The more I hear about the UK the further down the list it gets as a possible place to visit.

I would sooner go to Iceland, but I think I would prefer Australia. Well it's warmer there then Canada, a good 3/4 of US, and Iceland. As for the bugs we just need to hang my pitcher on the wall outside.
And Denis you are quite right about medical care here as well. BC and Alberta, their health coverage covers SRS.

Cindy

Quote from: cindybc on November 30, 2007, 07:25:00 PM
The more I hear about the UK the further down the list it gets as a possible place to visit.

I would sooner go to Iceland, but I think I would prefer Australia. Well it's warmer there then Canada, a good 3/4 of US, and Iceland. As for the bugs we just need to hang my pitcher on the wall outside.
And Denis you are quite right about medical care here as well. BC and Alberta, their health coverage covers SRS.

Cindy

In the U.K we're about 30 years behind you as regards to Gender Dysphoria.. It's not a great place to live Cindy, it's very expensive compared to what we are able to earn and it's gradually getting worse. We pay about double what the U.S pays for fuel...

Hi Kimberly I was hoping you wouldn't take offence about what I said about the UK but since all the crap I been hearing from you and other girls here from UK....well it pisssssssses me off.

Cindy

To the O.P.:
I suppose that depends on what one considers therapy.
If you are talking Psychiatry, or professional Psychological Counciling,
Then I would say no, at least not for everyone.
I didn't use either.

But "therapy" is really kinda vague.
I mean we get support from our friends(if we have close friends) and to me that is theraputic.
I have a religious teacher. I go to him for advice and councilling.
It certainly has been "theraputic" in the broader sense of the word.
I also have a meditation practice. That is certainly theraputic.

So that all depends on what you mean.
Is a gender therapist nessicary?
That probably depends on the person.
Some people find it helpful, others have other outlets.

So it all depends.

Tink,
many completely bypass the system.
Hormones, lets face it plenty, thousands, get it online.
SRS, if you've been on hormone awhile, they'll accept you in Thailand.

I've been in therapy quite a while so I'm not anti-therapy,
just saying realistically, you can go around it if you want.
Is it a good thing? Well, that's another question entirely.
I do think that there are some, for which therapy is
totally useless. They are the epitome of being adjusted,
while others like me are a mess regardless of our gender thing.

Quote from: Keira on December 18, 2007, 01:55:07 AM

Tink,
many completely bypass the system.
Hormones, lets face it plenty, thousands, get it online.
SRS, if you've been on hormone awhile, they'll accept you in Thailand.

I've been in therapy quite a while so I'm not anti-therapy,
just saying realistically, you can go around it if you want.
Is it a good thing? Well, that's another question entirely.
I do think that there are some, for which therapy is
totally useless. They are the epitome of being adjusted,
while others like me are a mess regardless of our gender thing.

Is that true Keira? I ask because I have been on hormones for 10 years and have lived full time for 5 years but I haven't got two NHS psychiatrists referral letters. 

They didnt GET the referal letters... thai surgeons just accept them....

Kiera: i self medicated for 8 months... it wasnt to bypas the system, it was because the system was so shocking, i wouldnt be seen for another _5_ YEARS.... am i to sit and wait patiently?
R

Hey Rachael, How did your therapist respond to you having already started HRT? I been very  afraid about going to a therapist because I fear they will make me stop HRT and don't know what I might do coming off hormones since I was such a wreck before hormones. I know going backward is not option for me. I also would love to have my health taken care of properly before this I could care less about my health and physical condition. I want to have a future and I really don't want to mess it up. I have a therapist number but don't have the courage to call her.

Good Morning
Anna

i havent seen one yet, as i said, im still in the cue waiting to see one in a few years time... by the time i get to therapy, ill probably be asked why i want to be a man ><
R

For me I believe theraphy is needed not on a level of OMG what am I, I need help with life deal.  Just plainly cause they hold all the strings, the say "You may have HRT now, you may SRS now", and even though there are other ways of getting both of these things,  I do not want to self medicate, or have to take herbal type phyto estrogen, and plainly I dont wanna go to tailand for SRS.

So for me I am choosing the more expensive routes of the two, because for me quality versus quantity of time as my true self is what I am choosing.

BTW rachel, I see what you mean about F-uped the NHS is, you havent even been able to see a Therapist yet??

Can you pay to see a therapist??? Privately?

Quote from: Rachael on December 18, 2007, 06:35:07 AM
i havent seen one yet, as i said, im still in the cue waiting to see one in a few years time... by the time i get to therapy, ill probably be asked why i want to be a man ><
R

That was very funny Rachael but so unbelievably close to truth in the U.K NHS....

That really happened to one of my friends once and the NHS Charing Cross psychiatrist thought she was a female to male, she played along with him until the end and then walked out in discust...

He's long since retired thank goodness..

Bypassing the system in the UK is probably the only way to get treated in due time.
I don't know why that system, or any system, would think that torturing
people by making them wait for years won't lead to severe problem.
Maybe people will need therapy just from having to deal with that system 
The SOC says 3 months for homrones, if you have to wait years to be seem, well
you are not respecting the guidelines!!!!

Anyway, the gender clinics don't seem to care, they take the poor patients that had
to wait forever and are traumatized by that, while the others just go around them.
They just deny there is  problem.

oh i COULD pay to go privately... but i prefer the roof over my head, and not starving to death tbh... i havent got £200 a hour for a private therapist...
R

Come on Rachael, you're not giving starving to death a fair shake,
its quite righteous, really!! 

Quote from: Keira on December 18, 2007, 10:13:47 AM

Bypassing the system in the UK is probably the only way to get treated in due time.
I don't know why that system, or any system, would think that torturing
people by making them wait for years won't lead to severe problem.
Maybe people will need therapy just from having to deal with that system 
The SOC says 3 months for homrones, if you have to wait years to be seem, well
you are not respecting the guidelines!!!!

Anyway, the gender clinics don't seem to care, they take the poor patients that had
to wait forever and are traumatized by that, while the others just go around them.
They just deny there is  problem.

I totally agree with you Keira. I went through the U.K NHS system for 6 years but had to go private in order to start on hormones (yes it was £200 for a half hour appointment in 2003...but it was worth every penny for that prescription!). THE NHS GIC is not a fit system to deal with as far as gender dysphoria goes and I had to learn this the hard way...

two hundred pounds an hour!!! Holy crap! Thats like $400USD

I thought $95USD an hour and a half was alot.

You all should move here!

Quote from: Keira on December 18, 2007, 11:22:24 AM

Come on Rachael, you're not giving starving to death a fair shake,
its quite righteous, really!! 

Like yah! its like, totally the path to skinny! skinny = beautiful! im like so, like with you!
hm yeah, well, meh, id move to the us, but as expensive as the UK is, the US just plain SUCKS for ts people

im ballencing crapness here!

R

It has its dissadvantages but mainly from what i can see only in healthcare, and un TS educated people more or less.

Otherwise it is a rather open country.

Hows finding work being TS in the UK?

I guess I was fortunate in two ways. When I went to see my shrink for a referral to an endo to get on the hormones I was on a disability pension. I was working as a social worker part time until two years ago. I was by no means rolling around in dough but it payed the rent and the bills and maybe a few road trips once in a while. Came a long ways from the gipsy kid living on the road. My health insurance covered the docs and my disability actually covered the hormones. And here in Vancouver the health insurance covers the SRS.

Cindy

Quote from: maragirlygirr on December 18, 2007, 12:25:59 PM
It has its dissadvantages but mainly from what i can see only in healthcare, and un TS educated people more or less.

Otherwise it is a rather open country.

Hows finding work being TS in the UK?

I don't think finding work is that hard in the U.K and I've never disclosed that I'm TS to anyone....why should it need to be an issue and I'm not going to tell anyone if I go for an interview....

The bigger problem is the U.K itself. Any work is usually very badly paid against the balance of the high cost of living in the U.K (especially fuel, food, clothes, electricity etc) compared to the standard of living in the U.S...