]

Hey Alora, I would look into providers that accept informed consent.

This ->-bleeped-<- thread has at least one place that will do informed consent.

https://www.->-bleeped-<-.com/r/asktransgender/comments/2e5nfc/seattle_trans_peeps_do_you_know_of_any_informed/

http://www.cedarriverclinics.org/ is one Clinic.

Informed consent does not require a therapist.

Good luck!
Brooke

[Michelle_P]

Therapy isn't necessary to start HRT, but I honestly think it's a pretty good idea.  It helped me clear away the uncertainties, get better control of my internal mental state, and helped set reasonable expectations.

There are three broad sort of paths to getting to HRT.

1) The 'traditional' path is to do therapy for 3 months.  The Endocrine Society has it's own rules for transgender care.  The 2009 Standards called for 3 months of real-life experience or 3 months of therapy, so if the endocrinologist you plan on seeing wants that, that's what you would do.

2) The 'informed consent' path just makes you go through a session with somebody who makes sure you know what you are getting into, has you sign forms to that effect, and then starts you on HRT.  Some Planned Parenthood offices with LGBT support do this.

3) The 'modified informed consent' path has you go through one or more therapy sessions to rule out some rare but dangerous issues, make sure you know what you are getting into, and then will refer you on request to an endocrinologist for HRT.  (You will have to ask.) Kaiser Permanente operates this way in at least the West Coast regions, maybe elsewhere.

[Dena]

Are you considering surgery or do you intend to use insurance? You will find that getting surgical letters or having insurance pay for you care will be far easer than doing without therapy. In addition, a therapist will help you deal with the many problems you will face in a transition. A therapist duty is to aid you in discovering yourself and isn't there to change your mind. I had 5 years of therapy that weren't very useful and 3 years that were worth far more than I paid for them. It's your decision but I think some therapy is a part of any successful transition.

[josie76]

Do go to a counselor.
It is of immeasurable value to your emotional well being. If you have normal T levels now you will be surprised by the great difference low T will make in just how much emotion will become part of your basic thoughts and just how intense you can feel.
Go into it realizing how much it will affect your interpersonal relationships. There will be moments of happiness but also trepidation and fear of being judged. As you open yourself up to these new experiences you are going to need someone to talk with about them. A trained counselor can help you come to terms with what your emotions mean and when needed help you put your feelings into perspective. This may not make sense to you now but it will.  I

Have fun in the journey. I'm certainly trying to.

Btw I found my counselor by using "psychology today" website searching for providers with transgender experience. They will not try to tell you that you are not feeling what you are.

[Alora]

Do go to a counselor.
It is of immeasurable value to your emotional well being. If you have normal T levels now you will be surprised by the great difference low T will make in just how much emotion will become part of your basic thoughts and just how intense you can feel.
Go into it realizing how much it will affect your interpersonal relationships. There will be moments of happiness but also trepidation and fear of being judged. As you open yourself up to these new experiences you are going to need someone to talk with about them. A trained counselor can help you come to terms with what your emotions mean and when needed help you put your feelings into perspective. This may not make sense to you now but it will.  I

Have fun in the journey. I'm certainly trying to.

Btw I found my counselor by using "psychology today" website searching for providers with transgender experience. They will not try to tell you that you are not feeling what you are.

Thanks Josie,

You definitely got me looking at things differently. I was really more afraid of going to someone that wouldn't listen to me. I've seen other therapists in that past, I had one that would fall asleep during our sessions. So I don' really have a good experience with therapists.

Thanks again ladies,

Loves 💋❤️💋

[JessicaSondelli]

I was very sceptical about therapy, too. Just make sure you find one that has experience with transgender people. I love going to my therapist. She is great.i managed to get started on HRT within 6 weeks after my first therapy session. As long as your therapist is convinced that you're indeed transgender and need medical transition you should be able to get the letter rather quickly.


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[becky.rw]

I'm on ICATH; thus no required therapist.  Though I have had a few sessions with an online guy to help me understand the puzzle a little, and get the expected terminology right so I could express how I feel and what I want to achieve.

That said, no therapist, and no psych, leaves me in a VERY fragile condition; my realization moment was essentially a mental self-rescue from a suicide attempt that would have completed had I not dropped the blade.    Over the following months, I've come to realize that I've backed myself into a very all or die decision tree; there are no support pieces between me, and calling an ambulance for a psych admittance, and such an admittance would have very high cost in social structure for me and those that depend on me.  So I end up not calling.    I'll be fixing that over the next few months by getting a psychiatrist and therapist on my "team" as it were; because I have this dread, that I spent the last of my "fortitude" on that final self-rescue; so if I end up in that place again, I won't hesitate to use that blade.

For now though, things are good, my mind feels like its no longer swimming in acid, my body feels somewhat more comfortable, and the changes reassure me that life might not be so cruddy after all.   Body feels VERY different running btw, very spiffy!

[Mariah]

it all depends on what your needs and what is available around you in regards to if you have to see a therapist or not. Informed consent places allow you to skip that step in regards to HRT. Surgeries though due to WPATH require letters. Hugs
Mariah

[RachelH]

I was very sceptical about therapy, too. Just make sure you find one that has experience with transgender people. I love going to my therapist. She is great.i managed to get started on HRT within 6 weeks after my first therapy session. As long as your therapist is convinced that you're indeed transgender and need medical transition you should be able to get the letter rather quickly.

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Not only was I skeptical, I was downright against any type of counseling from mental health to marriage.  I saw a marriage counselor more than 20 years ago and I still ended up in divorce.  Needless to say, that put a bad taste in my mouth.    Fast forward 20 years and I tell my now current wife that I think I am trans, she suggested I see a counselor and I was TERRIFIED!  Not only have I sought out a therapist for my dysphoria, I talk to her about so much more and it has really helped me!!  I would say do your research and find someone who works with the LGBT community specifically or primarily.  There are others out there who work with the LGBT, but you can tell those who specialize in it. Also, if you have a support group, you might attend a meeting or two and ask someone there.  Just a couple thoughts.

Best of luck!!