Hello everyone, new member here... My name is Lianne and I thought I'd join here as I am embarking on the next stages of my journey.
I am 50 and my sister in law has been the only person to know about Lianne until yesterday (btw she is bloody amazing and super supportive! I love her to bits for her kind and caring understanding!)
So yesterday I told the 2nd person ever about Lianne - My Boss at work - as I feel that it's time that I did something positive about my feelings/emotions/frustrations. Although I am not sure exactly what that positive step is though, hence talking to my boss who is very active on the LGBT scene and I as someone I can trust implicitly I decided it was time to seek some help.
After a frustrating 10 minutes or so where I skirted completely around why I had asked for a chat I told her! She was great and first off told me how proud she was of me telling her and how hard that must have been.Β I am lucky that the place I work has a supportive employee assistance program, I will be contacting them this weekend or early next week to seek counselling or whatever I feel I need.Β Also my boss has told me that she will support me all the way and has started to make inquiries locally so that I can meet with others like me to discuss my feelings, their experiences etc etc
And hence why I am here, to make some friends, hopefully to talk about things... even have a laugh along the way! π
Thank you for reading my first post,
Lianne xxx
Wow, Lianne! I cannot believe I am the first to reply to you. I am new here too. (Read my four-partΒ Intro)Β I have been told you will find a supportive sisterhood here. So far, out of the two that have replied to me I can concur.Β I cannot wait to meet more sisters here.Β You are very brave to do what you have done at work. Kudos to your boss.Β She sounds very supportive. A great ally to have.Β I hope you enjoy your journey here. Talk to me anytime you need to. I am only a pm (private message) or email away.
With sister love, Reuby Louise
HiΒ
...I have been told you will find a supportive sisterhood here...
I think it its, but it will take a lot of people to start commenting and sharing for it to take on that instantaneous warm blanket feel.Β I know because I've seen it in action on CDH.Β For those reading, I exhort y9u to contribute.Β You may just have the right word to make someone feel loved and give them hope or give them a new direction to consider.
Hugs, Cloe
Lianne,
What a wonderful introduction.Β I'm about your age and came out to my boss not too long ago.Β He is also in the lgbt community and yet he just sat in awe of the courage to come out of my closet.Β He even related his coming out.Β Then again when I told my staff that the next time they would see me would be as the picture I showed them on projector overhead, he just sat there with his mouth up and jaw dropped.
You are an amazing person and showed her your potential.Β I look forward to getting to know more about you and hear of your journey.
Hugs, Cloe
Thanks Cloe,Β so I took myself off in the car away from the family yesterday and called the EAP I mentioned in my first post... I spoke to a very supportive counselor over the phone and we have agreed that I am eligible for counselling to start to work through my anxiety around my transgender issues... And believe me I have a lot of that!
So, here we go - I think this is going to be an emotional roller coaster and maybe something that destroys my world as I currently know it, BUT it is something I have to do, and with luck I will manage it (with the help of others) so it will cause the least harm and hurt possible to those around me.
Lianne x
I'm here for you Lianne.Β I worked with our equivalent EAP, FEAP.Β They were wonderful, but honestly I was teaching them and they acknowledged it.Β What they did have was a plan from another transwoman that helped us navigate.Β I can't say this is true of your EAP, but if you need it, I'm hear to help.
Hi Lianne,
Your intro has sparked a memory for me from many years ago.
First Thank you for joining our community.
Your mention of coming out to your boss and the counsling program made available was what wish I had done so many years ago.
Make sure to follow through and get all that wonderful counsling and profesional support.
Amazing for to have such a wondeful boss.
Meanwhile, here in TGH, I know you will find many new friends and opprotunities to share, grow, learn about this path we are on.
All my best,
-Terri Anne
Cloe, You are awesome. Great story too.
So happy about the employers now who embrace our differences and support everyone.
-Terri Anne
