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Reason for therapy: Indecision/Turmoil

Started by Debra, August 31, 2009, 08:42:45 AM

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Debra

I think I posted this in general in other posts but essentially I'm hoping to hear from a therapy consulting place in Seattle this week sometime. My current therapist is an elder at my church so I do believe he's biased even though he has helped work through a lot of my past. He also doesn't have any transgender experience/education that I know of.

Reading posts in this forum surprised me some when it comes to why you go to a therapist. I guess it is a self diagnosis thing but I guess I just feel like I either need validation or to be told that I'm NOT trans and/or be given some other options.

I feel like I need to work through what's going on inside me still because part of me still does not want to transition.

Part of me is still afraid of losing my current genitals. Part of me is still afraid of what people will think. Part of me is still afraid of how people at work will react and/or getting fired. Part of me is still afraid of not being accept by family members and friends even if they say they will. Part of me is afraid that I'll never pass. Part of me knows that I will be excommunicated from my church. Part of me knows that my wife WILL divorce me. Part of me feels fake and awkward when it comes to feminine mannerisms and thinks I just won't add up.....or that I'm just pretending.

All of this against: This constant feeling/depression of not being whole. This longing for things that I cannot have. And I don't even know why I feel this way but it's so overpowering that I'm somehow willing to sacrifice everything for it.

But most of all I don't want to lose my wife who loves me and I love her dearly.

But as you can see some of those issues are internal and not regarding external influences.

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jaczi

If the pressure is high enough and you ask yourself "do it or die" you will loose all the frighten things you have now :)

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metal angel

Start by speaking to your wife, she probaly knows you best, also there are options other than a full transition. You can play with other identities in safe places or just at home without having to go through the full medical process.

The world is more diverse than just male or female, maybe you belong in the grey area. It depends on your community, if you think your culture will only accept you as male or fully transitioned but that isn't right for you, move to somewhere else.

I'd suggest you don't go for a church elder or a TS specialist to start with. Get a councilor who has a lot of general experience and no pre-existing bias. Try a few and see which you relate to.

that's my plan...
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Debra

Well I already know crossdressing isn't enough. It just left me wonting. And my wife didn't like that either.

I've talked to my wife over and over and all I hear from her is how wrong these feelings are and that they are from Satan. =/

Makes it tough to get through my own feelings about it.

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metal angel

hrmmm... not your wife then maybe.

I think the church and the TS community are going to give you two very conflicted stories here. I think you need a middle ground, like a generally qualified and experienced psychologist. I'd suggest an atheist, but im biased.

Nothing wrong with being a feminine guy, i know how to win your wife over, try doing all the housework for her, try to convince her that bending the gender roles works in her favour?

Try speaking to people outside your community, and outside TS community. Not sure where you'd find them. Universities are good, at least they are in austrlia, and a lot of unis have clubs and stuff that non-students can also join. If there is a big non-religious university near you maybe go along and try to find some new friends?

OR a good safe way to do a bit of experiemnting is to give your dressing a fun context, like joining a medievil re-enactment group or an ameture acting collective.

also try some interesting sub-cultures, try artists and musicians, they are good fun to hang out with, and tend to be quite open minded.
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Debra

That's the thing though, I don't WANT to be a feminine guy. I want to be a woman.

And during my crossdressing, I did do the chores, etc and she did like that even if she didn't like the dressing. But the second I stepped outside the house (because being home was not enough) she freaked out.

I hear what you mean about finding a middle ground counselor. Might be tough though. I don't know what the middle ground is at this point. I still feel so polarized.

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LordKAT

I think you need someone who understands gender issues. That may mean a general therapist who has dealt with it but it may also mean you need a gender therapist and not just a general one. If they don't understand gender issues, they may try to 'fix' you or not be able to help you work thru all those feelings and the probs that go with whatever decision you make.
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Julie Marie

Jerica, imagine for a moment that everyone you know would fully support you if you transitioned.  No one would see you differently except for your gender.  Your relationships wouldn't change, your job status wouldn't be affected and everyone would see your transition as a positive thing, if that's what you chose to do.  If not, they were all fine with that too.

Then ask yourself if you would be happiest living life as a woman.

Often times (practically all the time) it's outside pressures that keep us from being true to ourselves.

Julie
When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself.
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Debra

I would most definitely say yes to transitioning. Even if nobody supported me but my wife would stay with me.

*sigh* She just doesn't understand and she thinks I'm rejecting God.

But yah I guess you're right. It seems the more pressure that is put on me, the more I start to doubt myself. If those pressures didn't exist, I would probably have no problem. Even if I hadn't gotten married I would probably be at a less confusing state of mind right now.

But i love my wife so much, I just keep crying thinking of life w/o her and yet I also cry thinking of continuing life like I am.

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jaczi

It prolly will not give you power..
but at me, i was together with a Girl since 6 Years where i outed myself.
We loved each other so much that we wanted to stay togheter what
ever happen.

Finaly after the transition we hat a Problem we never thought before..
She got jealous..   jealous about something she couldnt do anything against
it. Alot Guys on the street were attracted to me.

A while after my SRS we broke up but we are still in a good mood when
we see each other.
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