I cannot say that I have experience with hypnosis with regards to transition nor actual life coaching in that area either. That said part of the requirements is going to a licensed mental health professional who will essentially act as a life coach in a sense. I just don't know if hypnosis itself would be effective in this. I suppose you could use it to reinforce behavioral constructs possibly, but in most cases its traditional uses wouldn't apply to the item specifically. It could help with regards to self image or depression related to repressed emotions and experiences that one had through their life, but actual transition itself is more a process and less of a trauma. I guess if you could be more clear as to how you believe it would be used and beneficial it would be easier to respond to.

With any huge life change there comes anxiety, hesitation, need to stay motivated. There are habits to change, beliefs that hold you back that need to be challenged. Self esteem issues can develop, any setbacks become huge blows to forward momentum.

This is all pretty universal. BUT in looking at training available, other people doing it etc. I noticed a ton of people working with career changers, people coping with death & divorce. No one really seems to be out there helping with motivation, confidence building, coping with stress in this particular big change in life.

I've been in 12 step programs and mutual support groups for various issues since Reagan was President. I've known a few people dealing with this challenge as well as whatever the group I was in was for. Talking to them about things like addiction, depression, suicide attempts or whatever else i have personal experience in, I usually noticed I was the main one there helping them out. Like I said earlier, I assume it was prejudice holding others back.

So I'm wondering if help above and beyond whatever is required for HRT could be useful. I'd hate to be just another smoking cessation coach and ignore a client group that is under-served.

I can't see how hypnosis would really be much help with the transitioning process. It may be of use in treating some of the OTHER problems BEING transgender tends to create - the depression, which can lead to addictions, attempted suicide, etc. - but with the transitioning process itself?

In order for a hypnotherapist to grasp the way being transgender affects other aspects of life, they would need to more fully understand what it means to be transgender - something we who are transgender are still struggling to communicate. It isn't a "blanket" condition - it's NOT the same for me as for another transgender person. How could hypnosis help, unless the therapist seeking to use it as a tool is ALSO versed in gender identity variations and treatment options?

JoeDulin, good questions, valid points. I suppose it comes down to the difference in approach between therapy and life coaching.

Therapy tells a client, "Here is the problem, let's discuss the solutions and find the one you're willing to try." You're taking someone who is stuck and getting them moving.

Life coaching says to a client, "You know what the problem is, you know what you want to do, let's keep you motivated on doing what needs to be done."

Huge oversimplification, but essentially right. With that in mind, a coach doesn't have to know the ins and outs of each client's every single item on their to do list. They just need to keep the momentum going forward, keep the client from giving up or feeling beat down by every new unexpected challenge. With that in mind, I'd think it would be a good add-on service to any form of therapy.

What got me thinking about this was a young woman in transition I met once that was talking about giving up because the first therapist she went to didn't "get it." I mean give up in the "suicidal ideation" sense.

Do I know all the ins and outs of transitioning? Hell no. I just know what I picked up being an AA sponsor for several people going through it. But I gave several days of the best motivational speaking in my life to get her past the feeling defeated phase. and a few weeks after that at least she was doing much better, told me she'd found a therapist she liked, was making appointments with an endocrinologist, and a lot else that sounded about right.

At that moment, at that time, what she needed was motivation and the belief that she COULD do it.

Maybe that'd be a useful thing to offer to people that need it and aren't getting it?

that is in part why we are all here. The trick is that most services we gain from others, short of friends and family is at cost. When you consider that we are already paying a mental health professional, a medical doctor, an endochinologist, a pharmacy, the legal system, and darn near every organization on earth that has any record of your identity, just to get the point where you can then pay about 20k-50K for that final surgery, not to mention any others that you may wish to have to be more successful, cost becomes a serious consideration. What you did for that girl, is exactly what we all need sometimes, transitioning or not. I am pretty forthcoming with information abotu my situation and all to those i meet and in doing so i have met some pretty nasty people. I have even stopped eating at my works lunchroom because i don't like the looks i get, so i got permission to just eat at my desk (something generally prohibited). Most days i am okay with reading news comments, dealing with the looks i get at work (I don't get them in public), even the occasional religious fanatic that comes to the door to proceed to tell me how horrible a creature i am for being who i am. You have to have a thick skin to survive this. Even those who have skin of pure iron, can't always take it without feeling it. Generally at that point though when we are at our lowest is the last moment we would ever want to be near someone to get help. Infact we recoil into the safety of solitude. I guess my point is, what you propose is a very honorable thing, helping those when they are in need always is, but with the nature of what has to be done, financially most cant even do transition and survive, let alone add to the cost. If they have a low day, they won't be seeking help either in most cases. So take that for what you will. I think it has benefit, but i don't know how many will avail themselves of said benefit.

Exactly. I CAN'T afford ANYTHING financially, not even the low rent where I am living anymore. I am literally about to move into a tent(yurt) in the woods on private property - with the owners permission - where I will hopefully manage to survive until things improve.

It would be fantastic to get more emotional support, but right now what I and many others really need is more income opportunities that we - in transition - can actually accept and do without feeling in danger just for trying to be ourselves. Another bill of any sort for any reason ISN'T going to be helpful at all.

Most of us LITERALLY can NOT pay for another thing! Now, if you were to offer the same support for FREE, there are those who would jump on it, and those who would still hang back for various reasons.