Poll Female Or Male Therapist?

[Lauren214]

Female female female, my assault was by a man. I had a man during my "evaluation" I hated it. I was uncomfortable being in the room with him.

 

[Orglethorp]

I'm female, and I've had both male and female therapists along the way. Getting perspectives, advise & reactions from both genders has been interesting, for sure. By far the best two I've ever seen were actually one female and one male. The woman was in her late 20s, just finished her master's degree and doing her mandatory practicum at the university's counselling centre. There was just something really, really special about her, and had she not been there temporarily, I'd have stayed with her for years. The man was a full-fledged psychologist who was actually working out of a marriage counselling office but took all sorts of clients. He had experienced similar traumas to my own (though fewer, and apparently less severe), and he really made an effort to spend some of each session just getting to know who I was and who I wanted to be.

 

[Rissy215]

Though the majority of my abuse was by males, for some reason I've intentionally only seen a male therapist and have male doctors. I've just found them easier to talk to and they seem to understand me more. I find females very judgmental in general and I have trust issues with them. I think because a few were also involved in my abuse I feel like that was even more of a betrayal because they should have been on my side and trying to protect me rather than hurting me.

As far as the male therapist goes, I've seen him for 18 months and it's been fine until recently when we've really focused on sexual abuse and I trust him but I just physically can not get words out about what happened. I'm not sure if it's because he's male or I'd have this much trouble with anyone.

 

[Essay]

I've had experience with both male and female therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors. I tend to end up with female therapists but it hasn't ever mattered to me. What matters is how the professional in question works to create a connection with me so that we can get things done together.

I recently had an unpleasant experience with a local, female psychiatrist. I was required to meet with her in order to provide my PCP with support regarding medication but I continually felt marginalized and ashamed just walking into her office. I typically struggle to understand whether or not the behavior of others is inappropriate, especially when the person in question is imbued with some sort of authority (real or imagined), because I'm programmed to believe that I'm the problem, no matter the circumstances. It's also typical for me to dismiss my feelings as an over-reaction to something that wouldn't bother "normal" people. So I struggled for two months to define the difficulty I was having with this psychiatrist.

Recently, without mentioning my feelings, I took an advocate to my psychiatry appointment. The psychiatrist spent 45 minutes switching back and forth between being blasé and being condescending/dismissive. She ignored my questions regarding her participation in some upcoming medication changes and, when I pressed her for the information she'd promised me, told me that I needed to "stay in the present and stop worrying about the future."

When we left, my advocate was livid. I was, uncharacteristically, grinning like an idiot.
Nailed it in one.

Essay: 1
Asshats: 0

 

[Candleflames]

I think individual personalities matter more than gender. For years I would only see female therapists, thinking I could only get understanding from another woman. Then I got a therapist who would turn things into a competition. She would make snarky comments about how she would never let... happen in her home. I left her office feeling so horrible that I gave up on therapy for years.

When I started looking for a new person I open up my search to male therapists. Now I have both. I have my regular therapists who is male and a cognitive-behavioral specialist who is female. They are both great. Our personalities work well together and that's really all that matters.

 

[Lina007]

There is one male doctor I would trust who has always exuded a moderate, or centrist-type, of approach to his practice of psychiatry and psychology and who never made me feel badly for what happened.

 

[jocko]

I need a guy now. I've never had much of a male presence in my life & grew up a failure-to-launch nervous wreck, I want my shrink to be male. I need that kind of guidance/outlook if I can find it.

 

[ResaLock]

I have a male therapist. I tried to seek out a female P.T.S.D specialist. It did not work out. The therapist I have now I feel very restricted, even though things were revealed to him recently I did not want to because he is a male. Been seeing him over a year and we have gotten no where. It doesn't even seem like he even understands P.T.S.D. I went to seek out a female and she was rude and completely disrespected me and sent me into a panic attack triggering me. There is more to the story than that. I sought out another woman, some didn't call me back. Even though I left a couple of messages. Got in contact with a place for women for specific purpose. That didn't work out. nothing on their part.

 

[The Albatross]

My main shrink was male, I was female. Our marriage counselor was male when we were in couples counseling. In our church I had a female counselor (certified) and my husband had our pastor (also certified in counseling other than church stuff). Now my shrink for the sexual dysfunction stuff is female as the other one in my area, though out of town, is not somebody (by the look of him) I'd be able to discuss it with. So I'm a mixed bag.

 

[Ti Vu]

I'm male and both of my psychologists so far have been women. I don't know otherwise, so I can't say for sure, but I feel more comfortable talking to women at this point. They've both been very understanding and empathetic.

 

[SeanCharles]

Wow! If I wasn't overwhelmed already, I am feeling much more overwhelmed! I do like this thread, and yes, I understand I am posting to an older thread... I decided to jump in here because I may have found a possibility as a trauma therapist who is also familar with PTSD. He's got some interesting Treatment Approaches listed. I am feeling indecisive though given my last therapist who was a woman and wasn't specifically a trauma therapist. She was an excellent help to a degree even though I feel like we only scratched the ice on the surface of a frozen pond.

 

[TonyG]

Does the gender of your therapist matter to you? I have had both male and females that have been good therapists. However, I prefer female and I am female.

I was abused sexually by both a male and female, but I grew up around strong women. I think that is why I prefer female therapists.

Because of the category I fit into I get 25 bulk billed visits I have a female Doctor and female therapist but I don't think it matters in my situation, I get emotional with men also I do have trouble with my emotions.