Posted by mist on October 14, 2000, at 15:36:35
In reply to Who is better, male or female therapist?, posted by TomV on October 11, 2000, at 13:35:00
No matter what, it's important that your therapist treat you with respect and kindness (especially for depressed people). There is no excuse for a therapist treating anyone with coldness or veiled put-downs designed to maintain control by the therapist. I think some therapists do this under the guise of being "tough." They're basically incredibly skill-less. In my opinion, male therapists are more likely to do that then female ones. Genuine warmth and appreciation of who the client is--their positive personal qualities--can be very healing, I suspect often more so than any amount of analyzing of the client's problems. Among other things, that type of approach helps to build self-esteem, creates trust, and makes dealing with negatives (in a skillfull and respectful way) easier.
poster:mist
thread:978
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001011/msgs/1059.html