What are the advantages of seeing a female therapist?

Women who see a female therapist may feel freer to discuss challenges that are closely tied to gender, such as life transitions including motherhood or menopause. Clients who have experienced interpersonal trauma at the hands of men may feel more secure discussing the event and its aftermath with a woman. Some clients who instinctively feel more comfortable disclosing to women may find it easier to broach sensitive subjects with a female therapist.

What is the best therapy for women?

Women, like men, can benefit from many types of therapy, depending on their personal preferences and the concerns that bring them to therapy. For example, a woman who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder may benefit from dialectical behavioral therapy, while a woman struggling with depression may choose to pursue cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. Women should feel empowered to ask prospective therapists about their preferred approaches and how they might help address the client’s primary challenges.

Who should see a female therapist?

While a therapist’s efficacy has no relation to their gender, some clients—male and female alike—prefer to see a female therapist. This may be due to past trauma, conflicted or negative feelings towards men, or simply a greater comfort and ease around women. Female clients, in particular, may desire to see a female therapist because they want someone who can directly relate to their life experiences and gender-related concerns.

How can I recognize an effective therapist for women’s issues?

Most therapists see both male and female clients and are well-equipped to treat women; often, finding the right therapist comes down to the client’s personal preferences and the innate sense that a particular provider is a good fit. Women who are seeking help for a particular concern should ask prospective clinicians if they have experience treating women with the same concern and what progress might look like. Women who are seeking help for gender-related issues specifically may wish to find a provider who takes a feminist approach to therapy.