Experiencing the Opposite Gender

Here's something to throw out there for the general public to mull over and respond to -

Let's say someone wants to experience being the other gender, say a man wants to know what it would feel like if he had been born female, but it's not like he wants to actually go through the whole process of transitioning into being a woman (HRT, SRS, etc) - what process would you take him through using hypnosis, and what impact would that have on the rest of his life? And I guess the most important thing is, if it's not a compulsion to transition the way a transgender individual would, what would lead to that sort of dichotomy?

I guess I'm looking for a more spiritual/metaphysical answer here - what manifestation of the universe would such a preoccupation represent in a person? :-)

Thanks for your input!

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on April 27, 2011 at 10:45am

You are most welcome, Graham. You've helped open my mind here on HT many times so it's great to return the favor.

This thread is a good example of how limited we are in responding to certain posts. Without knowing the true desired outcome we can only guess at the path to take.

Kelley

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 27, 2011 at 11:44pm

LOL Ok Micheal, I buy the cigar :) and I agree, It is very important for us to create that safe place for our client, so they can trust us to feel more confident and self-assured. And that was my point all along, that the client wanted only to experience hypnosis in regards to his imaginary while not longing to change his genders.

Well said, and Thank you!

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 28, 2011 at 12:05am

Hello Blair and thanks for your response, FYI I have read the Iron John by Robert Blithe, and I agree that the, Iron John, provides many valuable lessons on the path into manhood, but we are not talking about one of the main unconscious emotions that men have been stuck at, for years, as a result of grief, such suggested in Iron John.

I also agree with Robert Blithe's statement, that many men mistakenly buy into the notion that a man shouldn’t feel grief at all, and that this idea actually cuts off a man’s ability to feel anything at all.

Where here we have a client that is in touch with his feelings and is interested in using hypnosis to explore the illusion of being a woman, which I think is fascinating and great way to go, especially that he is not looking for clarity around his gender, instead he is willing to explore the options of mind body connection.

Respectfully, Doreen Cohanim C.Ht, MM

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 28, 2011 at 1:33am

You are correct it was Robert Bly, my mistake, and I have read it.

Have a great Day :)

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht, MM

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 28, 2011 at 2:29am

Blair Palmerlee said:

The "male need for intimacy" can be expressed in a multitude of ways. Interesting related reading: Iron John by Robert Blithe. You might find it quite enlightening, Doreen :)

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 28, 2011 at 2:37am

I have Fable, I wasn't questioning that :)

How are you?

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht, MM

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 28, 2011 at 11:17am

Sure Sure... What ever rocks your boat :)

Doreen Cohanim C.Ht, MM

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 28, 2011 at 12:00pm

Hahaha.. it sure does Blair :)

Respectfully, Doreen Cohanim C.Ht

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Permalink Reply by Bill Kennedy on April 28, 2011 at 12:58pm

That is a fascinating question: how do you experience being the opposite gender?

Interestingly enough, it is a question faced by writers on a daily basis. How do you present the authentic voice of a woman, a child, an aboriginal or even an anthropomorphized animal (e.g. if you're writing for Disney)? A lecturer whose class I attended talked about writing a play about soldiers on a long term assignment. One of them is a woman who gets pregnant and has her baby during the mission. He said that he had no personal experience of being either female or a soldier, but used research, interviews and personal observation to create the image of his characters in his mind. What a powerful combination: research and imagination!

Graham Old said:

Hi Kelley,

That's a great way to put it. Thanks.

However, I personally would still not see this as giving him the experience of being the opposite gender. And if this was part of someone's decision-making process in, for example, a transgender reassignment consideration, I think it could potentially be misleading. (Just as someone shouldn't be fooled into thinking they actually have an experience of running a marathon under hypnosis as their way to decide if they can actually do it.)

Nevertheless, 'through his perception of what being feminine entails' is a helpful way to put it. But then we're into a whole of discussion on the difference between sex and gender.

Thanks for making me think.

Kelley Woods said:

Some years ago, a gentleman approached me for a session to explore the reasons for his growing interest in cross-dressing. It was causing him distress, especially since he was keeping it secret from his wife and friends. During our work together, he was able to experience life through his perception of what being feminine entails. This person was not attracted to men, but had stated that he merely admired and loved women so much that he had a desire to feel like one.

...Ultimately, hypnosis helped him mitigate the negative feelings he had about his behavior and move on to live his life in a genuine fashion.

If a client comes to me wishing for an experience of winning a marathon, composing a sonata, or being able to fly like a bird, I am happy to deliver. It doesn't matter to me if he doesn't have a clue about running, playing a piano or what a bird feels like. I trust his creative imagination to provide that! Never under-rate play acting.

Best wishes,

Kelley