Counselling Questionnaire:

This questionnaire is for individuals who are transsexual
Thank you for your help.

This research is to assist me with an assignment that I need to do as part of my Diploma in Counselling Course.

The assignment requires me to look at counselling provision and issues for a specific section of the population.

Not surprisingly, I have chosen to look at support for transsexuals

I emphasize that no attempt will be made at all to identify respondents.
Data and comments may be extracted - but will be kept totally anonymous. I need you to be as frank as possible please.

Question	Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions:
1	Apart from psychiatrists at GIC as part of treatment for transsexualism, have you ever sought Counselling? Yes No
2	If so, was this: at your own instigation? Or due to pressure from others to seek "help" Question not applicable
3	If you are seeing a GIC/ private psychiatrist as part of treatment for transsexualism, have you also been referred for counselling or has it been suggested that this might be of benefit? yes no
4	Was any limit set for the number of sessions or length of counselling relationship? No limit to number of sessions No limit to length of relationship limited to a maximum of sessions months
5	How long did the counselling last (to date if still current)? months to date sessions to date Are you still undergoing counselling? Yes No
6	How Frequent were the sessions:? More than once per week Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Less than Monthly
7	Who paid for the Counselling? Paid by me Through NHS Employer's/ union/ other similar scheme Counselling provided by voluntary organisation free of charge
8	How was the Counsellor chosen? Selected myself without recommendations from other involved sources Selected from shortlist of recommended Counsellors Referred to specific Counsellor
9	If you had any choice in the selection of the Counsellor, did you attempt to find one with experience of transgender issues? yes no no choice
10	Would you have chosen a counsellor with experience of transgender issues if this had been possible? yes probably possibly no
11	Would you choose a transgendered counsellor if one were available? yes probably possibly no
12	Are you NOW aware of any counsellors with experience of transgender issues? yes no If so, it would be very useful to have contact details - please e-mail if insufficient space here. Thanks
13	Do you know of any transgendered counsellors? yes no If so, it would be very useful to have contact details - please e-mail if insufficient space here. Thanks
14	How did you choose your counsellor?
15	Were your offered an introductory session at which both of you could assess whether or not you could work together? yes no
16	At what stage did you let your counsellor know of your transgender issues? Before first meeting At first meeting After first meeting but early in relationship Later in relationshipLater in relationship
17	Did you feel comfortable sharing these issues with the counsellor? yes no
18	Did you feel that the counsellor understood your TG issues? yes - good understanding some understanding not really - minimal not at all
19	Did you feel judged over your TG issues? yes to some extent not really not at all
20	Did you feel that your TG issues became a barrier between you? yes to some extent not really not at all
21	Did you feel that the counsellor became side tracked by the TG issues? yes to some extent not really not at all
22	Did the counsellor make incorrect assumptions about TGism? yes to some extent not really not at all
23	Would you have preferred a counsellor with experience of TG issues? yes probably not really didn't matter at all
24	Would you recommend your counsellor to other TGs? yes probably not really No
25	Do you know what school / style of counselling the counsellor used? Person Centred Existential Gestalt Transaction Analysis Cognitive Therapy Behaviour Therapy Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy Pychosexual Counselling Other [please state/ describe method]
26	What had you hoped to achieve through counselling? 1 2 3 4 5
27	Did you achieve these objectives? 1 Yes Substantially Partly Not at all 2 Yes Substantially Partly Not at all 3 Yes Substantially Partly Not at all 4 Yes Substantially Partly Not at all 5 Yes Substantially Partly Not at all
28	Did you explore other issues unrelated to transgenderism? yes no
29	Overall did you consider your counselling to have been: Extremely beneficial Useful Of some benefit (Almost) total waste of time
30	Do you feel that most, if not all, transsexual individuals face issues during transition (and possibly afterwards) that could benefit from counselling? yes Probably Possibly No
31	Have you ever self-harmed/ attempted to commit suicide? yes - Attempted suicide yes - Self harmed but no intention of killing myself I have seriously thought about self harming/ suicide - but have not done so No
32	If you have self harmed, How many times have you done so? Over what period (years) has this been? How long ago (years) was last incident?
33	How do you feel about yourself now? I am comfortable with myself, I have my faults and concerns but I don't feel that these are more or less than most people I wish I had more confidence I let people walk over me rather than stand up for my rights I hate/fear rejection I feel inferior to most people I come into contact with in almost all respects I listen to other peoples' views but I am prepared to argue when they are wrong I don't take much notice of what other people think; their views are of little consequence to me I hate injustice and crusade for equal rights

Thank you very much for your help.

Helen Dale

My Pages:
Personal Pages - Including my views of what makes us TG