Cultural Competencies and Gender in Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Study on the Professional Experiences of Male Psychotherapists

Abstract

Psychotherapists' professional development processes are an important, yet understudied issue in the literature, especially in Turkiye. One of the most critical areas of professional development is cultural competence, and gender awareness is a significant dimension of it. Few studies pointed out the effects of traditional masculinity norms on professional development and revealed the conflicts about emotions, authority, and boundaries experienced by male psychotherapists. Although developmental and social dimensions of masculinity in Turkiye are extensively studied, research examining its impact on the practice of psychotherapy and psychotherapists' professional development is limited. Thus, the current study aimed to examine male psychotherapists' experiences from a gendered perspective. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 male psychotherapists aged between 27-52 having 3-20 years of experience. The data was analyzed with thematic analysis and revealed three main themes: a) Transforming masculinity roles through being a psychotherapist, b) Difficulties in the psychotherapy relationship, and c) Tensions and doubts caused by the profession. Findings showed that participants try to distance themselves from traditional masculinity and define an alternative role while experiencing doubts and inadequacies professionally due to stereotypes about masculinity and financial concerns. The findings also indicated that psychotherapists had difficulties in working with emotions with male patients, and in establishing trusting relationships with female patients, and they feared being accused of sexual harassment. The findings drew attention to the gender-based conflicts of male psychotherapists in Turkiye. Some educational and professional suggestions are discussed in relation to cultural competence and ethics. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.