First Session With The Therapist.

[Guest Katrina_Carter]

Occasionally I see someone post about their first session, and mine made my day wonderful. I had a smile from ear to ear all day. So I want to tell about it, just because I'm happy how it went.

Well first of all my therapist is a professor at western michigan university. He is working through pathways which is what I am assuming an organization for low income individuals. He told me that for the first several years of his career he had dealt with many patients with gender identity issues. He also suggested strongly to me that I really do need to look into insurance since the cost of prescriptions, SRS, and seeing a doctor about it all is incredibly high. I know he is right and after the session I have started looking for companies that sell individual policies to uninsured with no coverage offered at work. Earning under 13k a year means it is going to hurt, but you have to do what you have to do.

So how the session went. Well I took everyone's advice and I was brutally honest. I told him things I had only told my closest friend. I have anxiety and depression like most, but he believes that they are parallel issues to my gender identity issues. I brought up that they may be thyroid related which I think took him by surprise judging by the look on his face, he probably had not considered that. So he told me I need to as soon as possible get to a doctor to have my thyroid checked, then he wants me to get on buspar and wellbutrin. We discussed my spirituality, my gender identity issues, talked about stuff like me wanting to go back to college but probably going with an online college, he told me I need the social interaction of a college class room and strongly suggests I find a campus instead.

I told him how from my early teens right into my 20s I used to pray to god every night asking god to let me wake up in the morning with all of this as just a bad dream. That I would be that wonderful woman laying in bed in the morning having just had a nightmare that I was male. That I would often daydream and fantasize that I would find a genie and be granted 3 wishes. That most people would wish for money or fame, but my first wish every single time was that I would be a normal woman.

He seemed a bit amazed that I had so much knowledge about gender identity issues and had done so much research and legwork on my issues. I told him that I had no real friends to discuss anything with anymore, but I had joined an online support group. He told me that he knew within 5 minutes of talking to me I was transgendered, that I knew my gender identity well and I had no doubts about what it is. The problem he said he had is that I knew the consequences of what I was about to do in my head, but I didn't know them in my heart. That it is one thing to know how people will react, that they will hate you, be disgusted or creeped out by you, that they may even try to kill you, but it is an entirely other thing to experience it and be ready to face it.

It also made me quite happy that he said that he could tell I was incredibly intelligent, but where I am in life, my career, and so on it is like putting a thoroughbred race horse behind a plow. The plowing needs to get done, and there's nothing wrong with that, but there is so much more potential than just being strapped to a plow. Also he said he thinks I am extremely right brained, I'm not really sure what that is, I've heard of it but can't remember anything about it.

In the end he said before we do anything with the gender issues and work on getting hormone replacement and such that he wants to get my anxiety and depression under control and discuss my spirituality issues. I don't know what he means by the spirituality issues, but I guess I will find out soon enough.

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Hi Katrina

It is really good to hear that you had the courage to see a gender therapist and that your first session was so positive.

Work with your therapist because he is there to help you along your journey.

I think that his reference about your spirituality, he means your values. Not exactly sure what he is really driving at, but it sounds like he is on your side

I hope all continues to be well with you sweetie

Love

Brenda

[Guest sarah f]

I am happy that your first session went so well for you. It really does feel good to get it off of your chest. Just keep bein honest with him and hopefully you will get what you are looking for sooner than later.

Love,

Sarah F

[Guest Donna Jean]

Katrina...

That's a really wonderful step that you've taken.....

And one thing in particular stands out to me....

So many people here report that on their first or second visit the therapist knew that they were Transgendered!

And, the gender issue, when addressed, usually clears up gobs of other issues....those that are "parasite" issues caused by the dysphoria itself.

You're on the correct path, Honey....good on you!

Huggs

Donna Jean