So I went to my Psychiatrist today and she's really nice...but she doesn't seem to have very much experience with transgender clients...

She thinks that I have a social phobia...I tried to tell her that its because I can't express who I am; from what I can tell she doesn't think that gender has any impact on a person's social life. From what she was telling me, I have to go all the way to Edmonton or Vancouver just to get proper care...I don't f*****g think so!

What am I supposed to do?

My Psychiatrist thinks I'm confused because I don't fit the stereotypical trans narrative...all because I don't hate my genitals...f******g wonderful...

Can I get her some sort of information that might help her understand?

I feel like I'm never going to get on hrt...

My next appointment will be in April...woot FML

You don't have to stick with this therapist. When I knew I needed one that could help me with being transsexual, I spent two weeks and multiple calls trying to find one. I also used Psychology Today's therapist finder to, ultimately, find the Therapist I ended up with (who suggested that I find this forum and join for additional support). Here's the link: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

Quote from: Shodan on March 08, 2013, 03:34:39 PM
You don't have to stick with this therapist. When I knew I needed one that could help me with being transsexual, I spent two weeks and multiple calls trying to find one. I also used Psychology Today's therapist finder to, ultimately, find the Therapist I ended up with (who suggested that I find this forum and join for additional support). Here's the link: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

Thanks...but apparently I live in the middle of nowhere...

The initial radius of the search is pretty narrow, only 7 miles. I'd expand it to 20 or so. If you still don't find anybody.... I dunno. Google is your friend. I ended up putting in 'Therapist Transsexua <mycityname>' and that site was only one hit. I'm sure there's somebody within driving distance that's a specialist.


Or... you really could be living in the middle of nowhere.

Quote from: Sky-Blue on March 08, 2013, 03:47:03 PM
Thanks...but apparently I live in the middle of nowhere...

You could always look into online or phone therapy with a gender therapist.  I went that route.

Quote from: Malachite on March 08, 2013, 04:20:59 PM
You could always look into online or phone therapy with a gender therapist.  I went that route.

How do you find them though...

Quote from: Sky-Blue on March 08, 2013, 04:29:29 PM
How do you find them though...

http://www.lauras-playground.com/gender_therapists.htm

It might depend on where you live though.  A lot of those are U.S. based but some people here have seen Dr. Graham Pellever who is based in the U.K. I think.  He does online therapy with people overseas too.  I personally had my therapy with Dr. Carol Clark in FL.

I travel a lot and talk to my therapist by Skype video about once a week. May want to look at that option if you have no other resources available.

Quote from: Sky-Blue on March 08, 2013, 03:47:03 PM
Thanks...but apparently I live in the middle of nowhere...

I feel your pain. 

I moved from just across the river from NYC to rural WV. I used that psychology today search without much luck for anyone nearby. I also spent literally months of searching every evening after work for TG support groups or therapist using about any imaginable search as well as cities within an ever increasing raidious away.

Eventually I found the closest TG support group, 90 miles away! I know the group has helped me the most and profoundly helped me to change my life. They also were able to help with finding a TG friendly therapist. Which in the boonies is about the best you can expect. Most, as you have seen, you wind up having to educate them, is what my group members warned me about.

Such as "you have 'hate' your genitals"! I don't recall ever reading that as being a criteria for being trans. I have no doubt I am since about 4-5. Sure I wish I didn't have the dangly bits, but we also had some great times together.    I also never saw SRS as being the ultimate goal. For me my life dream has been to be seen as and accepted as a woman. For that, no one will be doing panty checks.

Your best bet I think is to find a TG group. You may also look for a nearby PFLAG chapter for some possible leads or support

Quote from: JoanneB on March 08, 2013, 06:22:09 PM
I feel your pain. 

I moved from just across the river from NYC to rural WV. I used that psychology today search without much luck for anyone nearby. I also spent literally months of searching every evening after work for TG support groups or therapist using about any imaginable search as well as cities within an ever increasing raidious away.

Eventually I found the closest TG support group, 90 miles away! I know the group has helped me the most and profoundly helped me to change my life. They also were able to help with finding a TG friendly therapist. Which in the boonies is about the best you can expect. Most, as you have seen, you wind up having to educate them, is what my group members warned me about.

Such as "you have 'hate' your genitals"! I don't recall ever reading that as being a criteria for being trans. I have no doubt I am since about 4-5. Sure I wish I didn't have the dangly bits, but we also had some great times together.    I also never saw SRS as being the ultimate goal. For me my life dream has been to be seen as and accepted as a woman. For that, no one will be doing panty checks.

Your best bet I think is to find a TG group. You may also look for a nearby PFLAG chapter for some possible leads or support

Lets just suppose that I find a therapist in my area that doesn't specialize in trans issues but I like them...

How would I go about suggesting to them that they could learn more about trans issues? And do you have any resources that are reliable and not stereotypical? (I know those are few and far between)

Because my current Psychiatrist is paid for by my healthcare insurance, she's nice, intelligent, but she has no clue about trans issues...she diagnosed me with social phobia...ya think? I'm trans, what do you expect? But she doesn't think it ties into my transsexuality, she just doesn't get it.

My reason for finding a therapist was definetly not ransition related (at that time). It was the furthest thing from my mind. My life was torn apart, yet again, with a root cause related to all the baggage you aquire growing up being trans. So my goal was really to try to shed some of that and learn some tips or tricks to handle the rest. A therapist that at least had some exposure to TS clients hopefully had some understanding of the baggage.

I have little doubt that if the 'T?' issue was not put right out there on the table I could be assesed with lots of other conditions.

When you did the searches did drill down to the lesbian and gay issues level? That may help some with understanding how a ton of baggage comes along with knowing you're different all your life department. On the off chance one may actually had a TS client is even better for you.

There are tons of more clinical papers and articles on the net. WPATH has the Harry Benjamin SOC which has a diagnoses section as well as treatment. Educating a "Professional" often means being armed to the teeth with facts from cited sources and a lot of tact if you don't want to bruise their egos. Most therapist really don't anything about GID beyond what may have been covered in one chapter of one book for a course they had years ago. Oh yes, and also Jerry Springer, and their own baggage. In other words a long painfull process.

If you like her sick it out for a bit longer just for help with all the other issues which sure aren't going to go away anyime soon. You can also try to push her to ask around if there are any therapist in the area that has TG clients. Most of all I'd really work had at finding some TG support groups and reach out to them. In the boonies you have few options. And you are not alone. Someone from the next town over just might be driving 90 miles to the one and only TG group. I learned that here.