It starts...

[Terra]

Well, went to see my theripist today, pretty good day all in all!

The final verdict? It is real, at least that is what he says his impression is. I think I got lucky in several ways. First, he says he deals with lots of transexuals, second, he is gay. The scecond makes it eaisier to talk about certin feelings and thoughts.

He says I seem to be in a rush and to slow down, and that he feels like i'm maybe focusing to much on the future and not the present. Though he seemed rather impressed that i'd done my homework and seemed to know alot of the dangers this road has, along with already having a plan to get through it.

This is step 5 in about 5 thousand, long way to go. But I feel like a great weight has been lifted. It is one thing to believe you are something, another entirly to have someone tell you you are. Thanks for all the support, wouldn't have gotten this far without you all. 


So, I guess to take another step, how does the name Luana strike all of yall?

[stephanie_craxford]

This may be prematuture, but hello Luana 

That is such good news, and I understand exactly how you feel, it's a wonderful feeling to have someone tell you what you knew.  It seems as though you've managed to hook up with a great therapist too.

The important thing is to heed his advice, and slow down a little, it doesn't take much for your whole world to come crashing down around your ears.

I think I've said this before, but Cat Stevens said it best:

Take your time,
Think a lot
Think of everything you've got,
For you will still be hear tomorrow,
But your dreams may not.

And hey, support is what we're here for.

I'm so happy for you, take care

Steph

P.S.  If You like the name then the name is great 

[Leigh]

. It is one thing to believe you are something, another entirly to have someone tell you you are. 

If your therapist "told you you are"get another one.  Telling you is not their function.

Once you reach a certain point you can't go back.  Unlike Dorthy you might be stuck in Oz without Toto cause you can't click your heels together ever again.

[KelliTGirl]

Congrats! I'm glad things went well. Be cautious, and take your time making decisions. I know that sometime we want releif so badly from thise demon that we make rash decisions. Takre care!

[Cassandra]

Leave it to Leigh to come along crack her whip and give some good common sense advice. I agree I don't think the therapist should be telling you who or what you are. If he told you, you were a rat, would you believe you were a rat?

I've been called gay, fag and a few other things all my life, long before I came out as a woman. I have never had relations with a man(At least not voluntarily but that is another story) Just because people said I was this or that (unless of course they called me a girl which I already knew) did not make me doubt my sexuality. I knew what I was and what anybody else said didn't matter a hill of beans.

A therapist should diagnose rather you have GID, as to what you are that is for you to tell him.  By the way Luana sounds great as long as you like it. You will have it for a long time.

Good Journey,

Cassie

[Terra]

Thanks for the concern!

No, my therapist did not tell me I am a transexual, just that he has delt with alot of them, and that I meet some of the criteria and sound like one.

As for being told about being gay..I can relate. One of my coworkers kinda hit me off guard, and I accidently told him. Luckly, and ironicly, he is gay as well. However, he is convinced that i'm just gay and confused, even though I told him straight out that it didn't work like that. That the only way I can be with a guy is if he could accept me as a woman. Not as an "up-or-bottom", a bonified woman. Gah, I almost got the 2x4 to beat it into hem, and he still dosn't get it, but he is willing to be there for me and talk to me.

I gotta be more carefull, but this job is really hitting me where it hurts. It is realy painfull to be delivering these kids and getting that constent reminder of, no matter what, i will never truly be. Gah, there I go again, getting all mushy. I'll get there, just gotta take it a step at a time.

[Shelley]

As you said Luana this is the first steps of many and patience will need to be a constant companion.

Good luck with your journey of self discovery.

Shelley

[stephanie]

Congrats on your first visit!  I still remember mine, how nervous I was, but by the end I felt really good to have gone.  It's a great feeling, isn't it?

I think the name Luana is nice.  You've got plenty of time before the legal name change, so think of it as the top of your list.  If you really like it, then go with it.  If another name strikes you down the road, then go with that one.  It's kind of fun actually.

[gina_taylor]

Conrats Luana on your first visit. I'm sure that you were a little nervous, but I'm also sure that the nervousness dropped away soon afterward, like a snake shedding it's skin. However, my third therapist had said the same that I also meet some of the criteria from the DMV4 book, but not all of it, which made me feel good. But one thing that I had learnt and that is that a therapist cannot diagnose you. The best thing to do is to let him /  her tell you what he/ she feels an then take it from there. One mistake I made, is that I read too much, so I saw my therapist and I did more anaylising than what was necessary. If I had wnet in there with nothing, I think it would have been better.

BTW, my first thrapist was stuck on the consequenses that I'd have to face with transitioning, and I got bored after the fourth week. he was starting to sound like a broken record.

Gina