Is there an advantage to being a male therapist? It's a question I've been asked a number of times, and after around 15 years working as a therapist, I have quite a few thoughts about it.

Psychotherapy is a profession that is overwhelmingly female, so does being a man give male therapists an advantage? Are there particular reasons why some people actively choose a male therapist? And are there things about working with men that male therapists may bring a different perspective to?

In this video I talk about my own experience of training as one of only a few men in my cohort, why some women have specifically chosen to work with me because I'm a man, my experience of working with male clients, and some of the assumptions and expectations we can have about men, women, masculinity and femininity.

I also explore some of the challenges that can arise when men struggle with vulnerability, emotional intimacy or talking about feelings, and why I don't think we should lower our expectations of men when it comes to emotional awareness.

Ultimately, I don't think being male automatically makes someone a better therapist. But I do think there can be advantages and disadvantages depending on the client, the therapist and the relationship and that having more men in psychotherapy could bring something valuable to the profession.

I'd really like to hear your experience. Are you a male or female therapist? Have you ever specifically chosen a therapist because of their gender? Or do you think gender makes very little difference to the therapeutic relationship?

Snow White video mentioned: https://youtu.be/0EQWlq_sjUo
Men's mental health playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbzuc1SEOTxjOjWWxvDBn1HI3Ma2o3tfk

🎧 Podcast version of this video: (http://www.buzzsprout.com/2067601)
🌐 Website: (https://www.thistrustedplace.co.uk)

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✅ If anything in this video resonates with you or brings up something you'd like to explore further and you're thinking about therapy, I'd love to hear from you. You're very welcome to get in touch with me via my website (https://www.thistrustedplace.co.uk) to find out more or to arrange an initial conversation.

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