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First GID Therapist Appointment...What Do I Do?

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Galah2, Feb 3, 2016.

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  1. Galah2

    Galah2
    Regular Member

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    Location:
    Chicago area
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Questioning
    Out Status:
    Not out at all
    So, my mother (very) reluctantly scheduled an appointment for me to see a gender identity therapist. The appointment is on Saturday, but I don't know anything about this therapist except for what she's put up on her website, and I don't know the first thing about what questions she'll ask or what things I should be prepared to answer. Any insights? The therapist specialises in gender problems, and I figure she'll probably ask about why I cam in, but beyond that I'm stumped. What did your therapists ask? Thanks in advance!
     
    #1 Galah2, Feb 3, 2016
  2. baconpox

    baconpox
    Regular Member

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    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    If I wanted to pee standing up, how I felt dysphoria, how bad my dysphoria was on a scale of 1-10, how I dealt with dysphoria, what I wanted to look like, how I figured it out, and how long I've known. Just be honest and be yourself so they can evaluate your needs as accurately as possible.
     
    #2 baconpox, Feb 3, 2016
  3. pinkclare

    pinkclare
    Full Member

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    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Most therapists have a standardized in-take sheet, just like when you go to a medical doctor. Mainly they will want to rule out or deal with any issues that may conflict with your gender identity or transition. Usually these intakes will cover everything from your childhood to any sexual/physical/emotional abuse, relationship with drugs and alcohol, self-harm behaviors. How in depth they will go will depend on your experiences with these things. Sometimes they just have to ask you a bunch of questions that you'll say "no" to!

    What baconpox wrote about the gender-based part is relatively standard - about your experiences with dysphoria and what you're hoping for in terms of social and/or medical transition.

    Try not to worry too much about figuring out answers beforehand - they have done this before and will guide you through it. All you have to do is answer honestly and you'll be fine!
     
    #3 pinkclare, Feb 3, 2016
  4. AlexTheGrey

    AlexTheGrey
    Regular Member

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    Location:
    WA, USA
    Gender:
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    And this is probably the best advice. They are there to help (if they are doing their job right, IMO). This shouldn't be about gatekeeping or any nonsense like that, so there shouldn't be a particular answer that will magically let you through to your destination. And ideally, a good therapist is more there to help you on your journey, and will let you "drive", mostly being there to point things out as you go, ask you questions that you might be avoiding asking about yourself, helping you open up so these other discussions can happen, and so on.

    I'd also be wary of any therapist that actually tries to give you advice or tells you what you should do, without good reason. As the therapist in the link mentions, this isn't about going somewhere to "be fixed", but rather help you develop the toolset for understanding yourself better.
     
    #4 AlexTheGrey, Feb 3, 2016
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