Bridging Perspectives: Exploring Challenges of Male Therapists/Counsellors in the Indian Context

Abstract

In India, the field of counselling and therapy predominantly consists of female practitioners. Despite the increasing breadth of research within this field, there remains a notable dearth of research focusing on the experiences of male counsellors or therapists within the Indian context. This research endeavours to address this gap by delving into the challenges encountered by male therapists and counsellors in India. Employing a qualitative research paradigm, the study utilized semi-structured interviews to engage with nine male counsellors or therapists, each possessing a minimum of one year of professional experience. The participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thematic network analysis served as the interpretive framework for the findings, which revealed a diverse range of challenges. These challenges encompassed financial constraints, limited employment prospects, client preferences favouring female therapists, difficulties in fostering client engagement, workplace challenges, mental and emotional strains, as well as struggles in maintaining a harmonious work-life balance. By shedding light on these multifaceted challenges, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the unique obstacles faced by male counsellors and therapists in India's counselling landscape.