You do not understand how it feels to look at your body and feel out of place. It eats you alive. Therapy can only help so much.

Okay? But therapy is not meant to cure, but to assist and prepare for future events.

I’m trans and I support therapy before HRT, but I disagree with the sentiment that it’s because of possibilities of regret. I believe that gender-focused therapy helps one prepare for the changes and challenges they will endure on HRT - it’s a big step, afterall. Approaching medical transition with strong mental health is essential to wellbeing while undergoing difficult and impactful changes.

For context, when I started on HRT in the early 2010s it was normal to be required to have a panel interview with your therapist, another mental health professional, and a medical doctor (with whom you had had a physical exam and blood tests) to present your case and ensure that HRT was the best treatment option before starting. It was a rite of passage for trans people who pursued HRT. I’m glad that things have gotten easier now, but at the time it helped me feel certain that I was ready and fully prepared.

Bold thing to assume on Lemmy.