Dressed up for therapy

Well, today I did it.

I've been going to therapy since November and today was the first time I dressed up for it. It has been more than 23 years since my wife, or anyone else, has seen me in a skirt. I went to her office and changed there as I have kids at home and we haven't told them about my dressing yet.
I wore a long kind of shade of green skirt, white mid arm length blouse, black buttonless sweater and black 3" pumps. I also had pearl earrings, one opal earring and wore a string of pearls. I didn't wear pantyhose, just bare skin. Bare skin feels really good in this skirt.

The other reason I didn't wear panyhose was I needed her to see the scars on my legs. At times it can be a minor hangup with me. When I was 13 yo, I burned my lower left leg. A month and two operations later I got out of the hospital with a scarred up lower leg and both thighs from where they took the skin. Doh. One advantage is I don't have to shave that leg, no hair grows there.

She thought I had coordinated well and dressed right for the occasion. She gave me a some good compliments.

I was so nervous for the first five minutes, but then I got over it and started to really relax. I don't know why I was nervous, maybe the fact it has been hidden and pushed away for so long. It felt wonderful to be in a skirt and actually have someone else in the room with me.
I didn't wear any makeup or forms and such. Just went with a very natural and plain look. I didn't have that much time to begin with anyway.
I had decided last week to do it today and the last two hours before my appointment took forever to go by. Then it was over so quickly. Bing, 1 hour gone. I didn't want to change back to leave; I could've stayed there for much longer.

I'm definitly going to do it again. Now..... what to wear.

That's great, Rachel!

Sorry to hear about the scars and what happened back then.

Hugs,
Persephone.

You should be proud of yourself! It gets easier each time! Before long you will be comfortable enough to go all out!

Soon you will be looking for a place to go after you appointment because you just won't want to go back to guy mode.

I have been going to therapy for several years and only withinthe last couple have i been with a skilled therapy group. It now depends on what I wish to talk about but I often arrive dressed. My therapist feels I am less stressed when I arrive as Sara. One thing I also notice is that when dressed I feel a little mixed when i discuss things from my enhomme life. Sorry to hear about your scars.

I don't know, I've never done therapy, but if gender issues are part of what you are seeking help with, isn't it helpful to go dressed and let the therapist meet and understand that side of your issues? I just don't understand how that kind of therapy can work any other way. Rachel your outfit sounds really nice and right for the occasion. Next time maybe you can take time to even do the make up and hair.
Tina B.

I am sorry about your leg. That happened at a time when doctors would have said, "Oh, at least we don't have to worry about aesthetics when we repair this burn. It's just a guy."

Sounds like a great step forward. How courageous to go dressed for the first time! I wasn't quite so brave with my therapist. Over the course of two years of therapy, much of it devoted to my crossdressing, sexuality and gender identification, but I never found the courage to go dressed. I suspect my therapist would have been receptive - she was, in my view at the time, surprisingly encouraging.

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Originally Posted by Persephone

That's great, Rachel!

Sorry to hear about the scars and what happened back then.

Hugs,
Persephone.

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Thanks.

What happened was: A friend and I decided it would be fun to ride our bicycles through fire (seemed like a good idea at the time). We got a half gallon milk container full of gasoline (nothing wrong with that either) and poured some (key word, some) out onto the cement and lit it on fire. We rode through it a couple of times (the flames were maybe, at the most, six inches) and all was good. Except for when I drove my tire over the milk carton, then it all came out a once.

Flame on.

I thought I did pretty well. I dropped and rolled and my friend was trying to smother it with his hands (he had gloves on) but it is amazing how little time it takes fire to do a lot of damage.
I was out of school for 3 1/2 months (because of the tudor I had, it actually helped my school grades a great deal) and couldn't walk for 3 months of time. My mom didn't let forget it for a few years.

Needless to say I didn't play with fire anymore.

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Originally Posted by StaceyJane

Soon you will be looking for a place to go after you appointment because you just won't want to go back to guy mode.

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Oh I know! I so didn't want to change back into boy clothes, so the only thing I changed when I left counseling was the skirt and shoes and stayed that way the rest of the night.

When I made my first appointment I asked my therapist if she minded if I came dressed. She was fine with it. She has never seen me in guy mode. My therapy days have become a shopping day for me. I usually go shopping, out to lunch and then to therapy.

Diana

Now that I've gone dressed, I plan on going dressed most of the time if not all the time. My appointments are usually right after work and I don't have very much time.

I'm thinking I need to go shopping as I been thinking of what to wear to my next session. I don't have very many clothes, but compared to two months ago, my wardrobe has increased dramatically.

I am so happy with this group. I try to look here every day and it has helped me feel better about myself knowing that there are others I can share with.

I went to this therapist weekly for about 10 weeks. After a couple of weeks, I asked her if she wanted to meet Steffi. She was fine with it, so Steffi went most of the time afterwards. I would get there early, change in the bathroom in her office, and change back after the appointment and go back to work. I wore a different outfit every week, with matching jewelry and other accessories. I spent the time between sessions planning my next outfit. Even though therapy is supposed to be a "judgement free zone", both positive and negative, she often slipped up and gave me wonderful comments, like how well put together I was.

I stopped going partially because the thrill of dressing every week died down, and it was more of a chore to doll up and doll down in the middle of the day, and because she was convinced that I was gay (I'm not gay, but maybe Lesbian), and she wouldn't get off that idea.

I went to a therapist several timess over the years. WHile i never did not fully dressed ai awas brav enough to wera gilrs jeans pantis and bra and a verry light makeup. SHe was cool and encoured me to do it fully dressed but i was never able to let her see me dressed alll the way I wish i could have done it

Rachel, I had a gas tank on a 1930 Ford explode in my face about 7 years ago. 2nd degree superficial burns to my face, 1 ambulance ride, helicopter ride, and 4 days in ICU later, I walked out of the hospital with no surgeries or scarring. But...as for getting burnt...oh the pain! I can sympathize all to well with how that felt, and am truely sorry you had to experience that.

Now...about your therapist. I'm really happy you got to go en femme. Afterall, this is one of the things you are there to discuss, and it is probably aleiviating some of the pressure to be Rachel at the meeting anyway. Good luck int he future! Also...I like business casual! Nothing says that can't be totally cute at the same time! Have fun!

I'm glad to hear that you did that! It sounds like it's a big milestone for you. I would think your therapist would encourage you to dress if it relieves stress or makes you comfortable. Next time maybe you should dress at home and drive to the therapist's office enfemme, if you're comfortable with that.

As for the burns, I can relate because I have a couple-day-old burn on my arm that I'm sure won't go away. Unfortunately there's no funny or tragic story behind it - I was trying out for a bus boy job and stuck my hands too far into the oven to get the garlic bread. :straightface: