My First Therapist Appointments

[Guest Jack Solomon]

I have my first appointments with my gender therapist in San Rafael, California on April 28th and 29th. She knows of my intentions to eventually obtain a letter to go on hormone therapy by going to her. I won't have access to a computer for the next three days (April 27-29) so I won't be on the forums much. Anyway, I just wanted to say I'll post how it all goes when I get back.

Solomon

[MaryEllen]

Good luck. We'll keep our fingers crossed for ya.

MaryEllen

[Guest Drew]

good luck! please let us know how it goes

[Guest Jack Solomon]

thanks for the support, I'll definately post how the appointments go.

Solomon

[Guest Shaun.Olsen]

Yay! this is exciting time for you... good luck and make sure you get back in touch to let us how it all went.... i have my fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes crossed for you

[Guest Jack Solomon]

Hey everybody, thanks for your support! I got okayed for hormone therapy in the fourth hour of my sessions with her. I just need to secure a doctor and make an appointment to get a hormone therapy evaluation, and she is going to help me with that and send the hormone letter to their office. She was very respectful, I would describe her as business-like but compassionate. She is also very open-minded and tries to tailor sessions to suit each individual's needs. Sometimes we were using different terminology to mean the same things, so I had to re-explain what exactly I meant, but that's generally true of dealing with anyone. I think one of the reasons I was okayed so quickly is that she recognized I had travelled a couple hundred miles to see her and that I had been considering this for a while and was fairly well-studied in what transitioning would involve for me. I was impressed that while she operated under the Standards of Care guidelines she also had her own way of doing things.

I am in the 18-22 age range and I just wanted to say that for anybody who is in that same age range or a little younger but is having difficulties getting okayed to take the first few steps - you CAN get okayed to start your transition, you just need the right therapist for you to get you started down this road.

The therapist I saw is Dr. Anne Vitale in San Rafael, California. She specializes in mtfs but has seen many ftm patients over the course of her 30 years of experience. I felt pretty good when I left her office yesterday, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I wish everybody luck in their own endeavors and I am happy I am finally making this a reality

Solomon

[Guest Snow Angel]

That is so awesome, my dear friend. Congratulations!

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

That sounds like great news! I can only imagine how great you must feel right now. Congratulations!

[Guest Jack Solomon]

Thank you, Snow Angel and StrandedOutThere! I am really glad I chose this therapist, even if I had to travel down a state for the appointments. I'm still waiting for the final word on the doctor I'll go to for my hormone therapy evaluation, but I'll post a follow-up when I have more information.

Solomon

[Guest raydub]

Congratulations Jack!

aww.. i think im jealous...

Ray

[Guest Jack Solomon]

Thanks, raydub!

I heard back from my therapist last night and she said the doctor she contacted for me had agreed to take me in for an initial appointment to approve hormone therapy. The call was made to schedule my 'hormone therapy evaluation' this afternoon. The date's two weeks off (5/19) and I have to travel by greyhound bus to get there, but I'm obviously looking forward to it.

Solomon

[Guest raydub]

That's WAY exciting Jack. My last therapist appointment didnt go as well as yours. I ranted for like 5 lines about it on a blog I started not too long ago. Take a peek if ure interested... (website's in my signature line).

Ray

[Guest raydub]

Now i KNOW im jealous.

Ray

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Now i KNOW im jealous.

Ray

I'm jealous too...but still very happy for you.

[Guest Jack Solomon]

That's WAY exciting Jack. My last therapist appointment didnt go as well as yours. I ranted for like 5 lines about it on a blog I started not too long ago. Take a peek if ure interested... (website's in my signature line).

Ray

Wow, Ray, I read your blog and that really sucks that the therapist appointment went poorly. Is your therapist a gender therapist or a general therapist? I was honest with mine and told her I wasn't able to hold down a stable job/school (etc) because of my gender dysphoria, but she definately agreed that hormones could improve my situation so that is mainly why she approved the hormone therapy. Also, I'm a bit younger than you so that might play a part as well because I'm college age and don't have a degree in my chosen field yet.

But if you don't think you can turn your therapist around on the issue (or if you felt you were wasting your money by seeing him), I hope you consider finding a different one. I definately think my therapist would approve you for hormone therapy so I know there's got to be other therapists who would do the same.

Solomon