My own first counseling session

[celeste26]

I found a counselor nearby who has in fact gone through the whole transition process. 1st session will be on the 3rd of Sept. Her process is a 12 week program prior to any HRT letter, so I could be on HRT for Christmas.

I'll be on pins and needles until then.

[Rianna Humble]

That's good news about finding a therapist! Although I must admit to a little concern about a timetable to HRT before your first session.

I hope it all goes well for you on Wednesday :hugs:

[I Am Paula]

Wonderful that you have found someone. I hope you two click. I too am curious about having a timetable already in place. My therapist knew I was right for HRT, and offered up my readiness letter, 45 minutes into our first session.
Good luck!

[CostaRicaRachel]

I have not started transitioning yet, but I went thru a crisis period about 6 months ago where 1 minute
I felt like I had to transition and the net minute I felt like I can't transition because I can't pass as
a woman, and this went back and forth. I was completely neurotic.

I finally contacted a therapist and she helped me thru the
crisis. I don't think she had a time table. I've seen here 6 times. I'm pretty sure, if I say I have to
transition, she would give me a letter. But I really don't know, I have never asked
her.

I'm a little concerned about the time table unless she has
some exercises you need to do before transitioning to make sure you are comfortable with it.


to trasition. Then I felt like

[Jorja]

As I have mentioned many times here on the forum, we all want therapist that follow WPATH guidelines and we want someone who is going to help us discover our needs. However, the WPATH guidelines are just that, guidelines. If you present to a therapist and they can clearly see that you have adapted to being a woman, they can go ahead and prescribe HRT at any time, even after the first meeting. This is not an unusual thing to do.

[Angela Campbell]

I think the most valuable part of my therapy was learning a lot of what I needed to know about transition. It was less determining if I should but helping to remove some fear and ignorance of what I was going to do. There is a lot to prepare for, and a lot to anticipate. Overall this is what made it as smooth as it has been.

No it isn't a walk in the park, but it could have been much more difficult.

[celeste26]

fwiw this counselor did not guarantee anything just a minimum length if all goes well. Although she did not elaborate on her qualifications, I will find out more when I go into to see her. Bottom line is will her "letter" count towards allowing the endo to begin me on HRT. IF not then I would be wasting my time and money.

[VanTG]

Hey Celeste, congrats on the counselling appointment and hope it does go as planned, but with things such as this you never know what can happen. IF you are set on reaching your goals then you will, but be aware some of the things discussed may not be easy. Everybody has their own process and just as Jorja stated, the WPATH guidelines are just that suggested guidelines. Either way good luck and hope to hear how it went.

[Jorja]

Celeste, have you been through therapy before? If not, I would opt for the entire 12 week program. It will do you good to learn as much about yourself as possible.

[celeste26]

Jorja, I dont know how that you got the idea that I was not in for the whole 12 week program. The whole purpose is to get into HRT and without completing the process I wont get the letter. Its not like I can sign up ahead of time for all 12 weeks. Far too many things could in fact interfere and extend that time frame. There are as I see it, two separate benefits from this process;1) get some objective "been there/done that" feed back 2) begin the process of HRT. This counselor is not some psychiatrist with multiple degrees and decades of work with hundreds of TS clients. She is a TS herself who went back to school and got her degree and now does counseling for TS clients.

fwiw no I have not been in therapy before.

[Cheryl123]

A doctor can prescribe HRT before, after, or during therapy. Doctors and clinics in the US have different policies, and a lot depends on the patient. It's not a bad idea to consult with your doctor even while you are in therapy to see what her thoughts are. Good luck Celeste. I'm happy for you.

[celeste26]

In my first session, I was given an "empathy test", the counselor uses it as a means of comparison after HRT has begun. In theory at least after getting 'E' in the system one becomes more empathetic. Except, in my case I have been taking herbal 'E' for several years and I scored very high without the prescribed 'E' I dont know what to think might happen after beginning HRT. Maybe I'll revert back to being non-empathetic!