Community Conversation => Transitioning => Therapy => Topic started by: Farm Boy on May 16, 2010, 06:45:31 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Possible free therapy??
Post by: Farm Boy on May 16, 2010, 06:45:31 PM
Post by: Farm Boy on May 16, 2010, 06:45:31 PM
Do any of you have any experience with military therapists? My dad is in the military (we live on a military base) and I heard that dependents can get free counseling. I wasn't sure if this meant that I could go to a military counselor for free, or if the army would fund my counseling elsewhere.
I found a gender therapist nearby (off post), so I would obviously prefer to go there than to a generic military counselor with no trans experience. Also, I'm a legal adult so is there any way I could get counseling without my parents knowing? I know outside of the military I could, but with the army pretty much everything you do has to go through your sponsor (my dad). I'm not even sure if I can call the counseling office without giving them his info.
Non-military related:
My other option would be to tell my mom that I want counseling to help with my social anxiety (this wouldn't be a lie; real life interaction with people is torture for me) and then see if I could get the military therapist to transfer me to the gender therapist. I don't think my mom would be receptive to the idea though. Whenever I've expressed my fears she's basically told me it's ridiculous and I need to get over myself. :-\
I found a gender therapist nearby (off post), so I would obviously prefer to go there than to a generic military counselor with no trans experience. Also, I'm a legal adult so is there any way I could get counseling without my parents knowing? I know outside of the military I could, but with the army pretty much everything you do has to go through your sponsor (my dad). I'm not even sure if I can call the counseling office without giving them his info.
Non-military related:
My other option would be to tell my mom that I want counseling to help with my social anxiety (this wouldn't be a lie; real life interaction with people is torture for me) and then see if I could get the military therapist to transfer me to the gender therapist. I don't think my mom would be receptive to the idea though. Whenever I've expressed my fears she's basically told me it's ridiculous and I need to get over myself. :-\
Title: Re: Possible free therapy??
Post by: kyril on May 16, 2010, 06:57:32 PM
Post by: kyril on May 16, 2010, 06:57:32 PM
If you're still covered under TRICARE, then it probably covers counseling off-base, but it may not cover the specific therapist you want to see. You'd have to call and check.
As far as on-base, yes, you have to give your sponsor's info, but that doesn't mean the information is going to get back to him. In fact, you probably have a better expectation of privacy with on-base counseling because there may not be any insurance statement for your dad to read later (that is, unless on-base care for family members goes through TRICARE now too - never had any civilian dependents, so I wouldn't know.)
In general, though, if you want absolute confidentiality you have to pay for it yourself in cash.
As far as on-base, yes, you have to give your sponsor's info, but that doesn't mean the information is going to get back to him. In fact, you probably have a better expectation of privacy with on-base counseling because there may not be any insurance statement for your dad to read later (that is, unless on-base care for family members goes through TRICARE now too - never had any civilian dependents, so I wouldn't know.)
In general, though, if you want absolute confidentiality you have to pay for it yourself in cash.
Title: Re: Possible free therapy??
Post by: Farm Boy on May 16, 2010, 07:06:15 PM
Post by: Farm Boy on May 16, 2010, 07:06:15 PM
Yes, I believe I'm covered. Call the therapist or TRICARE to check?
That's true, I hadn't thought of that. So do you think it would be better to use a generic military counselor or try to get transferred to the gender one? I'm kind of afraid to go to the gender therapist though, because a quick google search of her name reveals her specialty, and I'm not out to my family...
Yeah, I just can't afford therapy myself at the moment, and I jumped when I heard I could get it free. I'd rather do it sooner than later.
That's true, I hadn't thought of that. So do you think it would be better to use a generic military counselor or try to get transferred to the gender one? I'm kind of afraid to go to the gender therapist though, because a quick google search of her name reveals her specialty, and I'm not out to my family...
Yeah, I just can't afford therapy myself at the moment, and I jumped when I heard I could get it free. I'd rather do it sooner than later.
Title: Re: Possible free therapy??
Post by: Diane Elizabeth on May 16, 2010, 09:09:57 PM
Post by: Diane Elizabeth on May 16, 2010, 09:09:57 PM
Tricare can cover you as long as you are in school and a dependent. The military counselors are not trained in GID. I have been told, by the VA, that Tricare will not cover me for GID. I am military retired. However, a TG in California that I talked to said she got help at the VA.