Crossdressers-Haven.com

My wife wants us to attend the SPICE conference this coming July. I am all for it, anything that will help her come to a better understanding of this thing I brought into her life called crossdressing.
My question is what kind of environment can I expect at SPICE. I know it is geared towards the SO and there is no dressing allowed.
Anything thing you can give, pro or con, so I do not feel like I am going in blind. This will be our fist experience in the real world.
It is going to be exspensive, so I want to make sure it is worth it.

Jenney

Anyone? Has no one gone, or do those that go take a vow of silence?

I have posted on 3 forums and only MHB have I gotton two answers, both SO's. Which I appreciated.

Sorry, hon, I've never gone to SPICE - but I believe that Zippy and her wife went when it was held in Tampa in 2004.

I would be interested in hearing about SPICE, though - so do post about your experience!

- SL

You can search the forum for the term "SPICE" and email or pm those who have mentioned attending, like Zippy or KimberlyS.

Hi Jenney, sorry for my delay in getting to your post. I will give you a nut shell answer and if you want more details just let me know either here or via PM.

If both you and your wife/GF/SO are going to the conference to learn, listen and truly improve your relationship, the conference is more than worth the cost. Let me re-say BOTH OF YOU. And yes there is a story behind that which I will not tell here. As their web site says "INFORMATVE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING SEMINARS". Each time the conference seems to have a different main topic from my understanding, but you will have good overall input from a variety of people and topics. Come ready to write, journal and discuss things with your wife after the meetings, during the breaks and at other times as needed. We came home with a lot of information that we needed to digest.

The environment going in is very scary going in, at least it was for me and my wife also. I will relate it a little like what your wife has to go through if she is going out with you. Because as you said, there is NO cross dressing allowed. So going in the door you may feel very vulnerable without your clothes, wig and makeup to hide behind. But once in the door you are made to feel very welcome and relax quickly. You will not be sorry for going if you are both going to improve you relationship, from both sides. Yes it is geared towards the SO quit a bit, but that should not cut down on your learning. I learned a lot just by listening and hearing what the other SO's and CDers were saying. And some of the stuff I learned was what my wife and I were trying to work out but we could not. The hearing things put a different way in someone else words helped us both a lot.

As far as costs, I dare you to compare the cost of this conference and everything that is included with other marriage building seminars. IMHO, you will get a lot more bang for the buck, and plus come out with a better relationship. We spent an extra $500+ dollars that we did not expect just so we could get back home. Not sure how we made it there. And it was still worth it.

Just a note: Tri-Ess membership is optional/not needed to attend this conference. And my wife and I are not members. Yes you will get a plug or two about joining Tri-Ess, but what do you expect it is their conference.

I was also surprised at how much talk there was about the whole TG spectrum. Other people can put down Tri-Ess all they want for their choice of focusing their supporting a part of the TG spectrum. Yes Tri-Ess is hetrosexual - couple focused support. But I see Tri-Ess pushes and does a lot of education on the whole TG Spectrum both within and as out reach and in government. I see the CD forums focus their support on CDers, and the TS forums focus their support on the TS issues. The Gay community focuses its support on the gay community. The guys in skirts forms focuses their support on manly guys in skirts. I guess you could say that me, being a non-Tri-Ess member, I see alot of good in what they do and are trying to do. And I guess I have digressed. Now off my soap box.

Those are my humble opinions of our experience from attending SPICE in Denver 2005. We were planning on attending the one this year in Chicago, but my job got in the way. So this next year in Minneapolis is on our calandar, we may see you there. Yes we think it is worth attending it again.

KimberlyS - CD
a guy in a skirt

Wow, talk about being late...

If you both are ready to open your hearts and minds, share with others, and learn, you can't go anywhere better than the annual SPICE conference. The local sponsoring chapter are always a gracious host, and the session topics and facilitators are wonderful. You won't regret it, I promise.

Hello all,

Well we reside in Australia,but I'll tell you what,I would very much like to know what is involved in organising such an event.Here in Australia there is no such activity as such for couples....a much needed area of attention.

So if you can Zippy and Kimberly I would like a run down of the conference etc.

Hugs Penny

Penni, for the best run down on the conference you may want to contact Tri-Ess as that is who puts on this conference and I am sure they know longer term what has worked and what does not.

In a nutshell my wife and I considered it a marriage enrichment conference with a CDing twist. As a lot of what was talked about applies across the board to all relationships just replace CDing with what ever the couple is going through. The conference started out as a Spouses conference but has evolved into more of a couples conference. IMHO there is not a CDing couple that could not benefit from this conference in some way and most would benefit a lot. And many couples could greatly benefit from the conference because I know most of us are not taught much for relationship skills. I have heard that each one is a bit different in main topic focus, but not sure if that is correct or not.

To put it on, you will need the backing of a strong group of people and a main presenter with a lot of knowledge. Deb Ann who is a professional in the Denver area was our main presenter and she was excellent. I think she also presented at the last SPICE.

If this is something you are really thinking of doing I would strongly recommend that you attend one.

My wife and I have only attended one, and I know there are other people that have attended more of them. If I can answer anymore questions PM me.

KimberlyS - CD

Please pardon the side-comment but this made me think of one reason the conference is called SPICE [cause I don't know if they tell]

KimberlyS wrote: The conference started out as a Spouses conference but has evolved into more of a couples conference. KimberlyS - CD

Mouses=Mice
Spouses=Spice


Connie.

LOL Connie. it is something like the following.

SPICE - Spouses and Partners International Conference on Education

KimberlyS-CD

Connie wrote:Please pardon the side-comment but this made me think of one reason the conference is called SPICE [cause I don't know if they tell]

KimberlyS wrote: The conference started out as a Spouses conference but has evolved into more of a couples conference. KimberlyS - CD

Mouses=Mice
Spouses=Spice


Connie.

I wish they would set the dates, summer is fast aprouching and my work schedule is filling in fast.

Jenney

Jenny, I have an email off to my inside contacts and hope to have an answer to you soon.

Thanks!
My wife and I are still planning on going, assuming we can afford it.

Jenney

http://www.tri-ess.org/spice/
Minneapolis, MN is bit too far from home:

Julia

Julie Miller wrote:http://www.tri-ess.org/spice/
Minneapolis, MN is bit too far from home:

Julia

It's right next door for use, ok a short days drive, lots of antiques on the way though. Hoping to get some fishing in too!