Connection is not easy to find. Typically, people rely on their family, friends, and loved ones to feel connected. But now more than ever, people are relying on their internet connection in place of real life, in-vivo human connection.
Flashback to 2007. I just moved from Orange County to LA where I studied for my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and completed my intern hours as part of my journey to attain my Marriage and Family Therapy license. The lifestyle in LA was so different. One of my favorite things to do in the morning before work was to hike up Runyon Canyon—in the heart of Hollywood—with its breathtaking views of the city from Santa Monica to Downtown LA and where there was no shortage of traffic or people. With cell phones becoming the norm, most people had their heads down, looking at their phones, headphones in their ears. I felt then what I still feel now: a lack of connection.
Everything is on our personal devices and available to us within seconds. I can be guilty of it, too; more so now than 2007. Everything seems to start or happen with the help of technology. But our lives being condensed into a device has decreased what I call improvisational human connection. Every time a stranger acknowledges another with a simple smile or takes a friendly jab at the baseball hat someone is wearing, it’s like a vitamin B-12 shot to our collective arm, a jolt of connection that invigorates our shared soul and for me, helps me truly believe, even if only for a moment, that we all come from the same place.
Connection is right in front of us, but we must actively seek it out.
If you have a support system and are seeking more connection to re-embrace our universality, or if you are looking to expand the support around you, therapy could be the medium that helps. Choices are abundant. You might have a specific therapist in mind who was recommended to you, a list of characteristics and qualifications that define your ideal therapy match, or a specific list based on your insurance coverage. Connections are there and available for you to make.
Interestingly, when it comes to therapy, statistics show that the majority of therapists are female (almost 75%, according to current survey data). This is good I guess, because surveys also show that about 70% of people seeking to connect to a therapist prefer a female! However, working with a male therapist can provide many benefits.
If a client would like to work on relational dynamics, a male therapist can model emotional openness, empathy, and vulnerability, which some clients may not have seen from male figures in their lives. For clients who’ve had negative experiences with male figures, a male therapist may engender reassuring feelings and offer a safe space to “work through” those dynamics. Men who want to explore issues related to fathers, mentors, brothers, or peers may benefit from experiencing and unpacking that with a male therapist. In couples work, some clients may want a male therapist to balance perspectives or reduce fears of bias.
Many male therapists focus on men’s mental health, masculinity, anger management, or male identity development. A male therapist can bring personal insight into male socialization, pressures, and gender roles. For some survivors of abuse (especially if the perpetrator was male), seeing a safe, compassionate male therapist can help challenge generalized fear or distrust of men.
While choosing a therapist is ultimately a personal decision, clients can be assured that licensed and associate therapists—male, female, or non-binary—are available to connect with to help them get through life’s challenges. If you are seeking that kind of connection, Foresight’s therapists have immediate availability, get started today.
