Why Men May be More Resistant to Couples Counselling

While I dislike gender stereotyping, and my experience as a couples therapist disproves the notion that only women are able to articulate or verbalize their emotions this article is helpful with respect to showing why men, more often than women, may have been socialized to fear couples counselling — which requires emotional expression, with a stranger no less (the stranger being the therapist).  Understanding this fear may help the other half of the couple from blaming resistance on something more sinister.  It also helpfully points out that the refusal by one half of the couple does not mean the other half cannot pursue individual psychotherapy or counselling.  That being said, family systems colleagues share that couples in distress find more success with counselling if they come together.

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