Which gender goes to therapy more?
You’ve probably heard the stereotype: women are more likely to open up, men would rather bottle it up. And when it comes to therapy, that assumption often follows us around. Friends joke about who’s “more emotional,” studies compare communication styles, and society tends to slot men and women into very different boxes. But how much of that actually shows up in the therapy room?
In Los Angeles, therapy is part of the cultural conversation more than almost anywhere else, so the question of which gender goes to therapy more isn’t just about numbers. It’s about identity, stigma, and the stories we inherit about what it means to be a man or a woman seeking help.
Statistics tend to confirm that women are more likely to go to therapy than men, but numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Culture, upbringing, and shifting gender roles all shape whether someone feels comfortable reaching out. And as Grazel Garcia, a Los Angeles therapist and founder of GGPA explains, therapy isn’t simply a matter of “women talk, men don’t.” It’s far more complex.
This article takes a closer look at how gender, culture, and expectations play into therapy. We’ll dig into the research, unpack the myths, and share clinical insights from the therapy room itself. If you’re curious about trends in therapy, or considering therapy in Los Angeles for yourself, this is a conversation that goes deeper than stereotypes.
Watch the full interview here!
Do women really go to therapy more?
If you look at the research, the answer is fairly clear: yes. Across the United States, women consistently report higher rates of attending therapy than men. A recent CDC survey found that about 23% of women received mental health treatment in the past year compared to just 13% of men. And according to the American Psychological Association, women are more likely to seek professional help not only for mental health issues, but also for stress, relationship concerns, and emotional well-being.
These numbers fit with what many therapists see in practice. Grazel notes that, in her own experience, more women choose to come to therapy.
“Yes, I see more women go to therapy. Women tend to open up more emotionally. But that doesn’t mean all women do, or that men don’t.”
Part of the explanation lies in social norms. From a young age, women are often encouraged to talk about feelings, while men may be nudged toward self-reliance or silence. That doesn’t mean women automatically find therapy easy, but it does make it more socially acceptable. For men, the decision to start therapy sometimes feels like breaking a rule: one that says asking for help isn’t masculine.
Still, the gap is narrowing. Younger generations, influenced by open conversations about mental health online, are beginning to challenge those old assumptions. And in a city like Los Angeles, more men are finding their way into the therapy room.
If you’ve ever thought therapy might not be “for you,” remember that it’s not about fitting into a stereotype. It’s about finding support for your unique experiences.
If you’re looking for therapy in Los Angeles, consider reaching out and seeing how the process might benefit you.
Men and the therapy stigma
If women tend to lead the way when it comes to therapy, what holds men back? The answer often comes down to stigma. For generations, cultural messages told men to “tough it out,” “man up,” or “deal with it on your own.” Those messages don’t vanish easily, even in Los Angeles where therapy is widely accepted.
Mental Health America points out that men are less likely to seek mental health services, even though they face high rates of issues like depression and substance use. Instead of reaching out, many turn to coping mechanisms that avoid vulnerability: work, alcohol, or silence. But none of those provide lasting relief.
From Grazel’s perspective, the picture isn’t one-sided. Some men not only seek therapy, but genuinely thrive in it.
“There are men that love talking, and there are men who are emotionally attuned. Some are eager to dig in and get better. Others may feel awkward at first, but they still reach out.”
That willingness is slowly shifting the narrative. Men are beginning to see therapy as an act of strength rather than weakness, especially younger generations who grew up with less rigid views of masculinity.
Where conversations about mental health are part of everyday life, more men are recognizing that reaching out isn’t a flaw, it’s a step toward self-awareness and healthier relationships.
The stigma still lingers though, but every man who takes the step into therapy helps to rewrite what masculinity can look like: open, resilient, and unafraid to grow.
If you’ve been hesitant about starting therapy in Los Angeles, consider this: courage isn’t avoiding your feelings, it’s choosing to face them. Taking that step might be one of the strongest decisions you’ll ever make.
Culture, identity, and therapy
Even beyond gender, culture plays a huge role in shaping who feels comfortable walking into a therapist’s office. Therapy, as we know it today, was born in a Western framework. Sigmund Freud – the father of psychoanalysis – worked from a white, European perspective. That history still influences how therapy is perceived in different communities.
In many cultures, therapy has long been considered taboo. The idea of sharing private struggles with a stranger can feel unnatural or even shameful. Grazel explains this from her own background:
“Generations before me, therapy was seen as unhelpful. In our culture, you don’t share your struggles with anyone who’s a stranger. Even if it’s a professional, it’s still a stranger.”
This stigma continues today, though the tide is shifting. As conversations about mental health become more mainstream, therapy is increasingly seen as a resource rather than a weakness. Still, disparities remain. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, only about one in three Black or Hispanic adults in the U.S. receives treatment for mental illness, compared with nearly half of White adults. That gap highlights how cultural perceptions and systemic barriers make it harder for some groups to access care.
Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world, which means therapists often work with people from many cultural backgrounds. That diversity can be a strength, but it also requires sensitivity. For therapy to be effective, it must acknowledge cultural identity and respect the values clients bring into the room. And that’s exactly what GGPA prides itself on: culturally attuned therapy.
Therapy isn’t about erasing culture; it’s about creating a safe space where people can explore struggles in a way that honors both their individuality and their heritage.
If you’ve ever worried that therapy might not “fit” with your cultural background, know that you’re not alone. Many people find that therapy in Los Angeles can be adapted to respect culture while still offering meaningful support.
Why therapy isn’t “just for broken people”
One of the biggest myths about therapy is that it’s only for people who are struggling with something “serious.” For decades, mental health treatment was framed as something you sought only if you were sick, unstable, or in crisis. That framing still keeps many people away, even when they could benefit.
But therapy isn’t just about putting out fires. It’s also about growth, resilience, and learning how to handle life with more clarity and ease. In fact, research shows that nearly 75% of people who engage in therapy find it helpful. That number alone is a reminder that therapy is effective not only for mental illness, but also for everyday stress and relationship challenges.
Grazel sees therapy as a sign of strength, not weakness:
“I don’t think there’s something wrong with you when you go to therapy. I see that you’re trying to better yourself in a way that makes you feel good. There’s nothing ‘wrong’ about struggle and suffering.”
Reframing therapy this way matters. It shifts the conversation from “something must be wrong with me” to “I want to invest in myself.” Just like hiring a trainer at the gym or a mentor in business, seeing a therapist can be about improving your quality of life, not fixing something broken.
In Los Angeles especially, where the pace of life can feel overwhelming, therapy provides a structured space to process stress, build coping tools, and strengthen relationships. It’s not about labels; it’s about giving yourself the space to breathe, reflect, and grow.
If you’ve been holding back from reaching out because you feel your problems “aren’t big enough,” remember this: therapy in Los Angeles isn’t just for crises. It’s for anyone ready to live with more confidence, connection, and balance.
What men and women actually seek in therapy
It’s tempting to assume that men and women arrive in therapy with very different goals. You might imagine men focusing on career or financial success, while women want to work on emotions and relationships. But in practice, those stereotypes don’t hold up.
Grazel explains that both men and women show up with overlapping struggles, often centered on emotional connection and balance between personal and professional life:
“There are men who come to therapy after achieving success in their careers but have a hard time emotionally attuning to themselves, their partners, and their families. And there are women who are very successful in their careers, struggling with the same challenges.”
Research backs this up. In the APA’s Stress in America survey, 43% of adults said work stress was one of the top reasons they sought therapy. That’s not just a “men’s issue” or a “women’s issue.” It’s a human one.
When couples come in, the themes can shift toward gender roles and expectations. Who should be the breadwinner? Who should take care of the children? Some couples are comfortable flipping traditional roles, while others feel tension when expectations clash. Couples therapy becomes the space where those conversations can happen openly.
At the heart of it, therapy isn’t about dividing men’s issues from women’s issues. It’s about creating room for individuals and couples to name what’s weighing on them and discover healthier ways forward.
In Los Angeles, high-pressure careers and diverse cultural norms often collide, sometimes at force, and therapy offers a way to pause, reflect, and realign with what matters most regardless of gender.
If you’re facing stress, career pressures, or relationship struggles, know that you don’t have to navigate them alone. Therapy in Los Angeles can help you untangle the overlap between work, family, and emotional well-being.
The role of gender roles in therapy
Gender roles are woven into the fabric of many relationships, whether we notice them or not. Some couples are comfortable with traditional setups: one partner as the breadwinner, the other as the caretaker. Others prefer a more flexible, modern approach. The real challenges emerge when expectations don’t match, or when life circumstances force roles to shift.
Grazel sees this dynamic often in her sessions:
“That’s why I always encourage couples to do premarital counseling first. That way, they can talk about these roles. Sometimes one partner needs to step up and be the breadwinner. Sometimes the other partner needs to be the caretaker. And that can happen.”
Major life events (like job loss, illness, the arrival of children) can throw traditional roles into question. If partners haven’t had honest conversations about these possibilities, resentment can build quickly.
For example, a man may feel overwhelmed as the sole provider, or a woman may feel trapped at home when she longs to rejoin the workforce. Therapy creates a safe space to unpack those feelings before they spiral into conflict.
The benefits of proactive work in this area are clear. Research shows that couples who attend premarital counseling report higher marital satisfaction and are better equipped to handle changes in family roles.
Couples therapy allows partners to negotiate not just who they are in the relationship, but also who they want to be when life inevitably shifts.
If you and your partner are preparing for marriage or navigating role changes, consider how therapy in Los Angeles can strengthen your foundation. Open conversations today can prevent deeper struggles tomorrow.
Strengths over stereotypes
When it comes to therapy, gender stereotypes only take us so far. Yes, research shows that women attend therapy more often than men. Yes, cultural norms still influence who feels comfortable seeking help. But once clients are actually in the room, what matters most isn’t gender; it’s honesty, communication, and the willingness to grow.
As Grazel puts it:
“What strength do you have that’s going to be better for the family? That’s so important to understand.”
In therapy, those strengths often look different for everyone. Some men discover they’re gifted at emotional attunement with children. Some women realize they thrive in leadership at work while balancing family life. And many couples find that the most sustainable path forward is the one where roles are shared flexibly, not rigidly.
Therapy helps people move beyond the “shoulds” of gender and step into what actually works for them. That shift creates more space for self-acceptance, healthier partnerships, and resilience in the face of life’s stressors.
For those considering therapy in Los Angeles, the takeaway is simple: therapy isn’t about fitting into a mold. It’s about recognizing your strengths, untangling your challenges, and building a life that feels aligned with who you truly are.
If you’re ready to look past stereotypes and focus on your own growth, therapy can help you uncover the strengths that matter most in your life and relationships.
Final thoughts
So, which gender goes to therapy more? Statistically, women are still more likely to step into a therapist’s office than men. But numbers only scratch the surface. Culture, upbringing, stigma, and shifting gender roles all influence who seeks help and why.
What emerges from both the data and real-life therapy experiences is that struggles don’t belong to one gender. Men and women alike wrestle with emotional attunement, career stress, family responsibilities, and questions about identity. And while societal norms still play a role, more people are beginning to see therapy not as a last resort, but as a proactive choice for growth.
As Grazel reminds us, therapy isn’t about being broken. It’s about giving yourself permission to explore, heal, and build a stronger foundation for the future.
In Los Angeles, cultures converge, life moves fast, and therapy provides a steady space for self-reflection and connection. So if you’re negotiating your own individual challenges or working through complex relationship dynamics, therapy can help you step out from under old expectations and into a life shaped by your own strengths.
Top 7 takeaways:
- Women still attend therapy more often than men, but the gap is narrowing.
Research and Grazel’s own experience both confirm that women are statistically more likely to seek therapy, though younger men are increasingly challenging old stigmas and opening up about emotional health. - Stigma still holds many men back from seeking help.
Traditional messages about masculinity (like “tough it out” or “don’t talk about your feelings”) continue to discourage men from pursuing therapy. Yet, more men are beginning to view therapy as a sign of strength and self-awareness rather than weakness. - Culture deeply shapes how people view therapy.
Therapy’s Western roots mean it can still feel taboo or unfamiliar in some cultural communities. Grazel highlights that for many families, discussing struggles with a “stranger” feels unnatural. However, this is changing as therapy becomes more culturally inclusive and accessible, especially in diverse cities like Los Angeles. - Therapy isn’t just for people in crisis.
One of the article’s strongest messages is that therapy is not about “fixing” something broken. It’s about personal growth, emotional resilience, and learning healthier ways to handle life’s challenges, much like working with a coach or mentor. - Men and women often come to therapy for similar reasons.
Contrary to common assumptions and stereotypes, men aren’t focused solely on careers and women aren’t limited to emotional issues. Both genders commonly seek help for stress, self-awareness, and relationship balance, showing that emotional struggles are universal, not gendered. - Gender roles often influence relationship dynamics.
Therapy frequently helps couples navigate expectations around roles like breadwinner and caretaker. Premarital or couples counselling allows partners to have honest discussions about responsibilities and flexibility before conflicts take root. - Strengths matter more than stereotypes.
The heart of the issue is about moving beyond gendered assumptions and focusing on individual strengths. Therapy helps clients, regardless of gender, discover what they’re best at, communicate more openly, and build relationships grounded in understanding rather than tradition.
If you’ve been wondering whether now is the right time to reach out, consider this your invitation. GGPA is here, not just for women, not just for men, but for anyone ready to take that next step toward growth.
