The Unique Benefits of Working with a Male Therapist
By Jasmin Portaz, M.A., LPC, ATR-P
September 30, 2025
Compassion, Clarity, and a Different Kind of Support.
When one envisions working with a psychotherapist, often what is pictured is a middle-aged woman, with kind eyes and a comfortable couch. All stereotypes stem from somewhere; out of the nearly 200,000 therapists employed in the US, over 75% of them identify as cisgender women, over 75% of them identify as white, with an average age of around 57 years old. While all of these disparities seem to be decreasing with time, we clearly have a long way to go in the area of representation in the therapeutic field. As nearly all psychological theories believe that the greatest indicator of therapeutic success is the client-clinician relationship, and it is true that one need not come from the same demographic as someone to have a good relationship, many individuals do find that working with someone from the same race and/or gender can be greatly useful in feeling seen, heard, and understood.
HOW WOMEN BECAME THE THERAPEUTIC NORM
While a version of therapy existed before Freud’s introduction of psychoanalysis, it was mostly through a religious or spiritual lens. In the late 1800s Sigmund Freud revolutionized the therapeutic world by identifying and proving the effectiveness of talk therapy. The field remained male-dominated until the civil rights movement flipping to become a female-dominated industry in the 1970s and 1980s, joining the ranks of nursing, social work, and other care-centered professions.
WHY DO WOMEN DOMINATE THE FIELD OF COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGY?
It seems that nearly, if not all, professions correlated with care are dominated by women. The very simple reason for this is that women = mothers = maternal. Part of this is simply by human design; women grow humans inside them and then feed their children from their bodies. Therefore, women have historically been the ones to care for children. In hunter-gather societies, with some rare exceptions, women are the gatherers/caretakers, while men hunt (work outside the home) for the food, and are not expected to be as warm, comforting, or altruistic as women. We associate care with woman, as throughout history women have been the primary caretakers for children, the sick, and the elderly. When we picture nurses, women. Nannies, women. Teachers, women. And, in today’s age, therapists, women. Unfortunately, these stereotypes can be harmful, both in assuming that someone who identifies or presents as a female feels maternal, or that someone who identifies or presents as male does not.
WHY SOMEONE MAY NOT WANT TO WORK WITH A MALE THERAPIST
Working with a male clinician may not be the best choice for everyone. Some examples:
A client recently experienced violence or abuse at the hands of a male
A client finds their self-worth or value in the attention or approval of males
A client has trouble with sexualizing or objectifying males
A client does not feel safe being alone with a male
There is never any reason to force someone to work a clinician with whom they do not feel comfortable. The core of the therapeutic relationship is trust. Without trust, no real work can be done. That being said, the discomfort may simply lie in the fear of the unknown, and in that case, it may be worth exploring the benefits that come from such a relationship.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A MALE THERAPIST
While some seeking counseling services may feel more comfortable working with a female, some may find the benefits of working with a male to be uniquely applicable to their healing journey. Here are some benefits of working with a male therapist:
Being able to work through traumas associated with men
Clients who have been victimized by woman may find it safer/more comfortable to work through feelings associated with the trauma with a man
Clients who have been victimized by a male and are ready to confront and work through those feelings with a safe male
For adolescent, teen, or adult clients that did not have a positive, or any, male role model in their lives, they may find the male therapist is able to fill some of those emotional voids through the therapeutic relationship
A client has only ever worked with female therapists and understand the value in opening themselves up to a different perspective
Benefits for males:
Working with a therapist who has similar experiences
Space to work through, and push back on, feelings about traditional societal male roles
Modeling of empathy, appropriate behavior, language, and care
A greater comfort in speaking about certain topics (sexual performance, intimacy, shameful behaviors, etc.)
The normalization of males expressing feelings
Benefits for women:
A different perspective
Tools to better understanding the opposite sex from the opposite sex
A better understanding of their own masculine self
HOW TO DECIDE WHICH THERAPIST IS RIGHT FOR YOU
There are many reasons to choose not to work with a therapist such as they have strongly opposing ethical beliefs than you, you feel judged by them, they don’t accept your insurance, they don’t have any experience or understanding of your diagnosis or needs, or simply, you just don’t feel a connection with them. However, aside from the few, unique reasons stated previously, a clinician’s gender or sex should not be a defining factor. As the social construct of gender roles become more understood and the field becomes more inclusive, many clients may find gender does not even factor into their checklist for what they are seeking in a counselor. Or, one may find that a male therapist is exactly what they need.
Warmly,
HELPFUL LINKS
Emerge Psychology Group
Key Therapist Statistics & Demographics
National Library of Medicine
Psychology Today
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Call or text 988
Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, always seek professional help immediately. Please call 911 or the suicide prevention lifeline at 988 or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate care.
DISCLAIMER
The content of these webpages and blogs and information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Seek professional help immediately if you are experiencing a mental health crisis or any other medical condition.