
How can talk therapy be useful to me?
Talk therapy before, during and after your transition is important to still obtain. Having a therapist, you can reach out to for weekly or every other week sessions allows you to have growth and change and a safe space to talk about your feelings, anxieties, fears and complete joys during transition. I often see clients for just a couple of sessions because they need a letter to begin their transition. But, there are certainly times when it would be best to have an ongoing relationship with a therapist.
Therapy can help you through your transition through any hormonal changes that may occur. It can help you when you may still be having bad days of dysphoria of your body or gender. Therapy is a safe space to talk about and process feelings and emotions surrounding huge life steps like coming out at work, coming out to parents and friends. As a therapist for clients that I see on an ongoing basis, I am a non-judgmental, helpful guide and motivator as well as a facilitator of change in my clients.
Support groups and friends are different than therapy
While support groups and having friends are good spaces and places to express emotions, one on one therapy really gives you the safe space to explore feelings and passions and have one on one attention to get better and be the best you that you can be. During your transition, you may have exciting changes to share or still feel a little unsure of yourself and need someone to talk to and figure out what is next with your feelings, emotions and life goals.
If you are having any feelings of self-doubt, fear, anxiety or stress from your family, church or work, seeing a regular ongoing therapist can be the best way to process those difficult emotions. Sometimes I hear from the transgender community that they are hurting or still have days where their self esteem is low. Sometimes I hear that people are having a rough time even communicating with family members or best friends. Those are hurtful places to be in and having a therapist to see you through those times is valuable to increasing your happiness again.
How long will therapy last?
People often ask me how long they will have to come to therapy to get their HRT or hormone replacement therapy letter. The answer is that while I don’t have a minimum number of sessions for that, the benefits of therapy after you receive your letter can be great. Once you start hormones, there may be a period of adjustment to the new chemicals your body is taking in. There may also be a period of learning about yourself that was always there but has the chance to thrive and shine now. Often, with short term therapy, people can see benefits after 12-16 sessions. But, a long term therapeutic relationship with the right therapist is invaluable for all people.
Reaching out to a therapist
Therapy is invaluable for learning about the person you are and who you are becoming. Therapy can allow you to have emotional growth, a clearer mind and set clear plans for your future. If you feel like you would like to connect with a therapist to learn about yourself and grow more positive feelings, I can help.
I offer individual and family sessions for clients who desire to be even more emotionally healthy in life or solve an emotional problem they are facing. You can contact me at 404-948-6186 or by email throughout my website in the contact forms to learn more about how we might be a good fit for therapy together.