Starting therapy again

[GabbiSophia]

After nearly 8 months of a therapy "break" the pressures are enough to go back. I am not sure what I want to accomplish by going back but I know that I can't do what I am doing right now forever. As much as it drives me insane to pay someone so much money to listen and give me their opinions, I will do it. Like someone said finding a way to compartmentalize this so I can live my life is my goal.

To think about being a woman and feeling like a woman actually becomes an overwhelming thought that it effects your everyday life blows my mind. So I will see how it goes this time and see if I can work through my own issues to try and get to the root of things
...deep breaths...

[kimdl93]

Steph, you may find that therapy works better for you if you understand what actually is happening. It's far different from what you perceive. The therapist doesn't just listen and offer opinions. They will of course listen and ask questions to help you clarify your thinking. However, if you're willing to do the work, they can provide cognitive exercises that can help you manage your moods and stop self defeating patterns of thought. The key is to understand the goals and do the work.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

You already know the root of things.

A therapist can help you go from there to give you the best chance at your best quality of life. You can spend ages with a therapist at xx$ per 45 minutes talking about the meaning of life, but then you leave the appointment and must live life..

some folks make the mistake of living for their therapy appointment, you have been kind of the opposite and I think you are well served to go back but with the knowledge of the truth which includes that you've had a rough eight months...denying why won't help you anymore in the future than it did in the past.. hopefully you can come with strategies to help you cope with your current situation and how you desire to live your life

and trust me you are not the first person to resist/quit therapy and go back to it

[GabbiSophia]

Man I hope so... i get it finally why others have chosen the road they have chosen.. today alone the gd was soon bad that I had the shakes.. it doesn't matter if I want it or not it's about finding the way I want to live while dealing with the gd allso... i just hate that I know what it wants and I try not to fight or give in but man....Though u r right I do not live for therapy but hoe I can learn..being stubborn is tough

[stefan37]

Therapy is helpful if YOU ask the right questions. You need to investigate methods I have previously suggested to help deal with your GD. Express yourself the way you would like others to see you. Failure to take any steps forward or investigate alternative methods will leave you vulnerable to the constant assault of GD. Your life will be a living hell tormenting you forever. I am not suggesting you transition, but find ways to express yourself as your inner self needs. You may eventually give up and stop waging internal war and transition. Living as you are now will benefit no one.

[GabbiSophia]

Stefan I know the things you have suggested in the past. I get it.. trust me I do but those things are not what I want. Yes I agree they will help but until I try or exhaust myself I am not wiling to try those. The gd at the moment is bad and what it is asking for is not what I want to give. I don't want to fight it or give in to it I just want to live. That's the thing I am looking for... When I give in an inch it is like a snowball that turns so into an avalanche. Yes I get that to most that is not worth it it but we each have our limit and at this point mmine is still not been reached.

I do appreciate the advice and I wish that there were other solutions but everyone or everything I see leads down a path ..the same path eventually. .i am just trying to bx it up and live life while still admitting that it is me..

[stefan37]

But you are fighting it. It is impacting your life in a negative way. you are very stressed out and the gd is a constant buzz in your head. That is why you need to do to help alleviate it. If you change nothing you can not expect a different result. That is all I am suggesting. And trust me somethings you can do will not impact on your male life in any appreciable way, but you can start to live authentically and watch your gd disappear into oblivion. Do nothing and you will experience absolutely no relief.

I was able to stave off transitioning by quite a few years, even though I had no idea what i was dealing with. Hopefully you can stave off transitioning forever and live your life as yo would like.

[GabbiSophia]

Fair enough.. i think we are both saying the same thing just coming at it different ways.. i am trying different things that will not effect my life ..One being therapy.. and some other things... trying to maybe be chive here to have an outlet is another.. who knows what's going to work but I know that therapy is a must at this point and like Katlyn said I will prob stop and dirt it a few times to try and work things out on my own... The gd is a crazy thing as it twists it way into my life at the most unappreciated time ever ... let's hit the I Wil deal with you in 20 years button

[melissakozak]

Therapy is best approached as a process of change and discovery with an open mind. I have been seeing a gender counselor for nearly 1 1/2 years and we have come to a lot of conclusions together in therapy. Just be open minded and set your goal at the discovery point....at least you have the courage to do it. Most people don't. Hugs....

[LeaP]

Therapists are not all created equal. I MUCH preferred my last therapist (I moved to another state) - to the point where I may re-engage her by telephone ... not so sure if that will work well or not. Best case is a high level of interaction where I can delve into things, but where the therapist really explores and challenges, too. My current therapist is too much in the mode of mostly listening and offering modest advice and little perspective. So I'm getting some assistance by way of cognitive awareness guidance, but little that's sufficiently trans-informed. She has TS experience - but not the nearly 30 years of my last therapist. I think for the cost of a therapist, their impact should be significant. Feel free to shop around, as daunting as it might be to start up again with someone else.