A few things from tonight.
Aug. 13th, 2011 12:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
agent_daniWent to my therapist's support group again (to help support a friend) and found it interesting. She's trying to address the problems that have been so present in that group and that drove me away from it in 2009.
In most ways I didn't find it useful. I was going to say I didn't at all, but that's not true. The topic was plastic surgery, particularly Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS.) My friend is planning to have FFS and I think tonight gave her a lot to think about. When we parted I told her that whatever she decides, I will be there to support and help her.
There was one bit of news that shocked me. Y'all might recall I was in a TG Voice and Communication Group at UNC-Greensboro in the fall and spring. The news concerns one of the women who was in the spring group; she died last month. I think this shocked me more because she's the second trans woman I've personally known who has died, and in as many years - the first, who I had known since the mid-late 1990s, died early last year.
Finally, I think this group session was valuable to me. The topic lead to a lot of discussion among the women present about what they didn't like and wished to change of their bodies. Significant amounts of plastic surgery desires were discussed, and I had a realization - that other than SRS I am not interested in surgery and am very much happy with my body. I think my experiences on that beach in Nags Head in May have helped more than I could have imagined.
In most ways I didn't find it useful. I was going to say I didn't at all, but that's not true. The topic was plastic surgery, particularly Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS.) My friend is planning to have FFS and I think tonight gave her a lot to think about. When we parted I told her that whatever she decides, I will be there to support and help her.
There was one bit of news that shocked me. Y'all might recall I was in a TG Voice and Communication Group at UNC-Greensboro in the fall and spring. The news concerns one of the women who was in the spring group; she died last month. I think this shocked me more because she's the second trans woman I've personally known who has died, and in as many years - the first, who I had known since the mid-late 1990s, died early last year.
Finally, I think this group session was valuable to me. The topic lead to a lot of discussion among the women present about what they didn't like and wished to change of their bodies. Significant amounts of plastic surgery desires were discussed, and I had a realization - that other than SRS I am not interested in surgery and am very much happy with my body. I think my experiences on that beach in Nags Head in May have helped more than I could have imagined.
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Date: 2011-08-13 10:24 am (UTC)Group stuff can be useful but not group therapy- that was very fashionable back in the day, but I managed, thankfully, to avoid it as my pshrink held the same views as myself about it.
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Date: 2011-08-13 10:48 pm (UTC)The intention is for this to be a support group and the therapist attempted to police that via her opening statements, but, in truth, I think her presence (and that she charges for attending it) prevent that from being the case. Truly, the only reason I attended was because my friend was. I knew she was dealing with some difficult decisions and am trying to support her.
* Yes, I have encountered the "if you care about having a successful transition you have to have FFS" line from some people, which I equally reject.