Therapist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, what do I need to get started? UK

[Seras]

I have been looking into this a bit and you can probably guess what I want to know from the title. However basicly I want to know which I need to get evaluated as trangendered and to help me take steps towards my goals. Does it matter which I go after? If not can I expect a different sort of treatment from the different professions?

I am from the UK if that makes any difference.

[spacial]

I have been looking into this a bit and you can probably guess what I want to know from the title. However basicly I want to know which I need to get evaluated as trangendered and to help me take steps towards my goals. Does it matter which I go after? If not can I expect a different sort of treatment from the different professions?

I am from the UK if that makes any difference.

In the UK your first port of call will need to be your GP.

[Seras]

Even if I am willing to go private?

Don't like my GP.

[LordKAT]

Then either go cheap and use therapist or counselor and then go to an endo when you have a letter, or, go high and get script from pyschologist.

[Seras]

So that is where the distinction lies.

Thanks Kat

[Arch]

Then either go cheap and use therapist or counselor and then go to an endo when you have a letter, or, go high and get script from pyschologist.

Psychologist or psychiatrist? I'm a li'l' confused. Do psychologists in the UK write prescriptions?

[Seras]

Hell if I know! I guess the lack of conclusive replies shows how tricky these definitions are 

However I sent an email off to a psychotherapist today to find out if he has any experience in this matter and if he does I will ask him to what extent he can help.

It is £90 for the initial session and £50 for subsequent ones. However I can afford that if it does not take too many and if it will bust me along this route.
He is private practice so that is why it is expensive but I think private sounds better, they seem to be able to cut corners that the NHS imposes. I am not sure if this is a good thing but so long as the people I get to help are qualified the less hoops to jump through the better as far as I am concerned.

[Arch]

I think LordKAT might have been thinking of something else, but I'm not sure.

Seras, if you haven't already, you should probably post a thread like "How to get started in the UK." Or do a lot of searches for old topics along these lines. Or check the resources and wiki on this site. You're talking about spending a lot of money, and I would hate for you to spend it needlessly.

I'm in the US and only have the vaguest idea of how UK people get things done, even inside the system. So I won't venture any specific advice.

[Seras]

Thats kinda what this thread was for

However a more UK centric thread may be a wise idea, so as to attract those with the knowledge. Though I am pretty sure it is the right way to go. Either way if he has got experience and so can be useful to me he should know himself, he seems to have a big list of credentials so if he has any professional pride he will be truthful. But maybe I will make that thread anyway...

[Arch]

Thats kinda what this thread was for

However a more UK centric thread may be a wise idea, so as to attract those with the knowledge. Though I am pretty sure it is the right way to go. Either way if he has got experience and so can be useful to me he should know himself, he seems to have a big list of credentials so if he has any professional pride he will be truthful. But maybe I will make that thread anyway...

Or you can change the title of this thread so that everything stays together and so you don't duplicate your request.

[spacial]

Even if I am willing to go private?

Don't like my GP.

I doubt anyone will deal with you without reference to your GP. You can go and see them, but they will want to know who your GP is and will contact them before proceeding.

Psychologist or psychiatrist? I'm a li'l' confused. Do psychologists in the UK write prescriptions?

No, fortunately, psychologists are the same charlitans here they are everywhere else. They tend to be employed as a sop to deal with the talkers while the psychiatrists deal with the important cases.

[LordKAT]

I will admit to likely mixing the two up. sorry

[Seras]

Luckily I made that same mistake with my thread title so I actually knew what you meant, I think.

edit time again.

[Arch]

No, fortunately, psychologists are the same charlitans here they are everywhere else. They tend to be employed as a sop to deal with the talkers while the psychiatrists deal with the important cases.

I used to think all head docs were evil, no matter what their provenance. But then I met my therapist. He is a psychologist, and he's helped me awesomely.

[spacial]

I don't doubt many psychologists are wonderful people.

That isn't the point I was making.

[Arch]

I don't doubt many psychologists are wonderful people.

That isn't the point I was making.

Guess I misunderstood. What point were you making?

[Seras]

So apparantly that guy is not medical and cannot presribe.
Lot 'o' use he is. 

Seems I am going to keep my money for now Arch

[Arch]

So apparantly that guy is not medical and cannot presribe.
Lot 'o' use he is. 

Seems I am going to keep my money for now Arch

Well, you can continue to do your research until you figure out how to proceed.

I know a trans guy who has preexisting mental health issues and periodically consults a psychiatrist. But the doc won't prescribe T, so the guy has to go to the clinic for that. So even if a doctor can prescribe meds, that doesn't mean he or she will prescribe them. Of course, this is in the U.S.

[Papillon]

Just to clarify, although it seems to be getting clarified anyway, a psychologist DOES NOT have prescribing rights.  We (yes, I'm afraid so) do not have medical training so we are not able to prescribe medication.  However, we are able to diagnose conditions in certain situations. 

However, I would suspect that, in cases of GID, a psychologist would only be able to go so far as to say that the person shows signs of possible gender identity issues, or other such claptrap that lets the individual know that we can see full well what is going on but can't state it categorically for fear of stepping on the toes of the medics.  A formal diagnosis would then probably need to be made by a psychiatrist.

I'm off to my GP this afternoon to talk about such things.  I will feed back anything interesting that I find.