Hey everyone,
I figured that starting a new thread might be the best way to catch everyone up on what's been going on with me.
So, my shrink dumped me. Basically because she doesn't have the experience to deal with a transperson, and I think also partially because she was having a hard time really accepting my gender identity. Truth be told, I'd rather not see a shrink that "can only ever see [me] as a woman" but at least I'm glad she didn't try to "cure" me... That would've been much worse.
I'll be going to a new group therapy thing on the 12th (of Jan) which is new for me, because I've been doing one-on-one therapy for the past 4 years, so this is a bit of a difference. I've been continuing to see my previous therapist until then, as we felt it would be better to taper off than to just cut it off abruptly. And during the time I've seen her since the announcement that we'd have to go our separate ways, I think she's actually come around a bit in her acceptance of my identity. Which is funny, cuz as soon as I stopped caring if she "believed" me or not, she started to come around... lol
After that bombshell that I had to work through (which I can talk pretty nonchalantly about now, but it was a bit more emotional at the time), I had some issues with my relationship at the time, and I eventually ended it with hir. It had nothing to do with my transition, it was entirely separate, but the end result was still the end of a relationship, which is never fun...
Then, over the past little while I've been coming out to more and more people. This week even I went great guns and started a new Facebook profile in my new name and started adding everyone who wasn't a coworker. Everyone, former coworkers, people I went to school with, extended friends and family, acquaintances, everyone other than current coworkers (which is like only 5 - 10 people). I've now got 97 friends (out of 207 on my old profile) and the majority of those probably just haven't checked their Facebook yet (or they've decided not to add my new profile, and in which case - good riddance!).
I can't believe I've come out to 97 people, that's just crazy to me. Everyone but my coworkers and my kids, at least KNOWS now, even if they haven't responded.
And of the people who have responded, 100% has been positive. Maybe people are just "saying nothing at all" if they "can't say anything nice", but either way, I'm amazed at the dozens of people who have either messaged me, written on my wall, commented on my posts, "liked" my posts, or otherwise been supportive and accepting of me as James.
They've even been using my name and correct pronouns!
So anyhow, that's the whole shebang. Some bad, some good, some big changes, but all-in-all it's still forward progress.
Next up, I'll have to figure out how (and when) to come out to my kids and their dad (my ex)... Not looking forward to that. If it was just my kids I wouldn't be too worried, but their dad (and his fiancee) is a closed-minded redneck jerkwad, so...
Anyhow, thanks for "listening" all
