Therapy From The Military?

[Guest MissErika]

Has anyone ever gotten therapy while they were active duty, and if you have how did it work out for you, does your therapist discuss anything about chaptering you out?

I'm thinking about talking to a therapist but I don't know if I want to see one in the Army.

I wonder if I can see a civilian therapist and still have Tri-care pay for it.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Guest Donna Jean]

Has anyone ever gotten therapy while they were active duty, and if you have how did it work out for you, does your therapist discuss anything about chaptering you out?

Well, this has gotta be a mixed bag......

I'm sure that you can talk to a military therapist/psychologist...but, I don't know what the repercussions of that would be.

Civilian therapists are bound to not disclose anything that you might say (unless it has to do with a crime...)

I'm thinking about talking to a therapist but I don't know if I want to see one in the Army.

I'd avoid an Army one at all cost...that is the quick way out!

I wonder if I can see a civilian therapist and still have Tri-care pay for it.

I'm not familiar with Tri-Care....I'm a Vietnam Vet and that doesn't apply (or compute)...

So I'm not any help there.....but, since Tri-Care is a health plan for military and families, I'd have to think that would request you use a military therapist, and , of course, you can't do that!

Thanks in advance for the help.

Good luck, Hon...

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest Gina9223]

Has anyone ever gotten therapy while they were active duty, and if you have how did it work out for you, does your therapist discuss anything about chaptering you out?

I’ve had several people see therapists while in active duty.

>Most find a civilian therapist and pay for it out of pocket.

>Currently, you can use military one source and obtain clearance to see a civilian therapist for 10 visits without going thru your local medical clinic. I don’t know of anyone who’s done that.

>I’ve known several who have gone to medical and obtained mental health care there but most of those clinics have serious backlogs. The standard of care varies wildly. The big Army base near Dallas/Ft. Worth had of last year a really good doctor who made sure he followed the standards of care outlined by WPATH. My peep he was treating was fully diagnosed, was given a carry letter, HRT letter and was given a perscription for HRT (which Tricare did cover). Sadly, its hit or miss.

I'm thinking about talking to a therapist but I don't know if I want to see one in the Army.

If you want to stay in until your EOS, and have money find one and go and pay for it out of pocket. If you don’t have the money (usually $100-$120 an hour) go on line to militaryonesource.com and go thru them and obtian clearance to see a civilian therapist. I think they set up the appointment.

I wonder if I can see a civilian therapist and still have Tri-care pay for it.

If you go thru Military One Source, they’ll cover 10 visits with no cost to you. If you require additional visits then that will be set up then. Um…You can try to use Tricare and I would say to try too. The worst that can happen is you have to pay the doctor their fee.

[Guest Cyndi]

Just to let you know, this is from the Military Onesource counseling page...

Military OneSource counseling services are designed to provide service help with short-term issues such as adjustment to situational stressors, stress management, decision making, communication, grief, blended-family issues, and parenting-skills issues.

Information you provide to counselors will be kept confidential, except to meet legal obligations or to prevent harm to self or others. Legal obligations include requirements of law and DoD or military regulations

Your options while on active duty are limited, if you want to stay in till your ETS that is. If you open up to a military provider, you will be more than likely processed for separation. Please do some independent research on this before you take any irreversible career moves.

Cyndi

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

VERY interesting......

'Yeah....make sure to do your research before committing if you plan to make it to the end....

Oh my!

Donna Jean

[Guest DawnK]

Things may have changed since I retired in 94, but I would use extreme caution when dealing with any military doctor. I found that your military records DO NOT belong to you, they belong to the government. And that doctors CAN and DO talk to military commanders about your visits. It happened to me on an unrelated matter. So be VERY, VERY careful about what you tell your Doctor.

I haven't checked into yet, but I've often wondered if the government ownership of your medical records apply to VA records as well.

dk

[Guest Gina9223]

Well, as for seperating, I've had one person who actually walked in to her medical department and told them upfront what was her issue. It took nearly 3 years to outprocess her. That was the longest delay in discharge and was mostly due to the command not knowing or caring that Trans does not equal Gay and that DADT does not apply to Trans. The paperwork was shuffled, shuttled, shreaded and simulated time and again because the medical board determined that a good conduct discharge was in order and the command senior NCO's wanted a dishonorable. Leagel sided with medical.

Shorted discharge I've encountered was someone who was intersexed. Half hour from diagnosis to being dumped at the bus station with a single bag packed.

You are authorized to take a copy of your military medical record with you on discharge. Do so, often times it clearly shows injuries sustained while in military service and can be used to obtain further care or disability as the VA.

You are not authorized to either take, or obtain a copy of your dental record. But they'll let you take your x-rays. (that is of 2005, it may have changed) Stupid? They retain the dental records to identify dead veterans. Yep, they hand you the x-rays which clearly show dentation and keep the paperwork. Only a goverment or military agency can think that up.

You are not authorized to take the orginal, obtain a copy or even see your mental health record. Mental health records are kept seperate from all other medical records and are maintained in a similar manner to documents classified as secret. Only the treating medical officers are allowed to view those records. Divulging any information from those records carries the harshest punishments and fines.

Now then, if you do go to military medical for any mental health issue and because of the nature of the job(s) being inherently hazardous the treating physician MUST notify the Commanding Officer that the service member is in care and weather or not the person is a danger to themselves or others. They are NOT authorized to disclose the person's issues or talk about it casually. ...however, I won't candy coat it, it happens and it happens a lot that medical personel act far less professionally in the military than in the civilian sector. I've been at 3 different commands where Hosptial Corpsmen were discovered to be selling patient information. Most often which girls were promiscuous or on birth control.

Next question....

[Guest Caroline Anne]

Here's another avenue closer to your unit, so to speak. The Chaplain. They aren't gender therapists, but they'll help any way they can. I know, I know, you're not supposed to tell the Military anything you don't want to be used against you, but...the Chaplains are different. Right now anyway. I have a chaplain in my unit with whom I was very good friends with. When we sat down and discussed Caroline for the first time, I told him that I had been reluctant to tell him because of this. He told me that the only thing that is reportable is when you are an eminent danger to yourself or others.

I don't know if our friendship will survive this, but my military career is not going to be damaged a leak from the Chaplain.

My wife and I found our civilian therapist through Military One Source, though. Even though it the referral came through One Source, that is where the line was drawn. So, that is a good option. The costs are on you, though.

Good luck,

Caroline

[Guest MissErika]

Thanks Caroline, I think I might go see the chaplain.

Though I don't believe that everyone in the army follows th rules,

And I've never realy trusted religous authoritys.

But I don't know

Thanks, I will go see the chaplain if I can't get help elsewhere.

HUGS

[Guest Gina9223]

>>>ALL STOP<<<

DO NOT SEE THE CHAPLIN!

They are not required to keep confidentiality if anything that is a violation of the UCMJ or any other regulation is discussed with them. Far too many have gone to the Chaplins to talk about being Gay, Lesbian, Transgender or just questioning who were outted to their command or to senior NCO's and far too often in harmful ways.

Like one of my little one's who went to the base chaplin because they were devout Catholic only to hear nearly everything they spoke of to the chaplin from the pulpit and then was outted.

Chaplins can and will even speak of things spoken of in confession. I still can't beleive that one but thats what was told me.

So, please think twice about that before you do it.

[Guest Cyndi]

I completely agree with Gina! There are a whole different set of rules and confidentiality levels when it comes to the military. You have NO secrets when it comes to discussing things that may violate the UCMJ. Do not think for one second that your discussions with anyone in the military will be kept confidential.

Too many people have made that mistake and paid with their careers... Go to a civilian church if you must discuss this with a religious person or pay for a civilian therapist, those are your truly only SAFE avenues to keep your conversations confidential.

Cyndi

[Guest MissErika]

Thanks gina I haven't seen the chaplain and I'm not going to, I never trusted religous people anyways, no offense to those of you who are.

I'm going to sic call tomorrow to get a referal for therapy, outside the army.

[Guest Emily Ray]

Good choice dear. Outside thearpists wont discuss anything and I have heard of others even being put on hormones by a civilian endocrinologist and beginning their transition while in services.

Huggs

Emily

[Guest MissErika]

Just thought I would give u girls an update, went to sick call this morning and got a referal letter to see a civilian therapist. It was realy easy. They then told me I had to call tricare later to get a control number.

I don't know if that means that the decision is up to tricare or not, I was told to call on the 14th so I guess ill find out then.

XOXO

[Guest Emily Ray]

Wonderful news hon! I love it.

Huggs

Emily

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Seems like good news to me!

Best of luck, Hon!

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest Cyndi]

Good deal, keep us up to date. Very interested to see what they cover and how they handle your case.

Thanks for sharing and GOOD LUCK!!

Cyndi

[Guest Sea Nurse]

Hang in there!

Do NOT relate any aspect to a Military chaplian or Medical provider

Time passes and rules change... Eons ago (late 80's)under a similar set of treatment circumstances, I was able to get back to the MH provider i was seeing under the radar and out of my pocket but now on the USAF dime.

Using the same tactic, it would seem that if you are able to see the Civ. provider for ten visits initally, you could then use that to leverage going back to that provider for other " safe "related issues of stress depression ect.. After all, you worked really well together, the provider already has a working knowlege of you. The provider should even be ablet to elaborate on the safe problems back to the Military facility if something needs to be sent.

after all it isn't so much that we are seeing someone for saying,"i am a woman with the wrong body or vice-verse." , It's the stress, depression loss of foundation in a well established public identiy and other emotional issues (relating usually to others accpting us) initally. After working those things out, at the root of the issue, counseling become more of vetting the choise to meet the societies requiements to be allowed to proceed.

[Guest MissErika]

New update. I got a call today from my clinic, telling me that I have to see a doctor on post before I can get approved to see the civilian therapist. So I am going in tomorrow, I will see what I see.

[Guest Emily Ray]

Don't mention anything about being transgender! just say that you have some things you need to work on and a non military therapist will be the most helpful for you. He will try and probe you for details i am sure, just hold your ground!

Huggs

Emily

[Guest MissErika]

New update. Saw a psycologist. In the army. Talked with her about my problem violating the ucmj, and she said she doesn't have to tell anyone about it, so I told her everyting. She was very helpful and told me that if I wanted to get out of the army, she would help me, but she did approve my referal to see an off post therapist. I was almost in tears at the end of the appointment I gave her a hug and told her thanks.

[Guest Gina9223]

(HUGS)

Thank you for that posting.

Like I said before, some of the doc's are finally getting a clue.

Some are following the WPATH SOC. Treat that doc nice...

(HUGS)

[Guest Emily Ray]

What a brave thing you did today. I am so proud of you! now you are on your way.

Huggs

Emily

[Guest MissErika]

The funny thing is, that after I told her she said she already knew what I was there for, she just didn't want to say it and be wrong. Wouldn't that be a little embarrassing.

Thanks you two.

You all give me so much support.

HUGS:-)

[Guest Gina9223]

Yeah, that whole "Oh, I knew that already. Just waiting for you to say something." is a bit of an old saw.

I consider it part of the 'standard narrative' now days.