To think people would have a problem with their therapist having dreadlocks?

[Buddhagirl]

I used to have dreads, I'm now a cognitive behavioural therapist. I want my dreads back but family have said it will have a negative impact on my job. I'm not sure.

How would you feel about seeing a therapist with crazy hair?

Inspired by a recent aibu post :-)

And do you privately judge worra?

How do you keep from smirking?

Well, it wouldn't bother me, but tbh I don't think it would help you look professional, and would put some people off. I definitely think it would put employers off.

Depends whether it's all about you or all about your clients..

No I would never privately judge him AZZ and to be honest I'm quite insulted that you would think I might.

I openly and publicly take the pee every time I see him and ask if his Mum's basement is warm enough for him

I would feel more comfortable with a therapist who had dreds than one who was very conformist.

Wouldn't bother me, but the overall presentation would need to be one that said "I have at least a degree from a good school and I am professional."

White people look ugly with dreadlocks.
It's all about the colour of the scalp/hairline for me. Most white people look like drowned rats and a bit try too hard.
It looks wonderful on black scalps.
I apologise for being racist here, I am white but that's my opinion.
In a totally aesthetic point of view.

'I openly and publicly take the pee every time I see him and ask if his Mum's basement is warm enough for him'

It's them heavy pendulous balls of steel I admire you for worra

Go for it OP

ziggers

I'm terrified I'm not going to keep my (school rooted) shirty defensiveness under wraps at DDs first secondary school parents evening worra, so a bit of gentle banter would go down a treat in comparison

Of course you should have a funky hair style your a behavioural therapist . Go for it! It will look like you are comfortable with being different.

Wouldn't bother me for one second!

I think it's your parents that have a problem with dreads!

I have dreads where a low pony tail would sit.
I love them I have had them for going on 8 years and I constantly get comments from 'normal' people saying how nice they look

Go for it. I would find the prince nez stereotype intimidating.

Wouldn't mind at all. I would sort of expect a therapist to be a bit alternative and would probably actually feel more comfortable with them for it. Not sure why, but I would

It would bother me because I would not see it as professional. But as you say us poor NHS patients get bugger all choice anyway so we'd be stuck with you. Nice.

Therapy should be about the client not the therapist. So any very obvious projection of the therapist's personality is not acceptable. The scraped back grey hair in a bun/pince nez/brogues stereotype is as unacceptable as the dreads/nose ring/Docs.

As I'm sure your supervisor will explain to you, OP.

Depends. If you are a white anglo saxon person then you will generally look rubbish with dreads imo and run the risk of being perceived as an inauthentic trustafarian whatever job you are in. Quite the opposite for a black person with well cared for dreads. These invariably look lovely and would be appropriate and admired in any setting.

What ladybeagle said, really. I think this is an area where race/ethnicity is relevant.

I went to see a therapist the other day, she has blond and pink hair, I didn't have a problem with it.

Im fairly unconventional and rather like dreads in general, but I think its sensible if working in mental health that you dress fairly neutrally

I'm not a fan of the scungy type of dreadlocks that make you wonder when the last time the person showered was, and just how many thousands of bugs have nested in it since the last time you saw them. But I used to work with a specific group of people who saw them as a way of giving the finger to the rest of society, so I'm willing to admit that my perception may be biased. I think it would depend on the overall 'picture'. Neat and clean dreads with workplace appropriate clothing is fine, dirty, smelly, infested with heaps of visible tattoos, facial piercings and gungy clothes is not.

My friend's dreads go nicely in a massive bun. She often has bright colours but recently went brown and she looked quite professional with them pulled in to a bun. They are waist length when loose.

Some people might not like it, but you should be able to build up a client base of those who like it or don't care one way or the other.

I'd be surprised if they didn't

If you're in private practice then people can choose whether or not to see you. You might lose clients- but you might gain some. You may have trouble with clients making assumptions about you or identifying too much with you which could hinder the therapeutic relationship.

However, if people have no choice about seeing you, then it is not fair to be anything but as near neutral in appearance as possible.