ABSTRACT
My practicum experience during graduate school was a unique learning period for me. As a transgender woman who was entering the counseling field, I was excited when I was assigned Bethany, a newly transitioning male-to-female in her mid-40s. Bethany was seeking my services in addressing stress and depression. In addition, Bethany seemed to have impairment in her intellectual functioning, as evidenced by some unique structure to her speech and the methods through which it appeared she processed and expressed ideas. However, these variables were not the most significant components of Bethany’s presentation.
