How you found yours, did you shop around?

Age 11: My mother made me an appt with a therapist without even telling me. I had severe OCD at the time. I was terrified of going, and just put on my happy face and told her what she wanted so I didnt have to go. I went 3 times or so and then stopped, no one ever told me why. It definately wasnt because I got better.
Age 18:My mother 'found' a journal of mine, freaked out, and first made me an appt. with a Pdoc, who then referred me to my current T.

What the first appt was like?

I was TERRIFIED. I have severe anxiety issues and was literally squirming in the waiting room and trying to keep myself from hyperventalating. She called my mother back first for a few minutes, which were minutes of pure hell while I imagined what my mother was telling a complete stranger. Once she called me back I was very tense, and didnt really know where to start. Initially I was pretty intimidated by her, but I gradually warmed up to where I like her very much. The first visit consiisted mostly of me being very wary of what I told her, because I had no idea of what could happen to me if I told her the truth (e.g. about the cutting and suicidal ideation and anxiety and such).

When did you know it clicked, or not?

It took a while. It took a LONG while before I was able to reguard her as an actual human and not just a doctor. This is almost completely my fault, because it takes me ages to warm up to people and therefore talk about REAL things and not the weather.

Male or female selection and why?

I wanted a female. I suppose it was probably because I felt maybe I'd be able to relate to one more and there wouldnt be and sexual tension (?) there. I didn't CHOOSE a female though, it just happened that I was referred to one. I started off with a female Pdoc and then was switched to a male Pdoc, a move which terrified me at first, but I have since become to trust him and see past the whole gender thing.

Age difference and did it matter?

I never really thought about the age issue going into it, seeing as I didnt really shop around. If I had had alot of say in it I probably would have gone with someone around 40 or so, middle age, around the age of my parents. Probably psychologically to replace a 'mother figure' as im sure it could be.

Their personal style...open, warm, formal,stiff, etc.

She is very warm and open to me. This is mostly good at making me comfortable, but I often find myself sometimes wishing she was MORE formal and more structured in her asking me questions.

Type of therapy; CBT, psychoanalytic, eclectic (little bit of everything), couples, group, who-knows-it-helps, etc.

I would probably peg her kind as CBT/eclectic. Sometimes I smell a little bit of freud popping up in our discussions

Transference issues, if any

wow, I've come to rely on my T (and all my doctors for that matter) ALOT more than I should. Sometimes I borderline obsess over them just because I feel the need to have them at my disposition ALL the time. This is not saying I would stalk them or anything, but I do probably think about them alot more than I let on. I trust them so much and long for their comfort inbetween sessions. Especially my T, who has pretty much become the 'mother figure' in my life. I mean, I have a mother, but shes the mother I want to adopt me. So yes, theres definitely some transference going on.

How long you've been going

About a year and a half with my current T (I've also been in DBT for about 2 months if that counts for anything)