I'm quite surprised by how supportive my therapist is with my transition. I was afraid at first that they would pull the plug on me because I was reporting such positive results that they would think I was getting a heroin high or something. It took me awhile to realize she's actually happy for me that I'm so happy now . 4 months ago  I was thinking how I'd get bye someone on the third floor if they caught me trying to go to the roof. It's definitely a strange feeling to have support when for so long it was hiding and fear of ridicule . Just wonder if everyone else experiences a supportive therapeutic environment.

I have found my therapist to be extremely supportive and helpful. Six months ago I was near suicide... now I'm making plans for the future. First up, a trip to the Social Security office to update my name and gender.

Yeah pretty much 
My therapist is happy that I transition and always tries to cheer me up 

My first therapist though wasnt like that...glad I found a new one....guess it depends on the person ...

My old therapist from Ohio was nothing but helpful. From the very beginning, she told me that she would do nothing to stop me if I insisted on continuing transition, and would write me any letter that I wanted even if she believed that it was against my best interest, and thus encouraged me to be as honest and open with her as possible since I didn't have any need to worry about being gatekept.

And I was. And in a way, she's been through all of the ups and downs right with me, and has been a big encouragement in regards to continuing to pursue my dreams, as well as giving me helpful advice, and giving me both self-esteem boosts when I needed self-esteem boosts, as well as honest opinions when I asked about the prospects of doing the big steps like going full-time.

I just hope I can find a therapist as good as her once I go searching here in New Jersey.

I love my therapist, even though I haven't had a session in over a year.  She's an online therapist which is great for me.  She's very helpful, funny, blunt, and tells it like it is.

Quote from: Carrie Liz on February 05, 2014, 07:31:54 PM
My old therapist from Ohio was nothing but helpful. From the very beginning, she told me that she would do nothing to stop me if I insisted on continuing transition, and would write me any letter that I wanted even if she believed that it was against my best interest, and thus encouraged me to be as honest and open with her as possible since I didn't have any need to worry about being gatekept.

And I was. And in a way, she's been through all of the ups and downs right with me, and has been a big encouragement in regards to continuing to pursue my dreams, as well as giving me helpful advice, and giving me both self-esteem boosts when I needed self-esteem boosts, as well as honest opinions when I asked about the prospects of doing the big steps like going full-time.

I just hope I can find a therapist as good as her once I go searching here in New Jersey.

best of luck to you . I know theres not so good ones out there. I had one of those where absolutely nothing was accomplished.

My therapist is the best (literally). She totally understands transgender people, is very accepting, and knows why we need to transition.

It was long in the coming. I had horrendous experiences with therapy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,128463.0.html, if you want a comical but angry account).

Yes and no. She's truly a great therapist that genuinely cares for my well being and is extremely supportive towards my transition. So as far as being supportive goes, she is more so than I cold have ever imagined, but because she's not very well versed on dealing with transgender patients, (I'm her very first!) she's typically not the most informative. However, she helps in her own ways, relating gender dysphoria for her own understanding to general feelings of being trapped and and just trying to be yourself. So I've kind of been teaching her in some ways to understand being transgender. Despite all of her lack of experience with transgender people, she really does help me in many ways, but maybe being informative really just isn't one of them.

I have only had on appointment. And I love her Already. She is so supportive and affirming. One of the things I really like that she said was that even though the laws and regulations concerning transitioning are getting better and transitioning is getting easier than it used to be, a lot of them are still bull->-bleeped-<-.

I liked mine and then about a month into things I felt I was going nowhere at all down progress road. After I started to present and go full time I was getting tough love from them to make darn sure I was serious and committed to the process. I loved them after that. I would not be at the level I am now if they had not done what they did. Mine get a BIG HUG ( ) for loving me enough to be sure I could handle my new future. Now I have full confidence in everything they make me do and ask of me. I will continue to see them as long as I can even after SRS. Julie and Colton, thank you for everything!!!!

My therapist quickly picked me up off the floor, dusted me off and sent me on my merry way.

She knew a hurting MTF when she saw one and got me on HRT right away.

My therapist pointed towards my GP before our first session, we'd just had a phone call conversation.

My GP does informed consent.

So, in a sense, my therapist got me HRT without charging me a penny for it.

I now see him weekly and think of him as a true friend.

I don't know yet. only 1 session with her but I feel a good vibe

Definitely o.o my therapist is the best. I'm the first trans person she has met though. But it didn't really change anything!

Quote from: sad panda on February 06, 2014, 03:26:13 AM
Definitely o.o my therapist is the best. I'm the first trans person she has met though. But it didn't really change anything!

That was my first therapist. She is good and I like her. now im thinking I would like a different perspective

I am discovering trans experience is not that vital. Trans tolerance IS.

We are so varied, as varied as cis folk, so cookie cutter trans therapy does not seem to fit the bill.

Honestly, the therapists I have encountered without trans experience have been among the best because they are truly interested. They get to talk about and learn new things. We can be quite the catch.

I feel like my current therapist doesn't understand some of my problems, and expects me to suffer more for being trans/of female history and less for being generally effed up and from an abnormal background.

It is really nice when people are unexpectedly happy to see you happy. My credit union was like that about my transition, as were employees I interfaced with about changing my name in video games I play.

Quote from: Tori on February 06, 2014, 04:42:54 AM
I am discovering trans experience is not that vital. Trans tolerance IS.

We are so varied, as varied as cis folk, so cookie cutter trans therapy does not seem to fit the bill.

Honestly, the therapists I have encountered without trans experience have been among the best because they are truly interested. They get to talk about and learn new things. We can be quite the catch.

I'm also my therapists first trans , but its no big thing she works with a team of doctors in a hospital setting.

My therapist is great
She sees a lot of trans people in my area, and she just gets it. She put me in touch with a local support group. When I felt ready to explore HRT, she set me up with an amazing endocrinologist who has treated a multitude of TG patients. She helped me to find who I am and helped me to rise above the shame and guilt that I felt, that seems to be part and parcel of GID. She recognized early on that I was walking close to the edge and often told me that if I ever felt that I couldn't go on, that I was to call her, night or day. When I was without a GP, she took it upon herself to find one for me. She is the standard by which I measure other psychologists. I feel so lucky to have found her.