Counseling?

[Barbara Dugan]

When did you decided it was time to get counseling and how helpful it was to clarify your feelings lately I have been having feelings that go a little further than just crossdressing and sometimes is a little confusing:hugs:

[Kimberly Marie Kelly]

but I wanted more and felt more comfortable as a woman. When my HR manager asked me outright if I was transitioning, that prompted me to seek a therapist who was most helpful in clarifying my thoughts. In the last 10 months there have been many changes for me but I'm starting my new life as Kimberly and looking forward to it. Kimberly :battingeyelashes:

[StaceyJane]

I started couseling because I really just didn't feel good about who I was. I had been struggling all my life to accept myself.
I've been in couseling for a year now and I have made some really big steps. I'm still not where I want to be but I understand myself so much better.

[Barbara Dugan]

thanks for your opinions Stacey and Kimberly. clarify my toughts is what I am looking for, I feel good of my male side but I also feel very comfortable being Barbara

[JenniferZ2009]

Ive started to see a therapist so that I could be one step closer to hormones and to see if other things were shading my thought process about becoming a female full time.

[Teri Jean]

Barb,
I started to go to therapy when i was fully consumed with dressing all the time I was not at work. I was down to 3-4 hrs of sleep each night and could not function while awake. So now I'm more at peace and my sleep has returned and my work is getting more productive. BTW I have started to dress and work enfem 24-7 and loving it. But that is me and if you feel therapy will help you focus please do it.

Huggs Teri

[Dana Lane]

I needed to know why I have felt the way I have for my entire life and started doing some research and figured I may have GID. I then went to a therapist and got diagnosed with it. If you are thinking of going to a therapist you may just want to go ahead and set an appointment up.

I am VERY happy I went to one and now I can put my life on the right track!

Good luck to you

[luvSophia]

I am seeing my counselor right now because it is a checkbox to mark off on the road to SRS. I'm not having any issues to discuss with her at the moment, but it is nice to keep up the relationship so that she is there in case something does arise.

[helenr]

You may find it hard to find a competent therapist who truly understands us. I think most of them are far behind us in comprending our unique issues. A lot of dollars spent for 45 minute 'hourly sessions' and maybe not much that you have to show for it. but worth pursuing. I think anyone seeking a therapist has the right to question the shrink what his or her specific background is related to treating transgendered individuals.

[Sharon]

I think anyone seeking a therapist has the right to question the shrink what his or her specific background is related to treating transgendered individuals.

This is the first thing you should enquire of a potential therapist.

[Jessinthesprings]

I started out with a non-tg therepist and almost all of our hour long sessions went 10-20 minutes longer pending her schedule. While she did not know everything we transgender people go through I felt that in educating her I was revealing a bit about myself, and she made several observations that I thought were a big deal were in fact not really a big deal to the rest of the world.

Individual results will vary but, I think one should choose their therapist carefully, as you would your next relationship. In a way if you get a good one a relationship does develope as you are telling this person your inner most thoughts and feelings. Sometimes this is stuff you have never told anyone. If you feel like you are just dollars in the bank or just another number I would find someone else if you can. That's how i feel anyway.

good luck

[Teri Jean]

I had listened to the counsel of all those before me so when I did look for a therapist I made sure my family doctor understood that this is what I wanted. I also had chatted with Pam as she is in my area and she had been going to a program here in Minnesota. So when the doctor was coming up short in my area I mentioned the University of MN and he jumped as he knew of it but was concerned of the drive, 2 hrs each way, but was eager to make it happen when I told him this would be fine. I have been happy with the care and friends I have made since.

My advise would be, be proactive and do your home work. It is your life not theirs.

Good luck and hugs. Teri

[Melissa A.]

Over five years ago, in the months after my second marriage ended, I found myself, for the first time in many years, free to do whatever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to. Over the course of maybe a year, it was like that brick wall known as denial somewhere in the recesses of my mind came down, brick by brick. Sounds like a good thing, no? Well, actually, no. Not at first, anyway. Having almost four decades of repressed feelings come out all at once is really frickin confusing, and damn scary. Crosdressing was unsatisfying, for the first time. I couldn't sleep. I had wierd dreams. When I was awake, my mind raced constantly. I couldn't concentrate. I felt like crying at the wierdest times, for no apparant reason. I always had a low-level of knots in my tummy, and amazingly, I thought that was normal. Now it was like I had full-blown ulcer. I grew, over time, to hate, really hate having male sexual feelings and hated even more having to relieve them. And all I could think about was, "Who the f**k am I???? Why is this happening to me?" This was serious. It was a little foggy, but I always kinda remembered crying in my bed when I was between 3 and 4 because I was a boy and not a girl, but now it was so clear, and felt like it was yesterday. With the help of many, many wonderful people online, some of them here, I found a measure of support and understanding, and eventually, sought therapy. It took a little work, and was not easy at first, but I was lucky to find one of the best gender therapists around. The rest, as they say, is history. The knots in my tummy are gone(who knew that wasn't normal???? jeez.) and I'm me, to the world, and to myself. Prior to that, I was never a big fan of therapy. Whatever your outcome, I reccomend it to anyone feeling any confusion about who they really are. All it comes down to is a quest for your own truth. It can be alot of hard work, but the results are so worth it.

hugs,

Melissa:)

[Empress Lainie]

All of you have my very best wishes in your journey. I realize how hard it can be even though I didn't have any doubts about me. A good tg therapist can undoubtedly help you straighten out your thoughts about yourself.

The real problem for us that there are so few that are competent in this area and the ones that aren't will mostly profess to be and charge you for essentially nothing in the way of help.

[LaurenS.]

Hi Barbara,
Like Teri Jean, I sought a therapist when I knew I was more than a CD and it became all consuming. I was so fortunate to find a therapist specializing in transgender issues as she herself transitioned 20 years ago. She has been invaluable to me and has helped me to find a way to be happy with all that I am. I highly reccommend you find one and may you be as fortunate as I.
Lauren