Community Conversation => Transitioning => Therapy => Topic started by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:05:53 AM Return to Full Version
Title: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:05:53 AM
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:05:53 AM
Okay, so, I think I might have gone about things slightly screwy: correct me if I'm wrong here.
I have had a therapist over the past couple of years that I have not seen regularly, because of her high cost. We did meet up about once every other month last year, and then my visits with her kind of petered off. She did not know anything about my gender issues, but she did superficially know about my feminine side and my desire to be more feminine, and that I was also questioning my sexual identity.
After a lot of soul searching, I finally admitted to myself that I couldn't live this way anymore. I needed to transition. At that point, I had not been seeing her regularly, due to my financial situation. I decided to see a local trans-support group and come out to them first. This, I found, was the most therapeutic thing for me that I could have done. I felt right at home. After the first few visits to the group, I found my fear completely vanished. This was my family.
Through the support of my brother and my friends, I kept attending the meetings for many months, and through the meetings I was referred to an endocrinologist and began hormone therapy. This particular doctor did not require a letter of recommendation from a therapist to begin HRT. Instead, he went by informed consent and grilled me on several questions related to transitioning and why I was doing this. He seemed reasonably responsible with screening his patients.
Ever since I started HRT, I've been so happy. ;D
I saw my therapist again a month ago and we discussed what had happened, and she was supportive of me too. She wants to see me more, and me seeing her is only slightly limited by my financial situation, being a starving college student / artist of sorts. My family has alluded to the possibility of them fronting the money for the therapy, but we're still in talks about that.
I have a definite plan of attack with my transition. I have friends who support me, as well as some family members. The only thing that kind of bugs me is that I feel like I should be seeing my therapist more regularly. I don't doubt in my mind that this is what I want for myself, but I'm hounded by the idea that I might not be doing this right compared to other trans-women? I mean, I feel like I'm doing this right by my standards. I have the support group. I have HRT. I know when I'm going full-time, and I have an idea of what I want for myself after that. I'm worried that because I didn't get a letter of recommendation for HRT...I wonder, will this hurt my ability to be approved for SRS later? Should I be seeing a therapist more regularly?
What's the right answer? Is there a right answer? :laugh:
Am I overcomplicating this? Probably.
I have had a therapist over the past couple of years that I have not seen regularly, because of her high cost. We did meet up about once every other month last year, and then my visits with her kind of petered off. She did not know anything about my gender issues, but she did superficially know about my feminine side and my desire to be more feminine, and that I was also questioning my sexual identity.
After a lot of soul searching, I finally admitted to myself that I couldn't live this way anymore. I needed to transition. At that point, I had not been seeing her regularly, due to my financial situation. I decided to see a local trans-support group and come out to them first. This, I found, was the most therapeutic thing for me that I could have done. I felt right at home. After the first few visits to the group, I found my fear completely vanished. This was my family.
Through the support of my brother and my friends, I kept attending the meetings for many months, and through the meetings I was referred to an endocrinologist and began hormone therapy. This particular doctor did not require a letter of recommendation from a therapist to begin HRT. Instead, he went by informed consent and grilled me on several questions related to transitioning and why I was doing this. He seemed reasonably responsible with screening his patients.
Ever since I started HRT, I've been so happy. ;D
I saw my therapist again a month ago and we discussed what had happened, and she was supportive of me too. She wants to see me more, and me seeing her is only slightly limited by my financial situation, being a starving college student / artist of sorts. My family has alluded to the possibility of them fronting the money for the therapy, but we're still in talks about that.
I have a definite plan of attack with my transition. I have friends who support me, as well as some family members. The only thing that kind of bugs me is that I feel like I should be seeing my therapist more regularly. I don't doubt in my mind that this is what I want for myself, but I'm hounded by the idea that I might not be doing this right compared to other trans-women? I mean, I feel like I'm doing this right by my standards. I have the support group. I have HRT. I know when I'm going full-time, and I have an idea of what I want for myself after that. I'm worried that because I didn't get a letter of recommendation for HRT...I wonder, will this hurt my ability to be approved for SRS later? Should I be seeing a therapist more regularly?
What's the right answer? Is there a right answer? :laugh:
Am I overcomplicating this? Probably.
Title: Re: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: justmeinoz on August 11, 2011, 04:27:19 AM
Post by: justmeinoz on August 11, 2011, 04:27:19 AM
Might be worth having your endo contact a surgeon to see what the requirements are.
Title: Re: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:55:21 AM
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:55:21 AM
Yeah, I mean, I'm not planning on SRS for a long time anyway...
I mostly just wonder if I need to be seeing a therapist like...weekly? Is monthly okay?
Most people seem to start by seeing their therapist very regularly, then they come out to their therapist, and then eventually they get a letter of recommendation for hormones. I just went to a support group for a bit and then started HRT, and then my therapist was told about it. I mean, she's supportive. Still...is this backwards? Is this okay?
I have no doubt in my mind that what I am doing is what is for me. I am happier every day that I continue with this transition. I've wanted it my whole life. So I guess if this works for me, it's all groovy, right? Sometimes I trip out that I might not be doing things according to some kind of standard procedure (that I'm not entirely aware of). Does it matter? I just don't want to be tripped up later with regards to legal issues as well as obviously SRS because I didn't do things exactly according to the standard plan.
Sorry, I'm rambling. :D
I mostly just wonder if I need to be seeing a therapist like...weekly? Is monthly okay?
Most people seem to start by seeing their therapist very regularly, then they come out to their therapist, and then eventually they get a letter of recommendation for hormones. I just went to a support group for a bit and then started HRT, and then my therapist was told about it. I mean, she's supportive. Still...is this backwards? Is this okay?
I have no doubt in my mind that what I am doing is what is for me. I am happier every day that I continue with this transition. I've wanted it my whole life. So I guess if this works for me, it's all groovy, right? Sometimes I trip out that I might not be doing things according to some kind of standard procedure (that I'm not entirely aware of). Does it matter? I just don't want to be tripped up later with regards to legal issues as well as obviously SRS because I didn't do things exactly according to the standard plan.
Sorry, I'm rambling. :D
Title: Re: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: justmeinoz on August 11, 2011, 04:58:42 AM
Post by: justmeinoz on August 11, 2011, 04:58:42 AM
If it is working ok for you,I wouldn't change it.
Karen.
Karen.
Title: Re: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 05:37:10 AM
Post by: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 05:37:10 AM
You're right. I keep thinking that there's some universal right way to go about this, even though the only right way should be the way that works for myself, not anyone else. Just me.
This is what happens when I try to think at three in the morning. ;)
This is what happens when I try to think at three in the morning. ;)
Title: Re: My Unusual Transition Thus Far
Post by: Ann Onymous on August 11, 2011, 07:23:44 AM
Post by: Ann Onymous on August 11, 2011, 07:23:44 AM
Quote from: mechakitty on August 11, 2011, 04:55:21 AM
I mostly just wonder if I need to be seeing a therapist like...weekly? Is monthly okay?
It need not even be a therapist who regularly does 'gender' work. As I have noted previously, one of my letters way back when came from a professor in one of my psych classes. Admittedly we did talk in his office from time to time, I had dinner with him and his wife and I also spoke to his graduate class, but he certainly was not carrying a regular caseload.
My other therapist was with a gay and lesbian center and I did not see her on any sort of a regular basis.