Distance Psychologist: Dr. Bushong

[4years]

Dr. Carl W. Bushong -- http://www.doctorbushong.com/

Useful links:

• About Dr. Bushong
• Frequently Asked Questions

I found the article "What is Gender and Who Is Transsexual / Transgendered" to be an interesting read as well.

[Terri-Gene]

 "The major insight lacking at this stage is that they are still under the control of the male persona with all of its unnatural fears, drives, expectations, and knowledge. Even their view of their "female self" is his view, not their freed and autonomous female self. They are still trapped in the belief that physical form alone determines gender."

Good arrticle in a way.  Covered a good many popular views.  I loved the above, where have I seen that before?

[mailin271]

Dr Bushong is a experienced psychologist.  I have seen him for about 3 months.  He just prescribed hormones for me.  He is helping me with my transition and the issues of family, relationships and my employer.  He has another website at www.transgendercare.com witch is full of infdormation that we discussed over the 1st 3 months of therapy.  Yes he does long distance hormone referrals using either a MD on the staff of his clinic or using your own perwsonal physician like I did.  you can reach me at mailin271@yahoo.com 

[4years]

Initial impressions:

Pro:

• Certainly seems to know what he is doing, as expected.
• Easy enough to talk to, likable.
• I trust his knowledge.

Con:

• We got briefly side traced I think twice.
• He contradicted himself once. – We did not go as far as we could have because a few important questions were not asked. – All things considered it was certainly forgivable.

Pro/Con:

• Phone – Easier than travel but I really don't like the phone.
• Touch hard to understand but not bad. Which means should be peachy fine for anyone else.

Probably the most telling: I've scheduled another session.

[Hazumu]

Based on these postings and my work situation, I've also decided to give Dr. Bushong a try.

As this is the first time I've consulted with a therapist for anything other than an agency-provided smoking cessation program, I'm still not sure of what to expect.

But Dr. Bushong was easy to talk to.  In our first session he said something I found very interesting -- that the it was quite likely that the person I would become through the transition process would likely bear no resemblance to the current me than a sister would.  Quite the food for thought.

The only downside I found was that the telephone connection had disconcerting dropouts and a latency that felt as if we were speaking over a satellite connection -- we were constantly stepping on each others' sentences because of the delay in the connection.

After the initial consultation I felt confident enough to book additional appointments.

[Kimberly]

Just as a small (for risk of sounding like a fangirl) follow up:
I have found his advice sound, his direction good and guidance (very) helpful. He's a smart cookie and I am happy to call him my therapist.

[Kate]

For those of you using Dr. Bushong: does he seem to remember (or recall his notes about) you for subsequent sessions?

That is, does each session seems personal, involving your particular situation and history? Does he ask things like, "So since the last time we talked, you said you were starting electrolysis... how is that going?"

Or do you basically start fresh each time, discussing generic transsexual topics only?

[Kimberly]

We've talked about the same thing on occasion but it is not a common occurrence; He is good about remembering the facts I have told him. ... Each session compliments the others, I think. Including a QA part and he will inform me of various things at various times. I have found the information is upon request if not volunteered; I have not asked for much information preferring instead to let him direct me as it were.

Our conversations are tailored, although I'm sure the individual topics we cover he has used hundreds of times before; but they are in the right place at the right time as it were. Normally anyway

[Hazumu]

For those of you using Dr. Bushong: does he seem to remember (or recall his notes about) you for subsequent sessions?

Another one of Dr B's girls chimes in--

Yes, he does remember stuff from previous sessions, and will recall it and remind me as necessary.  He has recalled my situation with my stepfather and stepbrothers from time to time to make a point, for example.

I think I've taken more of an active role than Kim described for herself. But, hey, different strokes for different folks -- and it's a mark of a good therapist that he or she adapts to the patient.  When I don't have anything personally pressing, I ask lots of general 'meta' questions.  Dr B stays pretty focussed within the topic of transsexuality and transitioning, but does bring in supporting tangential tidbits.

I do expect the tone of our sessions to change as 1) I become visibly androgynous/female and start getting -- uhm -- 'negative feedback' because of it, and  2) my perceptions and outlook changes due to the HRT. (I'm just now starting to notice those perceptual bits as my T level falls to nearly nothing and the estrogen has had a bit of time to work...)

But Dr B has already provided a bit of a preview of what may be in store for me by talking (in general, non-identifiable) terms about some of his previous girls.  Basically the moral of these stories is that transition isn't 'over' until a couple of years after GRS.

Haz