First Appointment

[Guest Jenny]

Well thanks to the person I met on here, who introduced me to a member in the military. I had found out that the other member in the military and I have a friend in common. The friend in common works with me. So today I told her about me. So this is the first person I have told face to face in person.

And tomorrow I have my first appointment, mind you she is a family therapist, but it is my first appointment and I am scared and excited. And considering my circumstances I did not really have a choice what kind of therapist I could make an appointment with.

[MaryEllen]

Good luck, Jenny. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya.

MaryEllen

[Sally]

Good luck, Jenny,

And don't worry about the type of therapist a good therapist will find yoou the help that you need if they cannot supply it themselves.

Congratulations on your new friend.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest viv]

Well thanks to the person I met on here, who introduced me to a member in the military. I had found out that the other member in the military and I have a friend in common. The friend in common works with me. So today I told her about me. So this is the first person I have told face to face in person.

And tomorrow I have my first appointment, mind you she is a family therapist, but it is my first appointment and I am scared and excited. And considering my circumstances I did not really have a choice what kind of therapist I could make an appointment with.

Dear Jenny,

Thats fab news, I am absolutely thrilled for you hun. We all knew you took some brave steps to get to tomorrow

and you will reap your rewards. Tonight I attended our Remembrance Mass in male mode , next years I will be just

another woman there. Your strength has given me strength , way it works . Lets all win together Jenny , Luv, viv

[Guest yvonne]

Jenny,

I'm so pleased to hear that you're starting toward inner peace. I've lived a life of incredible torment and conflict myself and only began to realize resolution in the last year or so.

I hope that you can achieve some calm in your life, as no one should live as I have or as I expect that you have.

Please keep us posted on your progress, as we do care about you and many here can identify with how you've had to live. There is a better way and I pray you find it.

We're here for you.

Yvonne

[Carolyn Marie]

Jenny, good luck to you, Hon. That's excellent news.

Sally is right, of course, if your therapist is a good one, they will find the right resources for you.

You also have the option of downloading and printing the Standards of Care (SOC) from this website and giving it to them.

But they should also be able to find it on their own.

I hope you connect right away - that makes it so pleasant and enjoyable.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Jenny]

She certainly did sound happy and pleasant, and she apologized for not calling me back sooner.

I don't even know where to start, I am going to end up walking in there and trying to blurt my whole life's story in 30-60 mins!

All that time of keeping myself suppressed, and now just telling these two people, I feel like I can tell everyone in my life! Not that I am going to because I know that would be a really bad idea at this point. Still....

[Guest yvonne]

She certainly did sound happy and pleasant, and she apologized for not calling me back sooner.

I don't even know where to start, I am going to end up walking in there and trying to blurt my whole life's story in 30-60 mins!

All that time of keeping myself suppressed, and now just telling these two people, I feel like I can tell everyone in my life! Not that I am going to because I know that would be a really bad idea at this point. Still....

Jenny,

I just started therapy a few weeks ago and had session #3 last night. I also was surprised at how nice everyone was. I was surprised to talk to people who felt GID was no big surprise and were immediately sympathetic. wow.

I did in fact spend the first 60 minutes blurting out my whole story. It was the first time ever I'd discussed the demons in my head with a stranger.

What I experienced and I hope that you experience is:

#1--This is an extremely serious condition, but highly effective treatment is available

#2--Simply the act of recognizing it and taking steps to do something about it is a very uplifting experience

#3--It hurt a lot to bring it back to the surface, but it made me feel better right away to do so

#4--Sharing my feelings here in Laura's is as good for my soul as a quick trip to my therapists

#5--I'm not a freak, pervert, weirdo or wacko. I'm a person with a medical condition that's physical, real and treatable. This condition can cause mental anguish, extreme mental anguish, but it's not a mental condition, it's a physical condition.

#6--I'm so surprised at how quickly I began to feel better inside and better about myself.

#7--I wonder every day why and how I ever waited so long to get help.

#8--There are a whole bunch of people with the same condition I have, we all have a lot in common and many of them are my true sisters here.

I'm very excited to hear you say these things. I'll be very interested to read your accounts of your experience.

Please tell us all about it and know that there are many of us here that care a great deal about you and would do nearly anything we could to help.

Your loving and caring sister,

Yvonne

[Guest qRachelp]

Well thanks to the person I met on here, who introduced me to a member in the military. I had found out that the other member in the military and I have a friend in common. The friend in common works with me. So today I told her about me. So this is the first person I have told face to face in person.

And tomorrow I have my first appointment, mind you she is a family therapist, but it is my first appointment and I am scared and excited. And considering my circumstances I did not really have a choice what kind of therapist I could make an appointment with.

Jenny,

I may be wrong, but somehow, I think that Canada's "general therapists" are more liberal than America's. Anyway, I'm glad you've got your life heading in the direction that's best for YOU. It took me 25 years of being what others thought I should be, to the detriment of myself, only to find out that I should've been MYSELF all along.

Good for you that you're finding your way!

XX,

Rachel

[Guest Jenny]

First one down.........it's going to take me days to recover from it too! I'm having mood swings like there is no tomorrow. She got me thinking somewhat clear and hours later all the junk settles back in, I just unloaded all the junk on my friend and stuff is somewhat clear again.

It's all so confusing, disheartening and hopeful all at once. That makes it better than the numbness I was (not) feeling before. I just wish the spinning would stop. I wish I had my friend here to hold me.

When I get on HRT and if I am this emotional now, I'll be a wreck then.

I love you gals and thanks for listening. I have another appointment in two weeks, but she said she was going to try and get me in next week.

[Guest again]

Congrats Jenny---a slow process but worthwhile in the end.

[Guest Erin Quinn]

Keep it up Jenny, I know therapy has done worlds of good for me after just three sessions. Keep us updated

[Guest rachael1]

Hi Jenny,

You are taking some huge steps in trying to deal with everything.

Congratulations on your first session, it must have been very emotional for you.

Rachael

[Guest yvonne]

First one down.........it's going to take me days to recover from it too! I'm having mood swings like there is no tomorrow. She got me thinking somewhat clear and hours later all the junk settles back in, I just unloaded all the junk on my friend and stuff is somewhat clear again.

It's all so confusing, disheartening and hopeful all at once. That makes it better than the numbness I was (not) feeling before. I just wish the spinning would stop. I wish I had my friend here to hold me.

When I get on HRT and if I am this emotional now, I'll be a wreck then.

I love you gals and thanks for listening. I have another appointment in two weeks, but she said she was going to try and get me in next week.

Hi Jenny,

After my first therapy session, I felt great leaving her office, but after I'd been home a short time, I realized I had a lot of tension, anger and distress built up in me. The other girls said that was the "volcano" effect, from letting all the nasty stuff vent. Just bringing it out and finally dealing with it was both distressing and at the same time a relief of pressure.

It takes us a long time to get to the point where we finally admit we need therapy, so expect a little time for it to start to make you feel better. It will make you feel better and I hope you make a commitment to it for at least a while, if not long term.

If you feel like you just need someone to talk to, someone to let it all out to, someone to understand you, comfort you or hold you, we're right here. This has truly become my family of loving sisters and a real source of comfort for me. I hope it does for you, too.

We're not that different and our experiences aren't all that far apart.

Big Hug,

Yvonne