Gender-Informed Integrative Practice (GIIP)
Gender-Informed Integrative Practice (GIIP)
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Introduction
Being gender-informed doesn't mean making assumptions about someone because they are a man or a woman. In many ways, it means the opposite. It means remaining curious about how gender, identity, relationships, culture and social expectations may have shaped someone's experience, while recognising that every person who enters the therapy room brings their own individual story.
My original Master's research focused specifically on men's engagement with therapy and the barriers that can sometimes prevent men from seeking support. This remains an area of particular professional interest to me. However, my wider practice is inclusive of adults of both genders, women and men aged 18 and over. At The Karter Consultancy, I therefore take a gender-informed rather than gender-prescriptive approach: considering the influences that may be relevant to you, without assuming what your experience should be.
Barriers For Men Engaging in Therapy
Female therapists outnumber male therapists. The therapy sector is a predominantly female industry. The BACP, of which I am a registered member, has a membership base comprising 84% female and only 16% male. That means fewer than one in five registered counsellors are men. And men make up only around 30% of clients who actually attend counselling or psychotherapy. So what's behind this imbalance?
Stigma, embarrassment and shame. Men's mental health has featured prominently in the media in recent years, and for good reason. In the UK, suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50, with males outnumbering females by three to one. While half of UK men report struggling with poor mental health, 30% don't know where to seek help, and 64% admit that stigma, embarrassment, or a preference for self-reliance gets in the way of them reaching out.
Normalising therapy. Gender-specific campaigns like Movember have done vital work in raising awareness, and research increasingly highlights the need to address men's mental health through both evidence-based intervention and approaches that are genuinely informed by the male experience. Getting men into the counselling room is only half the battle. The rest is making sure that, once there, the experience actually fits.
Barriers Women Can Face When Engaging in Therapy
Women are more likely than men to seek psychological support, but this doesn't mean that accessing or engaging in therapy is always straightforward. BACP's 2026 Public Perceptions Survey found that 44% of women had experienced therapy, compared with 29% of men. At the same time, nearly three-quarters (73%) of women reported experiencing a mental health issue within the previous five years, with 54% reporting anxiety.
Prioritising others. Caring responsibilities and emotional labour can leave little time or space for women to focus on their own needs. Seeking therapy may sometimes feel difficult or even self-indulgent when someone is accustomed to supporting others.
Social expectations and judgement. Expectations around relationships, motherhood, career, appearance and ageing can create pressure to cope or fulfil particular roles. These pressures may make it harder to acknowledge difficulties or prioritise personal wellbeing.
Feeling unheard or misunderstood. Previous experiences of having concerns dismissed or minimised can affect someone's willingness to be vulnerable. Establishing a therapeutic relationship in which they feel genuinely heard and taken seriously can therefore be particularly important.
Practical barriers. Cost, work and caring commitments can also restrict access. Across the wider population, BACP found that 35% of people who had considered therapy but didn't pursue it cited cost, while 22% cited waiting lists.
As with men, these experiences are not universal. Gender is one influence among many, alongside culture, sexuality, age, relationships, socioeconomic circumstances, upbringing and individual experience.
Integrating Counselling, Coaching and a Gender-Informed Approach
The Personal Consultancy model, developed by Dr Nash Popovic and Debra Jinks, brings together the reparative depth of counselling with the forward-focused, strengths-based approach of coaching. This combination creates space to understand what may be holding you back, while also considering where you want to go and how you might get there.
My original Master's research explored how this integrative approach could help address some of the barriers men experience when engaging with therapy. That research remains an important influence on my practice and men's mental health continues to be an area of particular professional interest.
However, Gender-Informed Integrative Practice (GIIP) takes a broader view. Men and women can experience different social pressures throughout their lives, but these are not fixed rules. Gender interacts with our relationships, family, culture, identity, work, upbringing and individual experiences.
For some men, this might involve expectations around success, self-reliance, emotional expression or being a provider. For some women, it might involve caring responsibilities, emotional labour, relationships, body image or competing expectations around family and career. Many of these experiences also overlap.
Rather than assuming what matters to you based on your gender, GIIP provides a framework for exploring how these different influences may have shaped your experience.
Some of the areas we might explore include:
Identity, confidence and self-esteem
Relationships, dating and family dynamics
Work, achievement and the pressure to succeed
Body image and changing expectations around appearance
Caring responsibilities and balancing competing demands
Emotional expression, vulnerability and relationships with others
Life transitions, purpose and direction
Finding space for your own needs and wellbeing
Ultimately, gender-informed practice is not about treating men and women differently. It is about recognising that gender can be one meaningful part of our experience, without allowing it to define the person sitting in the therapy room.
Could this approach be helpful for you?
If any of this sounds familiar, I'd love to hear from you.
Book your free consultation here.
Statistics referenced in this article are drawn from BACP, DHSC, Bupa, and peer-reviewed research exploring gender, mental health, help-seeking and therapeutic practice.
Introduction
Being gender-informed doesn't mean making assumptions about someone because they are a man or a woman. In many ways, it means the opposite. It means remaining curious about how gender, identity, relationships, culture and social expectations may have shaped someone's experience, while recognising that every person who enters the therapy room brings their own individual story.
My original Master's research focused specifically on men's engagement with therapy and the barriers that can sometimes prevent men from seeking support. This remains an area of particular professional interest to me. However, my wider practice is inclusive of adults of both genders, women and men aged 18 and over. At The Karter Consultancy, I therefore take a gender-informed rather than gender-prescriptive approach: considering the influences that may be relevant to you, without assuming what your experience should be.
Barriers For Men Engaging in Therapy
Female therapists outnumber male therapists. The therapy sector is a predominantly female industry. The BACP, of which I am a registered member, has a membership base comprising 84% female and only 16% male. That means fewer than one in five registered counsellors are men. And men make up only around 30% of clients who actually attend counselling or psychotherapy. So what's behind this imbalance?
Stigma, embarrassment and shame. Men's mental health has featured prominently in the media in recent years, and for good reason. In the UK, suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50, with males outnumbering females by three to one. While half of UK men report struggling with poor mental health, 30% don't know where to seek help, and 64% admit that stigma, embarrassment, or a preference for self-reliance gets in the way of them reaching out.
Normalising therapy. Gender-specific campaigns like Movember have done vital work in raising awareness, and research increasingly highlights the need to address men's mental health through both evidence-based intervention and approaches that are genuinely informed by the male experience. Getting men into the counselling room is only half the battle. The rest is making sure that, once there, the experience actually fits.
Barriers Women Can Face When Engaging in Therapy
Women are more likely than men to seek psychological support, but this doesn't mean that accessing or engaging in therapy is always straightforward. BACP's 2026 Public Perceptions Survey found that 44% of women had experienced therapy, compared with 29% of men. At the same time, nearly three-quarters (73%) of women reported experiencing a mental health issue within the previous five years, with 54% reporting anxiety.
Prioritising others. Caring responsibilities and emotional labour can leave little time or space for women to focus on their own needs. Seeking therapy may sometimes feel difficult or even self-indulgent when someone is accustomed to supporting others.
Social expectations and judgement. Expectations around relationships, motherhood, career, appearance and ageing can create pressure to cope or fulfil particular roles. These pressures may make it harder to acknowledge difficulties or prioritise personal wellbeing.
Feeling unheard or misunderstood. Previous experiences of having concerns dismissed or minimised can affect someone's willingness to be vulnerable. Establishing a therapeutic relationship in which they feel genuinely heard and taken seriously can therefore be particularly important.
Practical barriers. Cost, work and caring commitments can also restrict access. Across the wider population, BACP found that 35% of people who had considered therapy but didn't pursue it cited cost, while 22% cited waiting lists.
As with men, these experiences are not universal. Gender is one influence among many, alongside culture, sexuality, age, relationships, socioeconomic circumstances, upbringing and individual experience.
Integrating Counselling, Coaching and a Gender-Informed Approach
The Personal Consultancy model, developed by Dr Nash Popovic and Debra Jinks, brings together the reparative depth of counselling with the forward-focused, strengths-based approach of coaching. This combination creates space to understand what may be holding you back, while also considering where you want to go and how you might get there.
My original Master's research explored how this integrative approach could help address some of the barriers men experience when engaging with therapy. That research remains an important influence on my practice and men's mental health continues to be an area of particular professional interest.
However, Gender-Informed Integrative Practice (GIIP) takes a broader view. Men and women can experience different social pressures throughout their lives, but these are not fixed rules. Gender interacts with our relationships, family, culture, identity, work, upbringing and individual experiences.
For some men, this might involve expectations around success, self-reliance, emotional expression or being a provider. For some women, it might involve caring responsibilities, emotional labour, relationships, body image or competing expectations around family and career. Many of these experiences also overlap.
Rather than assuming what matters to you based on your gender, GIIP provides a framework for exploring how these different influences may have shaped your experience.
Some of the areas we might explore include:
Identity, confidence and self-esteem
Relationships, dating and family dynamics
Work, achievement and the pressure to succeed
Body image and changing expectations around appearance
Caring responsibilities and balancing competing demands
Emotional expression, vulnerability and relationships with others
Life transitions, purpose and direction
Finding space for your own needs and wellbeing
Ultimately, gender-informed practice is not about treating men and women differently. It is about recognising that gender can be one meaningful part of our experience, without allowing it to define the person sitting in the therapy room.
Could this approach be helpful for you?
If any of this sounds familiar, I'd love to hear from you.
Book your free consultation here.
Statistics referenced in this article are drawn from BACP, DHSC, Bupa, and peer-reviewed research exploring gender, mental health, help-seeking and therapeutic practice.
RYAN KARTER
About the Author
Ryan Karter, MBACP, MSc, MA, BA (Hons) is a registered integrative counsellor and coach, and the founder of The Karter Consultancy, an integrative counselling and coaching practice based in Richmond, South West London.
Ryan has over 17 years of experience in youth, family and community work, across multiple settings including NHS, charities and local authorities. He also brings more than two years of specialist clinical experience working as a counsellor at Addiction Support and Care Agency (ASCA) in Richmond, where he supported clients and those affected by alcohol and substance misuse. Alongside his private therapy practice, Ryan is also a qualified Youth and Community Worker, holding a second Master's degree in the field. He currently works as an outreach youth and community worker, supporting children and young people with complex emotional and additional needs.
Ryan’s Master’s research informed the development of his Gender-Informed Integrative Practice (GIIP), which considers how gender, social expectations and lived experience can influence emotional wellbeing and engagement with therapy, without making assumptions based on gender. He is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
