Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So, my wife wants me to meet with a Christian counselor about my transsexual feelings.  She apparently believes that it is a demon that is making me feel this way!  She said that this counselor wards off demons. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it is very hard not to think that this will be a waste of time.  I have full intentions of going to a gender therapist, too, but I told my wife I'd talk to this Christian counselor first.  I'm going in like two hours.  I'm a little nervous that things will get messy! :-/

Good luck. I would not want to be in your shoes. I am kind of scared of anyone who claims to "drive out demons". I hope he doesnt hurt you. I am interested in how it turns out for you. Will you let us know?

I'll keep you posted!  I'm sure I'll have tons to share!

Oh wow the "transsexual demon".  My sister said the same thing about my feelings.  It is a demon to me personally and the only way I can ward off that demon is by transitioning and not "praying it away".

Basically you know who you are and you know how you feel.  They have never lived your life so they don't know what you have/had to go through.  Only you know what's best for you.

I say present your case in a professional manner and point out the facts and evidence about transsexualism.  If needed then agree to disagree.

Good luck!

It will be a waste of time.

I can't believe people even consider such hogwash.

Quote from: JasonRX on June 07, 2012, 02:42:24 PM
It will be a waste of time.

I can't believe people even consider such hogwash.

I am a Christian, and I totally agree with you. People who try and use God to "cure" this are very ignorant.

I foresee great discomfort and troubles, please please be careful!!!

we will be here for you to prop you back up if needed

Quote from: ConfusedCJ on June 07, 2012, 02:14:27 PM
So, my wife wants me to meet with a Christian counselor about my transsexual feelings.  She apparently believes that it is a demon that is making me feel this way!  She said that this counselor wards off demons. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it is very hard not to think that this will be a waste of time.  I have full intentions of going to a gender therapist, too, but I told my wife I'd talk to this Christian counselor first.  I'm going in like two hours.  I'm a little nervous that things will get messy! :-/

Tell the "counselor" that its not a demon, but the Holy Spirit that has guided you toward your realizations.

Quote from: Jamie D on June 07, 2012, 02:54:58 PM
Tell the "counselor" that is not a demon, but the Holy Spirit that has guided you toward your realizations.

That's a good one!  I'm going to use that when it's time for me to come out.

I consider myself a spiritual person and I do feel that God has played a role in deciding to come out. As for the demons.... Let's just say that I have my limits.  Thanks for the support, peeps!  I'm really anxious now!  I'm heading that way in like 10 mins!!!

I've heard this before. Just becareful. The problem that happens is those who believe its a demon talking will never believe whatever you tell them because its the demon talking. Its a setup for failure situation because its bias. Kind of like the Salem Witch Trials, your automatically dead whether you were a witch or not after someone accused you. So I truly wish you the best and stay strong.

We had a poster here a little while ago who was forced to see a "church" therapist by his parents.  That therapist openly violated HIPAA and confidentiality standards.

Quote from: ConfusedCJ on June 07, 2012, 02:14:27 PM
So, my wife wants me to meet with a Christian counselor about my transsexual feelings.  She apparently believes that it is a demon that is making me feel this way!  She said that this counselor wards off demons. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it is very hard not to think that this will be a waste of time.  I have full intentions of going to a gender therapist, too, but I told my wife I'd talk to this Christian counselor first.  I'm going in like two hours.  I'm a little nervous that things will get messy! :-/

Why are American's so pre-occupied with religion? your wife has a strange viewpoint of your possible condition.

In relation to other countries, America is very conservative, and still mostly controlled by "Christians".

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on June 07, 2012, 04:08:07 PM
Why are American's so pre-occupied with religion? your wife has a strange viewpoint of your possible condition.

Part of it, certainly, has to do with the fact that many of the early European settlers of America came here to flee from religious oppression in the homelands.  That tradition of religious freedom has been passed down, so in the lives of many who describe themselves as "devout," their beliefs run strong.

On the other hand, many Americans would ask, "Why have the Europeans lost their faith and become so secular?"

Uhm, because they're logical people?

Anyway, back to the main topic, uuuuuh... Yeah, don't trust that person. In my book, -anyone- who does therapy and does the slightest link with religion, no matter how well-intentioned, is in the wrong. Religion is one thing; life is another. Chances are that this therapist is going to try to cure you from your issue, which has been unilaterally demonstrated to be impossible.

I guess it's all right to go there once to please your wife and prove to her that there's no demon involved in this, but even if it rings true, I would seriously doubt each word that person says, simply because they are acting upon the false assumption that you are possessed.

Religious faith is a double-edged sword. It can give hope and (hopefully) teach good values, but it can also make the believer vulnerable to nonsensical statements and advice, as well as make them disbelieve facts (Earth is 6000 years old and dinosaurs are a test of faith according to some Protestants), oppose otherwise perfectly morally correct behaviours (homosexuality in Christianity, and even worse, in many factions of Islam) and amplify existing unhealthy political and moral conflicts, or even create them (Catholics vs Jews vs Muslims; political parties unhealthily using religion to validate invalid arguments...)

Sorry, I didn't mean to make this a religion debate. All I meant was that good will and a church's go-ahead are not sufficient qualifications for one to call themself a therapist, even though law sadly doesn't prohibit it. And even if that person actually has the right diploma, the use of religion in their practice is an unprofessional behaviour, actually illegal and passible of banishment from the profession, where I am.

Oh, and don't mention the holy spirit. Religious people see such a statement from someone they believe to be possessed as an actual proof of them having been tricked by one.

I am very leery when someone blames a mythical being.  I would not even go to please someone else.  They are just looking for a excuse to you have hurt.

Yes, I have a real hard time thinking that the words, Christian and counselor go together.  Kind of like military and intelligence.  I once got beat up by one of the counselor , trying to "drive the demon out."

I would refuse to go.

I was just going to post this very same thread! I too found a Christian counselor that says on her website and in psychology today, that she deals with gender issues. (she has the following training MS Counselor , MED, LPC , CHt, BCPC, CISM)When I went there everything seemed to be fine, even got up to the point of talking about intersexed people and we were fine. Then after telling her the big problem, she got a little worried and after telling her everything she made a comment about it being against God. However i argued with her telling her that I was indeed a Christian, that I tried to pray it away and had done everything to let it go.

So she put all that aside and then i asked her what I can do to remember events that are blocked out, remember why I started feeling the way I do, she had advertised hypnotism on her website. I asked about this, she said she could help me even remember things that happened in the womb, which I had never heard of. She also said she would begin a session by offering me helpful suggestions to relax and be in a trance. I also told her that I had been told and had thought it was possible I was possessed by demons, she agreed and said it was possible, but not necessarily the case. I got a bad feeling though like she wants to put suggestions in my head to change me. I told her 3 times I just want to understand myself and remember things, please do not deceive me. I am going back one more time to see if she keeps her word as a therapist/

Quote from: ConfusedCJ on June 07, 2012, 02:14:27 PM
So, my wife wants me to meet with a Christian counselor about my transsexual feelings.  She apparently believes that it is a demon that is making me feel this way!  She said that this counselor wards off demons. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it is very hard not to think that this will be a waste of time.  I have full intentions of going to a gender therapist, too, but I told my wife I'd talk to this Christian counselor first.  I'm going in like two hours.  I'm a little nervous that things will get messy! :-/

I was "exorcised"  by a Jesuit Priest when I was 10 years old. I hate organize religion with a passion. Nothing good will come out it, but pain, shame, anger, and hatred.


You are who you are by the Grace of God, the "real" Christians will see this truth, and accept you just the way your are.

Good luck, I am feeling for you.

Peky

I was a born again Christian for years before I realized I was transsexual (by adding  all  of my little girly desires and behaviors up).

My belief is that God created me this way physically, with differing hormones.

Transsexualism is a birth defect and Sexual Reassignment Surgery is a necessary curing operation.

For instance,

It's not a demon if two people are born conjoined, a birth defect.

A heart bypass surgery is not a demonic sin, but a necessary curing operation required to help a person  survive. 

So why is transsexualism any different?







Transsexuals aren't the only people not tolerated by mainstream religion.



By the way our friends in the Dwarfism community aren't going to like this.



Leviticus
21:16 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
21:17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
21:18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
21:19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
21:20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21:21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.





Everything in its' context.

All grown up and under 4 feet tall? Well, preacher will tell you you are hopeless and his god hates you.



Most religious people probably see these verses as figurative anyway.

A LOVING GOD CAN NEVER DOWNTURN SOMEONE WITH A BIRTH DEFECT.

Thanks everybody!  I gotta say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Having said that, he did say that he thinks it's not of God.  He admitted to having little knowledge on the subject.  He was very understanding, though, and did not condemn.  I told him that I feel that God has had me walk through hardships as a way to teach and mold me by experience.  I suggested that it was perhaps my journey to go through transition to be able to somehow help others like me that believe in God and are trans.  He said he was going to read some material about transsexualism to have a better understanding.  He prayed for me.  He did not say to cast out the feelings but asked God to reveal his purpose for me.  Personally, it was nice to talk to someone about this, but it didn't really move me forward in any way except for the fact that it is seeming to get easier to openly talk about my GID.  He wants to meet again.  I'm not opposed, solely due to the fact that I'm helping him understand.  It could be useful for him to have more open mind about this topic, so future trans peeps don't get the typical Christian response. I'm still 100% commited to seeing a professional about my future, but I feel this meeting happened for a reason.  How is it I always end up helping others?!

Quote from: ConfusedCJ on June 07, 2012, 06:23:27 PM
Thanks everybody!  I gotta say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Having said that, he did say that he thinks it's not of God.  He admitted to having little knowledge on the subject.  He was very understanding, though, and did not condemn.  I told him that I feel that God has had me walk through hardships as a way to teach and mold me by experience.  I suggested that it was perhaps my journey to go through transition to be able to somehow help others like me that believe in God and are trans.  He said he was going to read some material about transsexualism to have a better understanding.  He prayed for me.  He did not say to cast out the feelings but asked God to reveal his purpose for me.  Personally, it was nice to talk to someone about this, but it didn't really move me forward in any way except for the fact that it is seeming to get easier to openly talk about my GID.  He wants to meet again.  I'm not opposed, solely due to the fact that I'm helping him understand.  It could be useful for him to have more open mind about this topic, so future trans peeps don't get the typical Christian response. I'm still 100% commited to seeing a professional about my future, but I feel this meeting happened for a reason.  How is it I always end up helping others?!

God Loves you. I would suggest you speak to God about this. Jesus knows you better than any human being does. God gave you these feelings and  has a Will for you as a girl.

God wants you to stay with your wife. She is a good friend to you. I pray for her understanding.

Confused CJ, we are almost on the same path! The only difference between the therapist I saw and that you saw seems to be that mine suggested its possible I may have a demon, but she also said not necessarily, the only thing she seems to agree with so far is that people are born intersexed but beyond that she still feels the rest is against God.

I just talked with another Christian Lady yesterday, and I tested her spirit and asked questions, she agreed that slavery was wrong, that denying interracial marriage was wrong, that denying women rights was wrong, however she had a shocked look on her face when I told her that people are born with chromosomal variances and sex developments. I said I might be XXY and I told her what that was. She immediately asked me if that was suggesting people are born gay, I told her that they were separate things. (However a hormonal wash on the fetus has been suggested as to contribute to a persons orientation)

So she was a fairly good Christian, I think she was just uninformed, as this is a very small town in Texas. So yeah I think also like you i am helping my counselor to see things she did not know about before.

Oh, heck. Are you telling me your therapist has an actual licence and mentions religion and demons in therapy? It's... Legal? Oh, my, this is so messed up. And therapists who pray for you and ask a deity to reveal their purpose to you... Oh, my...

I am... Astonished. I had heard of "Christian therapists" who were not necessarily good and sometimes even abusive, but I was persuaded that of course they weren't allowed a licence for professional practice if they implied religion in their work... I am without words.

I think I'll leave the topic. No offense meant, but the quotes from the bible just killed me.

I'm... I just don't know how to say it. I'm, like, beyond disappointment for that. Licenced religious therapists... where is the world going?

Quote from: ConfusedCJ on June 07, 2012, 06:23:27 PM
Thanks everybody!  I gotta say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Having said that, he did say that he thinks it's not of God.  He admitted to having little knowledge on the subject.  He was very understanding, though, and did not condemn.  I told him that I feel that God has had me walk through hardships as a way to teach and mold me by experience.  I suggested that it was perhaps my journey to go through transition to be able to somehow help others like me that believe in God and are trans.  He said he was going to read some material about transsexualism to have a better understanding.  He prayed for me.  He did not say to cast out the feelings but asked God to reveal his purpose for me.  Personally, it was nice to talk to someone about this, but it didn't really move me forward in any way except for the fact that it is seeming to get easier to openly talk about my GID.  He wants to meet again.  I'm not opposed, solely due to the fact that I'm helping him understand.  It could be useful for him to have more open mind about this topic, so future trans peeps don't get the typical Christian response. I'm still 100% commited to seeing a professional about my future, but I feel this meeting happened for a reason.  How is it I always end up helping others?!

I am glad the experience was not bad. I am really glad that he acted in a semi-Christian manner. I was afraid he was going to do something rash. Also, your outlook on helping other Christians is good. We have a few strong Christians here, and it is always nice to have more.

 I'm glad that your councillor behaved like a human being. Hopefully his reading will direct him to a proper understanding of Gender Dysphoria, and perhaps he will become a wonderful ally.

One can pray.

Eh...I seemed to have wandered into the ladies room, please forgive me. I'd just like to say though, one should be very careful when it comes to people who believe in "pray the gay away" "demons" and so on. Some are just ignorant and some will seriously believe you are possessed and do who knows what to get it out. Either way, it can be dangerous mentally and/or physically.

I love most things about America but their obsession with religion goes beyond the pale, their Televangelism is another form of commercial religion selling and it sucks big time! We don't really have anything like that here in Europe and religion is not rammed down your throat like it is in the USA.

Most Christian's I've met over here are a little more articulate and understanding about gender dysphoria.

CJ I think I would tell the therapist that I would see her again after she has got up to speed on TS  and GID. From reputable Medical Texts so that she knows something about what you are discussing.  The alternative is that as you will know more about the subject than her, she will have to take what you say as being the expert opinion and agree with you.

Either that or tell your wife that there are no such things as demons.

Personally I would go with the latter, as it sounds like total disrespect for you as a rational human being.

Karen.

Quote from: Naturally Blonde on June 08, 2012, 05:25:29 AM
I love most things about America but their obsession with religion goes beyond the pale, their Televangelism is another form of commercial religion selling and it sucks big time! We don't really have anything like that here in Europe and religion is not rammed down your throat like it is in the USA.

Most Christian's I've met over here are a little more articulate and understanding about gender dysphoria.

I think the televangelists and the other "bible bangers" are the last product of the KGB psyc ops department before it ceased to exit.

These religious intolerant who are bent into imposing their moral standards in the rest of us are going to single handily achieve what the soviet union could not, the "fall of the American Empire." You can see their effects in the inability of  Congress to pass a budget in a timely fashion

Quote from: peky on June 08, 2012, 09:33:47 AM
I think the televangelists and the other "bible bangers" are the last product of the KGB psyc ops department before it ceased to exit.

These religious intolerant who are bent into imposing their moral standards in the rest of us are going to single handily achieve what the soviet union could not, the "fall of the American Empire." You can see their effects in the inability of  Congress to pass a budget in a timely fashion

Isnt that the truth!!!  damn the bunch of them, grrrrr

I think any therapist who believes in demons shouldn't even be allowed to be a therapist. I'm glad your experience wasn't as negative as you'd feared. This is a difficult subject because religion is such a personal thing. I suspect counsellors who come at it from a Christian perspective are trying to 'save' you from your transsexuality rather than actually trying to help you. I would suggest trying to find one who knows what they're talking about regarding transsexuality.

LOL archaic delusions!

The mind is weak and malleable...

ShawnToShawn, it does look like we are in very similar situations!  It's nice to know there are others that understand the craziness of what has been happening in my life lately!