Counseling & Diagnosis... How important are they?

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

Growing up, I didn't think I was "born in the wrong body" I just didn't feel right, I didn't feel like a bona fide boy... 

However, after many years in denial, my condition was finally diagnosed/confirmed by a psychiatrist after which I had six free counseling sessions[And I must say the gender counselor I saw was great, she really boosted my self esteem ]...It also helped in that I no longer had anything to hide, but had a lot to find out about myself, so I'm/was all for the above ...how about you?

Or did you discovery your true self via the net?

I often wonder how many newly hatch trans-people self diagnosed  via  internet information sites like this one ...

  And could  the increase in the amount of people transitioning, especially at a younger age, all be put down to the world wide web and all the info about gender dysphoria now freely[ and in many case 'discreetly']  available to all ?

I'm a relative late comer to the internet with it's vast amount of info on almost[if not] all the topics under the sun ...However I've found it can do ones brain in at times ...

Metta Zenda   The somewhat  Nosy parker that I am...

[Anatta]

Kia Ora Sarah7,

  Not so much having to see one in order to gain access to HRT or surgery...
But more so for "psychological" reasons, for confirmation which can and in many cases does bring some of us "peace of mind" ...

So in this sense the question is..."Personally" how would you rate their importance in regards to your mental well being?

Metta Zenda

[rejennyrated]

For me, a complete waste of time on both counts. At five years old I pretty well diagnosed myself and none of the so called professionals that I was subsequently taken to see were of any help, (particularly as back in the 1960's the focus of any therapy was on "curing" me by stopping me feeling this way...  )

Luckily my mother, a truly remarkable woman, had some insights of her own in her capacity as a medical journalist who had interviewed an early postop woman for BBC radio. It was she who realised the logic of the situation for herself. It was her that more or less took the decision to simply let nature take its course and let me "find myself".

Until my early twenties every therapist or shrink I saw seemed to want to either obstruct me or bully me with threats of sectioning and/or aversion therapy (which thankfully my mother wouldn't allow them to do when they wanted to try). It was only once I was an adult in mt early twenties that a chance meeting led me to the door of the great Russell Reid. (now sadly retired) I was one of his very early patients.

Apart from him, I view pretty well most other so called gender therapists and psychiatrists with considerable skepticism.

I know that things have moved on and that these days most therapist do actually try to help people. Unfortunately back then that is not the way that things were. To me they all became the EVIL ENEMIES who wanted to destroy me in the name of mindless conformity.

Be grateful that none of you have to deal with that - and to those of you who are standards of care and counseling enthusiasts - please just bear in mind what some of us old timers like me and Northern Jane had to deal with, and understand why perhaps we don't always see things your way.

[N.Chaos]

I think deep down, I've always known. I've been telling people since I was about 12 that I've got the mind of a boy, and I don't feel like a girl. At all. Even when I was wearing makeup and dresses, I felt this constant urge to say "This isn't ME. This isn't NORMAL. This is a sick costume and a bad joke." I've only just found the right name for it recently.

Personally, I'd love to find a therapist, as long as they're not going to try and "cure" me or dissuade me from being me. I'd love to have someone to vent to and bitch to who could possibly give me actual answers and all that good ->-bleeped-<-.

I went to therapy through most of high school due to a combination of things, and I loved the woman I talked to. She helped me deal with a lot of crap I'd probably never have even thought about, would've pushed it off until it turned into an ulcer or something. I miss that freedom to say whatever to an impartial third party.

[kyril]

I don't generally like therapists. I don't like talking about my feelings.

However, the 45 minutes I spent with a counselor before being diagnosed were relatively painless and probably a good investment. He was able to direct me to some resources in my city, which was a big help, and he connected me with a trans-friendly doctor, which was invaluable.

[Ann Onymous]

complete waste of time and money for me...especially in the very beginning when I actually tried to see one of the shrinks associated with a gender mill who insisted that one could not be transsexual AND be lesbian-oriented.  I ultimately went to someone I found at a local lesbian outreach center...

I never had to pay for the second letter...it came from a prof at the school where I finished my undergrad.  Both the primary and secondary recommenders noted in their letters that I was well-adjusted from before the time of my first appearance in their respective offices. 

[Janet_Girl]

I think they are a necessary evil.  Some need therapists to help dig through all the manure that they been force fed.  And in some areas, the therapists are still regarded as gatekeepers.

I knew very early that something was amiss ( pun intended ).  I actually diagnosed myself.  But I sought out a therapist who was specialized.  With his help, my transition has been flawless.

[Suzy]

They can be good for those who need them.  I have found that they are way too expensive and only line certain pockets for those who seem to enjoy the power of acting as gate keeper.

[Bird]

Now, a Brazilian view point.

Here, a Psychiatrist can diagnose you. Gender Therapists are not regonized by Doctors and so, useless for HRT or surgery referalls within the country.

All Psychiatrists will be tentative to give you the diagnosis because they are afraid of being sued later on.Most endocrinologists won't give you HRT because they have absolutely no experience with it, and are afraid of later legal actions, even if you have proper referall. The reason for this here, is because there is no legislation that supports HRT, though there are laws for surgery.

So, to get HRT you'd have to travel miles (Don't forget Brazil is a large country) to one of the few specialized services in the country. That is quite not really doable for the majority of the transgender population.

My view on all this gatekeeping that goes on around here is fairly negative. I find psychiatrists are only good if you have some mental disorder that came about because you have GID.

[MarinaM]

I have other problems that stem from GID, so I went into a therapist / psychiatrist and it went essentially like this:

I'm a transsexual, I need a letter from you to ease a doctor into starting me on HRT. Now, let's talk about anxiety, depression, gender presentation, and the fact that I can't seem to stop confusing the heck out of everybody.

It's been working, and I have easy access to two Ph.d's for future SRS letter purposes.

[girl_ashley]

There should be a diagnosis for gender incongruity, but it should be a medical one not a psychological one.  Because of the fact that a lot of trans people have other issues (or such issues could come up during transition), that is when the need for a therapist really comes into play.

[Ann Onymous]

There should be a diagnosis for gender incongruity, but it should be a medical one not a psychological one. Because of the fact that a lot of trans people have other issues (or such issues could come up during transition), that is when the need for a therapist really comes into play.

which brings it back to an element that should be case-by-case, not a mandatory component.  Not everyone NEEDS to spend time with a shrink...