u/metamorphic-rock_

I don’t even know where to start this post. I guess I want to hear from others about your experiences and receive some guidance because I feel very overwhelmed. I’m 18 and nonbinary. I’ve know I want top surgery for years. I don’t want to go on T. I have a general idea of WPATH assessments, but that’s about it. I have so many questions about how long the process takes, what are the order of steps, when do you start seeing the surgeon, what do you even do in those appointments, which other medical professionals are involved, how much each step costs and what you can get back via medicare vs private health insurance etc. I don’t know whether to start the process now if it will take a while, or wait. I have a lot of hesitations about the recovery process. If there was none I would want get it asap, but obviously that’s now how it goes. I’m worried I won’t have researched every small detail enough and will only discover something important once it’s too late. I feel like I need to dedicate a lot of time to that, but it feels like such a huge overwhelming thing with so much info out there and I’m worried I’ll get burnt out trying to navigate it all.

People who have gone through the process at a similar age to me (and also anyone else) what was it like?

I’m in Victoria, and if there are support/community groups where I could connect with others in a similar position to me, I’d love to hear about them.
And also if people have other resources specific to Victoria that could help, that would be much appreciated!

So I think I’ve decided I’m going to study peer work next year. I’m in Australia, where that looks like doing a one year course. I’m currently taking a gap year, and I’d like to start getting involved in some things related to peer work so I can get some sort of experience and more awareness of the space.

Things like volunteering, short courses, community groups, advocacy stuff. Really anything that relates to peer work, even quite loosely.

If you have any recommendations or places to find those things, I’d love to know!

(even if you’re not in Australia it would be helpful to hear what you did, then I can find equivalents here)

i had my first session with a new psych who uses psychoanalysis as their primary method. i feel so incredibly weird after the session, my obsessions have gone off the charts and i feel like i’m totally losing my mind. i’ve never experienced something like this before and it is completely horrible, i feel sick and scared. almost can’t even write this post because of ocd. i don’t know what to do. i feel so uncomfortable and wish i could go back in time so i wouldn’t have to experience that session. i’m stuck in a horrible loop of questioning whether this is ocd or whether im making things up to avoid discomfort or overreacting, and about whether ill ever feel normal again now that ive had this weird analysis in my brain. has anyone else experienced this? really need some advice desperately please

I did a 2 hour unpaid trial shift on the weekend. That’s the legal limit of unpaid trial shifts according to the fair work ombudsman.
However, now the manager wants me to come in for another unpaid trial. I asked if it would be paid and he said no and that I “need to put in [my] own time”. wtf???
that’s literally illegal??
Has anyone else experienced this? What should I do?

Hello,
I live in Australia and I’m looking for lost cost options for knee braces. I’m starting work in hospo and I need to stand for long hours. My legs feel like they’re about to collapse at the end of it and I’m in so much pain. I think I need something that provides both stability and compression.

Yes it would be more ideal to get a different job but I need this to gain experience and the job market is terrible at the moment.

If anyone has any tips for working in hospo with EDS please tell me, I’m a little desperate haha. Also wondering if someone could please explain the laws about accomodations in the workplace.

Hi,
I am really struggling with my OCD. It is debilitating and I do not find the fortnightly therapy is helping enough to unpack the complexities of it. My OCD stems from trauma over a decade ago and now impacts almost every aspect of my life. I know I wouldn’t be able to afford the inpatient program at The Melbourne Clinic. I see they have a day program which is once a week, does anyone know how much that costs? Are there other OCD programs in Melbourne that are not inpatient but more frequent than once a week or longer in duration that just a couple of hours. I would really appreciate any support with this as I am really struggling and feel overwhelmed by trying to navigate the system and get support for this and my other mental health conditions.

Also while I’m here, does anyone have recommendations for a psychologist/clinic in Melbourne that is queer + ND affirming, works with trauma related ocd, complex overlap of mental health conditions and people that have a long and deep history of struggling, and is helpful for people who are very self aware. I feel like my current psych can only address issues for someone who this is their first time experiencing some minor anxiety or life stress, and is not nearly able to address what I’m dealing with or connect my past experiences to present struggles.

Hello,
I got a message that they (workforce australia) want to have a meeting with me soon to discuss a mandatory employability skills training because I’ve been in workforce for a couple of months.
I haven’t done the EST because I’m kind of resuming my job search after a chaotic period where I couldn’t focus on it.

What do they talk about in this meeting?

Hi,
I’m a recent high school graduate from Australia, currently taking a gap year. I’ve deferred an offer for a bachelor of arts & science at monash uni. I’m really interested in working in mental health, particularly in an area where I can used my lived experience to help others.

I want to get a better idea of what these two jobs would look like, and the pathway of getting there. So if you’re an MH nurse or a peer worker, I’d love to hear what your experiences are. I don’t have a super good idea of exactly what MH nursing involves, so I’d really like to know more.

When you study nursing and know you want to go into mental health nursing, what is that like? - I’m not really sure how interested I am in nursing, just the mental health part

If I study a cert 4 in MH peer work, and decide I want to go into nursing after that, what would that look like?

How much lived experience is/can be used when doing mental health nursing?

Is it better to go to uni instead of doing the cert 4 and try to get work in peer work while I’m studying nursing?

Overall, my priority is the lived experience part.
I think I would like to go to uni, but I am considering just doing the cert 4 in peer work and then finding work in that area if peer work seems like the right option for me.