hey, so being new to this whole thing  (just realized there was even a possibility of transitioning over the summer) i had a few questions about going about a transition

to get on t you need a therapist and a letter from that therapist, but does it matter what kind of therapist you are seeing (there are many specialties i would imagine)
ive been seeing a therapist since i was a little kid and if i came out to her would she eventually eb able to prescribe t for me?

also once your on t or for those that are on it, once you started were you pretty much out to everyone? i would liek to start asap but coming out to everyone will definietly be difficult, especially to my grandparents, cousins, etc

thats all i can think of for now, although im sure more questions wil arise
thanks for any input

Any doctor, at least in the country that I live in, can give you hormones. A lot of them would probably want you to get a letter though, and it doesn't have to be a GID specialist. Personally, I saw an endocrinologist first and he gave me the hormones without a letter.

Coming out is up to you to be honest. I came out almost 6 years before I finally got my hands on testosterone.

Hi fdfge (tries to figure out how one pronounces fdfge), welcome to Susan's.

As far as therapists go you can go to a general therapist as long as they know how the SOC works and are willing to write the letters for you. You will then have to go to an endo to get your T prescribed.

T is a powerful hormone and can cause some changes very quickly. It's best to come out very early in HRT as people will start noticing you sounding like Barry White.

The therapist that writes your letter for hormones does not need to be a gender therapist.  Mine was a licensed clinical social worker with a master's in family and marriage counseling.  She was able to write my letter with no problem after consulting the WPATH's Standards of Care.  Because you've been seeing the same person since you were a kid, they'll probably have a better idea of your history and be able to write a good letter for you.

I'm on T, but I'm still not out to certain members of my family.  My immediate family knows (mom, dad, grandparents), but my aunts and uncles don't yet.  I think it'll get harder and harder to keep it from them as the effects of T continue.  Non family members, I don't worry about so much.  If it had been up to me, I would have told them before I started medical transition just so they could be prepared and know what to expect.

The letter depends on the therapist. While any therapist (or person otherwise qualified) can write a letter for T, many therapists without experiance in gender issues will refer you on to someone else that does have experiance.

Just because you are coming out to a therapist you've known for a long time, don't count on getting T right away. There is usally at least 3 months of therapy or Real Life Experiance to complete beforehand. This is flexable, of course - it's only guidelines and it depends on your situation. Assume they will want you to continue therapy for a few months or more before the T letter anyway, just to be safe (especially if you haven't mentioned gender issues as a kid, you're not "out", and not full time already).

I don't mean to dissapoint, I'm just saying it might take a bit longer to get on T than the impression you can get off the internet. Hell, most appointments to see the right people have to be booked weeks or months in advance. If you're thinking of T and transition - start talking to your therapist about it as soon as possible. Do not wait - communcate!

I went down the path of being out, full time, name changed and all that well and truly pre-T. I intended to have all that done 3-6 months before T, but it's looking like it'll be closer to 12 (appointment lead times FTL). It's a slightly different tactic, but it has its merit.

Yes, I believe any liscensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist can write a letter of recommendation for T. You'll have to give the recommendation to your endo or whatever doctor will prescribe your T. They'll monitor your blood levels to make sure there aren't any problems.

I'm on T and I haven't come out to my complete family yet.

thanks for everyones input, much appricitated
i think ill work on a way to come out soon, but oh man its harder then it sounds

Quote from: fdfge on January 13, 2010, 05:33:21 PMthanks for everyones input, much appricitated
i think ill work on a way to come out soon, but oh man its harder then it sounds

You ain't kidding.