Encourage men to psychotherapy through technology

Special offers for psychotherapy for men could reduce inhibition threshold

08/06/2013

Men suffer differently than women - often breastfeeding and without therapeutic help. According to experts, men might sooner decide to seek professional help if psychotherapies included more male interests such as enthusiasm for technology.

Psychotherapy could take advantage of man's enthusiasm for technology
„Men are just as affected by mental illness as women. So far, it is not socially possible for many to make these diseases public. We have to change this with specific offers for affected men and more education of the population ", said the psychologist Barbara Lubisch, Deputy Federal Chairman of the German Psychotherapists Association (DPtV) on the occasion of the symposium „Man gets the crisis ", which took place on Thursday in Berlin.

The psychotherapist Johannes Vennen also advocated special therapy offers for men. For example, therapists could capitalize on men's enthusiasm for technology by encouraging their clients to record the sessions on their smartphones and listen to them later. „For centuries, women and men have been differently socialized, why should a unisexual approach work in psychotherapy? "Vennen asked. „The inner life is a little-known world for men. But it is important for therapy, so your mindfulness focus needs to be put more inward.“

Psychotherapy must correspond to the lifeworld of men
The offer for male-friendly psychotherapy is currently still small. There is a lot to change in order to reach men, such as the creation of offers that are in line with the lifeworld of men. These included customized office hours, in the evening or on weekends. The interior design and the magazines in the waiting area would have to „male“ his. In addition, Vennen also advises on other forms of therapy such as role-plays, exercises or presentations. „It is important to create a male-appropriate therapy situation, then we reach those affected and can help them“, explained the psychotherapist.

As reported by Lubisch, suicide rates are three times higher in men than in women. „We have to take social responsibility for these facts very seriously.“ There must be a sufficient number of psychotherapy places with more male therapists. Also in companies and organizations the sensitivity for mental problems of men must be sharpened. Lubisch also explicitly pointed to preventive offers. „Therefore, the prevention law should specifically take into account the aspects of mental health. "According to Lubisch, therapists should necessarily be included in the occupational health and prevention programs.