I want to be prepared...

[ShawnaLeigh]

This will be my first visit to a therapist.  Any therapist no less a gender therapist!  Next Friday.  I go to talk to a stranger about all my issues.  All my fears. I feel like I have no idea what to expect.  What to say.  What to ask.  
Im not trying to talk myself out of it.  I’m going for sure but I am already nervous...
 

[Jani]

The initial appointment will be formalities.  But then you can get down to business of what you hope to attain.  Don;t be afraid to be honest.  That way you get the benefit you wish.

 

 

[Jackie C.]

Congratulations!

 

Your therapist won't be a stranger for long. No worries. For me the initial appointment was mostly about outlining why I was coming to see my therapist. The gender therapist was similar. We talked about me, she asked questions, I answered them. It's a safe space. You can say whatever you like in full confidentiality.

 

So yeah, what Jani said. Be honest. There's no judgement. Not being honest only hurts you. Talk about what's on your mind. She'll ... I'm assuming here, all my therapists have been women but that's my preference ... ask insightful, leading questions to help you open up. The atmosphere will be relaxing and maybe a little dimly lit ... that's preference of the therapist, one of my gender therapists had an interview room that looked like your grandmother's sitting room, it was lovely.

 

In any case, relax and enjoy the experience. The more you share, the more your therapist gets to know you and the more she can help. You'll be fine.

 

Hugs!

[ShawnaLeigh]

It’s kind of how I envisioned it to be.  But still nervous all the same.  
I’m not “out”.  I’m not sure what I feel or what I am inside.  On the outside I’m still all “guy”.  Which I know is not terrible but not me.  
I hope I get some answers even if they are not what I wanted to hear.  
Thank you ladies.  You both have been very helpful to me and I appreciate it more then you know❤️

[Carolyn Marie]

This thread might be useful to you, too.  Please try to relax about this appointment, hon.  The therapist's job is to put you at ease and help you. 

 

https://www.transgenderpulse.com/forums/topic/13018-is-your-therapist-qualified/

 

Carolyn Marie

[Jani]

5 hours ago, Nivegnal said:

But still nervous all the same.

I was terribly nervous going in and walking on air on the way out as I had finally unburdened my soul to someone. This will hopefully be a good thing for your too. 

 

Jani

[ShawnaLeigh]

1 hour ago, Jani said:

I was terribly nervous going in and walking on air on the way out as I had finally unburdened my soul to someone. This will hopefully be a good thing for your too. 

 

Jani

I am hoping to feel “the weight” lifted.  
It is nice to know there are those here that understand.  

[NB Adult]

Back in the early 1990's I was fortunate being in a VA related counseling program for PTSD issues. My counselor was in a long term lesbian relationship, so when I broached the subject of what I intended to accomplish as a trans person, she had no qualms about writing me all the necessary letters. Prior to that I had been seeing Dr. Anne Lawrence, I know some people detest her, but she saw fit to put me on feminizing HRT and she also wrote me a letter of recommendation for SRS. Later it turned out that the endocrine specialist at the local VA hospital knew Anne, and he bought into my plan to transition and set me up for free meds. He also wrote me a letter recommending an orchiectomy and or SRS as I had complained about having to take Spironolactone as a testosterone blocker. So when I hooked up with Dr. Bowers I had both feet in the door but in the finale analysis decided that it wasn't the ultimate panacea for me. The reason I blathered all this past history out is that I felt at the time that if anything that you desire to accomplish is really valid and that important to you, then you will be manipulative and as devious as necessary to achieve what you need to. I am a bit embarrassed by putting all this out there, because in the end I dropped the ball entirely and in retrospect I have to concede that we should take our time going through the process step by step and not try to circumvent the system. It is what it is for our own good.

[ShawnaLeigh]

I ponder what I would really do if it all was just handed to me tomorrow.  Would I jump in both feet or not.  It’s easy to say you want this or that and different when you can actually get it.  I know this well enough.  
I’m not in a hurry to have more surgery.  SRS is not on my scope but seems like a possible step.   Like you I’m more interested in an orchy and shed my T.   But I’m still healing from my last tangle with a scalpel.   
Before I go on with that I want to understand my feelings and place in all this.  I’m hoping the therapist can show/teach/explain what’s what and why.