Any advice for me before I go to see a therapist for the first time?

[~Serena~]

Two weeks ago I scheduled an appointment for tomorrow (well later today technically) with a therapist who is experienced in dealing with GID issues. Now that its I'm taking my first step towards transitioning I feel really excited but also scared (well maybe more nervous than scared) and I have no idea how my session will go. Can anyone who is currently seeing or had been seeing a therapist give me any tips before I go see her? Like is there a certain time period of waiting between seeing your therapist and starting hormones? Or can they prevent you from starting if they don't think that you're ready (that would be a nightmare for me because I'm already so stressed out about transitioning that I can't think about anything else)? Should I let her know that I am part of this forum (because the website is called "crossdressers.com", I don't want her thinking that I'm just a crossdresser who is simply fantasizing)? Or any advice in general for someone who is about to begin their transition would be helpful. Thanks :)

Serena

[SamanthaC]

Hi Serena! Please let us all ( or me via PM ) know how it goes!. I'm considering embarking on the same.

[Saffron]

hormones are just part of the transition, not THE transition, you can still do a lot of things about your transition: voice training, laser, learn how to dress, walk, talk and socialize as a woman... I don't know if you are closeted, if this if the case then you can start to go out.

Also if you want to loose weight it's better to do it now than when you start HRT, as you will gain weight and it will be hard to loose it.

There's a lot you can do right now about your transition :)

[~Serena~]

@Quad: I'll keep you updated and good luck on your transitioning!

@ Saffron: Thanks for the advice. I plan to do laser and voice training sometime soon. As for weight, it was an issue for me in the past; being 5'4 and 165 lbs, I was overweight (long time ago back in 10th grade) but since then I have been eating healthy and going to the gym a couple of times a week and have maintained my weight between 120 and 125 lbs although it would have been easier if I had grown any taller lol). I have heard about that before and I'm kinda worried about it but I feel like if I stick to my lifestyle now the weight might actually add to some areas to make my physique more feminine like butt, hips, breasts, etc (hopefully). From your experience and/or knowledge would this be the case for transwomen on hormones?
I'm still closeted but I did manage to go out for the second time in my life last weekend and it boosted my confidence a little bit; now I think I might go shopping at Dress Barn this Friday. My biggest worry is being outed at school. I did buy a compression undershirt sometime ago because I have gynecomastia. Do you think that will help cover up any breast growth I get from hormones or do hormones not affect that region the much?

Thanks for all your support and advice

With love,

Serena

[Rianna Humble]

The main advice that I would give you is to be yourself and not to be worried about the therapist because they are not there to judge you but to help you discover what is right for your life.

I may be wrong, but I don't think you should expect to get a recommendation for hormones on the first visit - I would be worried if a therapist jumped to conclusions without getting to know you.

As others have said, hormones are only one small part of transitioning. You need to be sure that this is right for you, and that includes gaining the self-confidence to be able to go out as the new you. Although I don't suggest anyone should follow my example, I had been living and working as a woman for around 16 months before I got my first prescription.

As for what you should tell her on the first visit, my advice (for what it is worth if anything) would be to go with the flow and see what comes up. Only you can ultimately judge what feels right on the day.

[kimdl93]

Just go there without an agenda...or an objective. Therapy is a process - and for the first few weeks especially, you and the therapist should get to know each other and learn to speak honestly with each other. Then, one begins what can be a slow and sometimes painful process of peeling back the layers of the onion.

[ChelseaErtel]

Be honest and true. Tell all, that is why you are there. I did and its very liberating.

[Jorja]

First of all Relax. Be yourself. The therapist is not there to judge you but to help you discover for yourself the who, what and whys about you. Do not expect the therapist to have the answers. The answers are within you. The therapist will help you dig them out. Be truthful and honest with your answers even if you may not think it is important or relevant.

[Sally24]

Just go with an open mind and answer her questions. I'm a list person so I had lists of questions as well as notes about growing up. You need to be honest with her, and yourself. This is therapy, not a chinese restaurant. You are there to interact, learn about yourself, and find ways to be happier. Let it come naturally. Good Luck!

[Thera Home]

Or any advice in general for someone who is about to begin their transition would be helpful. Thanks :)
Serena

Hi Serena

I suspect that your therapist is going to tell you what you want to hear.
You need to be your own therapist:D

Be careful w/ these "therapists" and watch your wallet:heehee:

Thera

[~Serena~]

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom. About to head out in 5 minutes!

[sandra-leigh]

I suspect that your therapist is going to tell you what you want to hear.

Oooo, yah, the way my therapist tells me that I am remarkably stubborn sends such beautiful shivers up my spine! Give it to me, baby, one more time!

[melissaK]

(Sound of fingernails drumming patiently on desk awaiting post therapy post from Serena)

[~Seana~]

Just in regards to your thoughts on a compression vest. Ouch.

At a little more than 2 months in, walking from here to the mall next door in the-5 celcius cold my nipples felt like 2blow torches were being used on them. I can not expect, in the next year at least, that level of discomfort to change though the type of discomfort may. I cant possibly fathom what they would feel like with a compression vest pushing on them at the same time. Just ouch.

Seana

[~Serena~]

Hey everyone,

The therapist was great! She really understands my need to transition. She said it'll be tough leading a double life for awhile (since I'm not coming out at school) but said she had a friend who was like me so she know its hard to come out in certain places. So I'll be full time after 4 years and until then I'm Serena everywhere except for school. She recommended a GP who she thought worked better with younger people over an endocrinologist who also deals with this. Tomorrow I'm going to make an appointment to get my bloodwork done sometime probably in January (since I'll be going home for the last 3 weeks of December and most likely the doc's schedule will be full for anytime before). Then I think she said it takes about 4-6 weeks to get the results back and see whether I can start taking hormones or not. So it'll probably be sometime March when I can begin HRT. Its only 5 months away but I'm already getting so impatient lol. Going back to see my therapist in 2 weeks. So excited to start my journey to become the real me, Serena. Glad I can share my experience with you girls on this forum :)

Serena

[JackieMarie]

yayyyy! good for you sweetie! im so excited for you!

[Vanessa Amber420]

I'm happy its working out for you!

[morgan51]

I'm happy for you as well congrats. Good for you!

[~Serena~]

Thanks everyone for all your support and encouragement. It means a lot to me to not be alone through this life changing process.

Serena

[Babeba]

I'm so glad that it went well!

[~Seana~]

From what I see of your posts, I'd do alot of reading on the process and issues. Reading both here and in Safe Haven will help a lot as many of your questions seem to convey some naivety on what to expect. Your gender therapist can help with this also, but just reading up both here and on other TG related sites will answer alot of them for you.

Seana

[Thera Home]

Oooo, yah, the way my therapist tells me that I am remarkably stubborn sends such beautiful shivers up my spine! Give it to me, baby, one more time!

You're funny.........................:haha:

Thera

[SamanthaC]

Great stuff, hope everything works out well :)