The psychotherapeutic tales of five gay men in Greece: A narrative analysis

Gay men utilise psychotherapy at a higher rate than heterosexual men due to increased societal stressors. However, even though homosexuality has been depathologised since 1973, some therapists still seem to practise from a pathological perspective of homosexuality. In Greece societal attitudes towards homosexuality are highly negative; gay men have limited civil rights, and issues of homosexuality and psychotherapy are absent from research literature. Overall, the existent literature on the psychotherapeutic experiences of gay men is sparse, regionally and culturally limited within the USA and the UK, and mostly based on surveys. The aim of this study was to explore the psychotherapeutic experiences of five gay men in Greece and the impact of their experience on their sense of self and their sexual identity. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analysed using narrative analysis. Three primary narrative forms were identified: (A) Therapy as progression; (B) Therapy as tragedy; and (C) Therapy as dialectic conflict. In addition, two commonalities were identified among the participants’ stories: (i) Therapy as the only way out; and (ii) The only gay man in the room. This study can be seen to expand the existent literature in terms of methodology and cultural diversity, as well as informing practitioners who work with gay clients