I Could Use Your Advice and Assistance

[Carolyn Marie]

If you could talk to an addiction professional (counselor, therapist or whatever) and tell them what your needs are as an addict and a trans person, or what you've experienced from them that turned you off and soured you on the profession, what would you say? What has been your positive experiences, as well?

The reason I ask is that I've been asked to sit on a discussion panel talking about "Cultural Competency and Working With Special Populations." It will be during the annual conference of the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) in Fresno in a couple of weeks.

I have a pretty good idea about the issues, but some real life examples to share of the good and the bad that you all have experienced will be invaluable. Think of this as your chance to talk to the folks that provide the addiction counseling services many of you use and tell them what you, as a trans person, need and expect, what they;re doing right, and what they're doing wrong.

I'm going to this conference partly to sell my E-Learning course, but also to educate these professionals about issues they should be, but probably are not, familiar with. The bottom line is that it will help our community, and that's what counts. Thanks!

Carolyn Marie

p.s. if you'd rather talk via PM, that's cool.

[Charlize]

Carolyn thanks for your service both here and if you can to the trans* addict area as well. My experience has been that most "professionals" may have a good idea about trans* folks but when it comes to addiction our system falls short. Even Carl Jung understood that he couldn't come close to curing addiction. The medical profession can help with the detox process but beyond that most are clueless unless you consider the substitution of another substance to be a cure. Alcoholism and drug addiction were considered fatal diseases and still is unfortunately for too many.

That brings me to the 12 step programs. My GT was so happy when i told her i was over 5 years sober in AA. Unfortunately even that is closed to many of us because of discrimination. That should not exist in the rooms but it does.

One thing you might suggest is that they look to AA on line. There is a group called OIAA that has information on the online meetings available. I attend 2 to 3 trans* meetings via zoom each week as do others here at the forums. The information about that group are in the Alcohol forum. We also have members who have other substances as a part of their addiction problem.

Don't forget to plug Laura's. I'm at chat for a meeting every Sunday at 9:00 eastern whether anyone comes or not. Quite a few have started a path to sobriety from the meeting that was there when i arrived at Laura's and will hopefully be there when i'm gone.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest Clair Dufour]

For the past few years, I've been out making new friends. Why, almost all of my older ones were LGBT and died from Aids, Suicide, Booze or Drugs! Being LGBT has been since earliest times part of the diversity of being human, but now many people no longer understand, calling it a sin to some god. In short, to be LGBT, Black or whatever is not for the most part the the cause of addictions but, rather the result of social rejection, the true cause. Of course, there are many more conditions in their handbook that not only LGBT people but, any of the 95% of other people can be suffering with. While we now have a long list of drugs, overcoming social stigma takes a lot more of guts often at the expense of friends, old beliefs and entering a new risky unknown world and making a new accepting life. Something that is still very very hard to do for most.

[Charlize]

I forgot to mention that the General Service Board of AA is currently revising the pamphlet Gay, Lesbian Alcoholics which historically never mentioned trans* folks to include us. It will at least include a T which is a big step forward.

There was a recent book published by the "Grapevine" called "Sober And Out" which has stories of alcoholics in recovery. Only one out of a great many was trans*. That person was also gay and the story seemed to concentrate on the gay aspect more than the trans* aspect. Needless to say i was disappointed.

The change reflected by the pamphlet change is a big step. i was proud to be able to speak in front a huge crowd in favor of the changes. General Services came to our online meeting to get information about transition and sobriety.

I'm glad you are doing this Carolyn. So many of us suffer from addictions.

One often hears from cis addicts that they felt out of place as children.....something was wrong. Imagine how we feel as trans* folks.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Carolyn Marie]

Claire and Charlize, thank you very much. Your insights are extremely helpful, and I will take those ideas and suggestions to Fresno.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

Maybe this would be a good excuse for you and I to get together for lunch before you go up there CM. Have a couple of hours available though.

[Guest]

Some of my difficulties are with sober living housing. Most won't take transgender. When I was researching through a treatment center they treated me as a gay man only steering me to that kind of housings. I found my current sober living and was given the choice of women's or LGBT housing. I chose LGBT so I could have a private room. It was still very difficult. Now I am in a 3/4 house for women and quite happy.

HUD and other housing laws are unclear about sober living and any published help I found nonexistent for gender variant. If we are to get help for addiction we need to not be the forgotten ones, house owners can brush off because they don't want to deal with us.

Other lesbian women are not treated as such, they seamlessly move directly into all female programs. Being post op and Federally Female I should be afforded that same dignity.

[Carolyn Marie]

Maybe this would be a good excuse for you and I to get together for lunch before you go up there CM. Have a couple of hours available though.

I'll PM you, Vicky.

Carolyn Marie

[Carolyn Marie]

Thanks again, everyone. This is extremely useful feedback. I've spoken to the moderator of the panel, and I think folks are going to be interested to hear your collective stories and experiences. They are expecting over 200 treatment professionals at this conference. I'm the only trans person on the panel - the others are gay and lesbian. We have some things in common, but we also, obviously, have some unique and serious issues that the L & G do not share and that need to be addressed.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Charlize]

One thing they might find interesting is the TGAA meeting which meets on Zoom face to face 3 days a week as well as having a forum like discussion throughout the week.

Hugs,

Charlize