Gay men engage in psychotherapy at about three times the rate of heterosexual men, and for good reason. The complexity of growing up gay in a heterosexist society; distorting developmental influences, including the early and late HIV epidemics; and ongoing marginalization in adult life all often conspire to make therapy a useful endeavor. The more difficult journey gay men travel also provides benefits, for it nurtures a capacity for emotional introspection that is personally valuable and productive in therapy.
