LeaP
06-13-2014, 10:05 AM
The saga of trans travails continues with a focus on a key cog in the transformation machinery – the psych*.
Is the psych your friend, enemy, gatekeeper, judge/jury/executioner, consoler-in-chief, pro-forma letter writer, diagnostician, counselor, syncophant-enabler, or perhaps just full of themselves or full of something else? Trained? Knowledgeable? Up-to-date? Have an agenda? Trans?
What a great question!
Were I to draw a great, vast Venn Diagram of the psych world, intersecting all the practitioner types, training and approaches, conflicting theories, treatments and standards, competencies, and roles, there would be a little, teensy, tiny, itsy-bitsy common intersection at the center, almost invisible, that represents what you want – the Gen-U-Wine Gender therapist. The Real Deal. The One who Actually Knows and will help you place your feet on the One True Path, whatever that is for YOU.
Good luck finding such! Maybe you tried one of the myriad referral sites, only to find that EVERYONE lists gender as a specialty! “Wow,” you think, “am I in luck!” Not so, Padawan! Psychs get to list anything they want, for any reason. Maybe they heard a lecture on the topic, “covered” it in a book chapter 10 years ago in school, or would find it just fascinating to have a gender client for the first time! You could get lucky, of course, and find the real deal straightaway. And you could win the lottery. (If you are actually trans, it’s a good indication that you’re not the lucky type, but I digress.)
“Hmmm, I know – I’ll interview them,” you think. And so you do. A depressing pattern emerges:
“Do you have any experience with transsexuals?” “Oh yes, I have had several crossdressing clients.”
“Do you belong to any gender-focused professional groups?” “I belong to the Harry Benjamin Society …”
“Are you taking new clients?” “Yes, I have an opening 7 months from now.”
“I’m calling about a gender issue I have …” “Come on in, Bunky, the letter is $50 on top of the appointment cost.”
“Do you have a close working relationship with any gender-knowledgeable physicians?” “You know, that’s probably a good idea …”
“Are you aware of, or follow any particular standard of care?” “[indignant tone] Perhaps you would be better off with another practitioner …”
So, maybe you conclude that you’ll work with what you got, travel, or (heaven help you) rely on fora like this and buy your letter when the time comes. Ummm – have you heard about the 1-2% of regretters? Maybe you like the psychs that "diagnose" on on intake appointment and have no need for a rigorous psych evaluation. No, wait ... those are the actual shamans, not psychs. Silly me.
Fate and the medicalization of transsexuality have conspired to plunk one of the most poorly understood, under-regulated, conflict-ridden, controversial, political, and obscure niche areas of modern medicine smack into a key role for transitioners. Further, the trans population has to deal with not only THAT, but tends to present with myriad co-morbid issues. What a recipe for success! Fortunately, the sense of sex/gender (let’s not get religious) is SO innate that the few actual TS navigate through like an Argonaut passing through the maelstrom. That we might get fleeced a bit along the way is just the price we pay …. And the non-TS? [shudder]
So, hope for the best but expect, well, less. Chances are that this part of the journey will be longer and more expensive than you hoped. (Sounds familiar) There is far more variability on this point than with electrolysis, though. But before you get too self-congratulatory about getting out short and cheap, consider the possible consequences! Also, hope the psych knows enough (or you make sure) not to bill for the DSM’s code for GD. That could be a serious bummer for your insurance coverage forever more. Assuming your insurance even covers the psych, that is.
Good luck!
Still want to transition in a heartbeat?
*(secret code word for anyone providing voodoo services, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurse practitioners, clergy counselors, your PCP who seems to know everything, and for some purposes, your friend who thinks s/he does. Actual shamans are, of course, a huge plus as long as they can feminize you with magic and without drugs.)
Is the psych your friend, enemy, gatekeeper, judge/jury/executioner, consoler-in-chief, pro-forma letter writer, diagnostician, counselor, syncophant-enabler, or perhaps just full of themselves or full of something else? Trained? Knowledgeable? Up-to-date? Have an agenda? Trans?
What a great question!
Were I to draw a great, vast Venn Diagram of the psych world, intersecting all the practitioner types, training and approaches, conflicting theories, treatments and standards, competencies, and roles, there would be a little, teensy, tiny, itsy-bitsy common intersection at the center, almost invisible, that represents what you want – the Gen-U-Wine Gender therapist. The Real Deal. The One who Actually Knows and will help you place your feet on the One True Path, whatever that is for YOU.
Good luck finding such! Maybe you tried one of the myriad referral sites, only to find that EVERYONE lists gender as a specialty! “Wow,” you think, “am I in luck!” Not so, Padawan! Psychs get to list anything they want, for any reason. Maybe they heard a lecture on the topic, “covered” it in a book chapter 10 years ago in school, or would find it just fascinating to have a gender client for the first time! You could get lucky, of course, and find the real deal straightaway. And you could win the lottery. (If you are actually trans, it’s a good indication that you’re not the lucky type, but I digress.)
“Hmmm, I know – I’ll interview them,” you think. And so you do. A depressing pattern emerges:
“Do you have any experience with transsexuals?” “Oh yes, I have had several crossdressing clients.”
“Do you belong to any gender-focused professional groups?” “I belong to the Harry Benjamin Society …”
“Are you taking new clients?” “Yes, I have an opening 7 months from now.”
“I’m calling about a gender issue I have …” “Come on in, Bunky, the letter is $50 on top of the appointment cost.”
“Do you have a close working relationship with any gender-knowledgeable physicians?” “You know, that’s probably a good idea …”
“Are you aware of, or follow any particular standard of care?” “[indignant tone] Perhaps you would be better off with another practitioner …”
So, maybe you conclude that you’ll work with what you got, travel, or (heaven help you) rely on fora like this and buy your letter when the time comes. Ummm – have you heard about the 1-2% of regretters? Maybe you like the psychs that "diagnose" on on intake appointment and have no need for a rigorous psych evaluation. No, wait ... those are the actual shamans, not psychs. Silly me.
Fate and the medicalization of transsexuality have conspired to plunk one of the most poorly understood, under-regulated, conflict-ridden, controversial, political, and obscure niche areas of modern medicine smack into a key role for transitioners. Further, the trans population has to deal with not only THAT, but tends to present with myriad co-morbid issues. What a recipe for success! Fortunately, the sense of sex/gender (let’s not get religious) is SO innate that the few actual TS navigate through like an Argonaut passing through the maelstrom. That we might get fleeced a bit along the way is just the price we pay …. And the non-TS? [shudder]
So, hope for the best but expect, well, less. Chances are that this part of the journey will be longer and more expensive than you hoped. (Sounds familiar) There is far more variability on this point than with electrolysis, though. But before you get too self-congratulatory about getting out short and cheap, consider the possible consequences! Also, hope the psych knows enough (or you make sure) not to bill for the DSM’s code for GD. That could be a serious bummer for your insurance coverage forever more. Assuming your insurance even covers the psych, that is.
Good luck!
Still want to transition in a heartbeat?
*(secret code word for anyone providing voodoo services, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurse practitioners, clergy counselors, your PCP who seems to know everything, and for some purposes, your friend who thinks s/he does. Actual shamans are, of course, a huge plus as long as they can feminize you with magic and without drugs.)