Including the following:
FtM (Female to Male) pre-op. post-op, non-op, pre-diagnosis, post-diagnosis etc.
MtF (Male to Female) pre-op, post-op, non-op, pre-diagnosis, post-diagnosis, etc.
Transvestism and Dual-Role Transvestism and Cross-Dressing (Persons living with Transvestism)
Transsexualism (Persons living with Transsexualism) With or without diagnosis.
S.O. (Persons of significant meaning in your life)
Transgender (Respecting that this word means different things to different persons)
Family members affected by your cross gender feelings (Parents, partners, and other family).
and any other gender variance or gender expression.
There are several different kinds of therapeutic models used in counselling. Although trained in Person-Centred and Gestalt methods I use an eclectic approach to counselling, depending upon the needs of the individual; an approach I have found works best when working with persons who are affected by gender variance.
These would include the examples below and other related issues:
1. Persons wishing to understand more about their own individual gender identity.
2. Persons who already feel they understand how they self identify and wish to understand more about the options they have for treatment.
3. Persons who may have already undergone gender specific treatment and want support with challenges they may have found along the way.
4. Family members of Trans persons who want support for themselves in understanding their relatives’ choices.
The Harry Benjamin Internationally accepted guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of people living with gender-variance www.wpath.org suggest a minimum of three months Counselling or Psychotherapy for some clients before hormones are prescribed, however these standards of care do recognise that not all persons will have a clinical need to undergo such counselling.
Three months can seem a long time if you are certain about how you feel and are sure of the way forward, however three months is merely 8 – 12 sessions of one-to-one counselling and time spent in therapy can be invaluable, not only in assisting with fulfilling the H.B. Criteria (Eligibility & Readiness Criteria), but in having time to fully track your own gender history, evaluate where you are now and clearly plan your future life in your acquired gender.
Hormones, and indeed SRS are irreversible choices; time to explore/reflect on those choices with someone who is non-judgemental yet knowledgeable of the path you have chosen for yourself is clearly advantageous.
Note: The notes taken in the counselling sessions can be used, if the client so wishes and requests this service, to prepare a report to be submitted to the Gender Clinic/G.P/Private Psychiatrist as evidence of the counselling sessions and what has been discussed in those sessions (History of cross gender feelings etc).
The process is a simple one and follows loosely this structure:
· An initial informal assessment between you and I lasting aproximately an hour. This gives both of us the opportunity to talk openly about the process, ask questions of each other (Such as What are the boundaries of confidentiality?) and decide how we feel working togther before we make a commitment to move forward into a counselling arrangement.
· Filling in essential paperwork such as recording 3 counselling aims to help us focus our sessions; completing a counselling contract (So that we both understand what we are agreeing to) and a simple medical form.
· Arranging regular (Weekly/Fortnightly/Monthly) one-to-one therapeutic sessions. It is important to commit to regular sessions so that we can engage fully in the therapeutic process. Much of the 'processing' goes on between the sessions and if too much time lapses between the appointments then much of the momentum can be lost.
· 8 session evaluation and if necessary move forward into long term therapy (Though with some clients short-tem is often enough). The time spent in Counselling will usually remain the clients choice; clearly some counselling arrangements finish before 8 sessions have been completed.
As a Therapist I am:
· A member of the professional B.A.C.P. (British Association. of Counsellors & Psychotherapists) and therefore bound by an ethical framework. Registered on the Sherwood Foundation Therapists Register.
· Professionally supervised in the therapeutic work I undertake by a Psychologist.
· Hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.
· Am an experienced counsellor specifically in gender-variance (See C.V. for more details of expereince)