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 :-)

Wouldn't bother me one bit ! Does not affect your ability to do your job.

i've seen several counsellors and they've been, in the main, older ladies with non-descript haircuts. the last one had a vicious black bob. dreads would be very comforting. go for it.

hyphen surplus to requirements. ah well.

I agree with Seeker (not for the first time ); I would find it off-putting, I am quite frumpy and of mature years so I might think that anyone with a less conservative (small 'c') appearance would be slightly judgemental of my dull and boring lifestyle & therefore not be the right sort of counsellor for me. Logically I know that is not necessarily true, but it is what I would feel.

I think that someone in this sort of position should have a fairly neutral appearnace rather than be 'making a statement' about how they present themselves.

Not < oldfartemoticon>, it's !

OP- before you decide, run it past your supervisor.

My surgeon (well trainee registrar bod but the woman who cut me!) for my ELCS with DS2 back in Dec, had dreadlocks. I was momentarily put off by the hygiene aspect. I also thought it looked immature. However her mustache caught my eye first then her canadian accent, the dreads were third.

I would find it off-putting and would probably feel we weren't on the same wavelength which would make me reluctant to come back or open up to you.

I am very straight-laced though.

Might depend on who your typical clients are. It might actually make some people feel more at ease.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, probably a plus point really.

I'm a CBT therapist and supervisor, I'm sure it'll be fine-there are really more important things and people will always make judgements about you by the way you look. You can always say its a behavioural experiment

Wouldn't bother me. How did you become a CBTist, by the way? (Am curious as currently considering career paths etc) :)

White people look ugly with dreads? Bit of a generalisation...I don't think I look ugly and I know some STUNNING alt models who wear dreads.

I'd be positively JUBILANT if I saw a therapist with dreads...but then I'm biased

I've had CBT in the past and it wouldn't bother me at all. I'm not sure there's any such thing as a 'neutral' appearance. Different people will feel comfortable with different things.

Sorry to be a bit blunt but I have had racial discrimination because of how I wear my hair. I've been told "I must want to be black" and similar.

Dreads done well can look great on anyone....if they're ratty, smelly etc then they're not done properly. It's harder to dread Caucasian hair properly, but go see someone who can do it and you can get just as good a result.

DP is also white with brown/blond hair and he looks fab. He's had his dreads for 30 years, I just hack a foot off every few years before he ends up sitting on them

No probs around here (sarf London) loads of people with dreads, multiple piercings and tatts :)

I would think it looked unprofessional if you are white. If you are black I may admire them if they are well kept.

This is because I would presume (not saying I should) that if you are black it was for religious reasons, if you are white you thought it made you look interesting ( it doesn't you look like a Pratt)

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

And I would just wear your own style of clothes too; I think trying to look "professional" in some sort of artificial get up would look unconvincing.

I work in a very strait laced area, but do reckon that attitudes are changing. As long as someone was not wearing a short sleeved shirt with a tie, or a ski jacket with a suit I would not judge them adversely

Prat

Ah well...I'm quite happy to look like a prat. I smile when I look in the mirror and that's all I care about

It would bother me because I would not see it as professional

Right, because of course a person with dreadlocks couldn't possibly be a professional.

Scarlet, just looked at your pics, very nice!

Not at all 'pratty'

" I'm not sure there's any such thing as a 'neutral' appearance. Different people will feel comfortable with different things."

Exactly.

Personally I'd be very happy to see a therapist with dreads, but then I am a little bit biased (DP has lovely dreads).

It's the quality of the therapy which is most important IMO, not the style of your hair. And while I'm sure there are people who wouldn't feel as confortable with someone with dreads, there are many others who will feel more confortable, as well as - I would hope - a majority, who don't care either way.

You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Aw thanks

As stated on the other thread, I'm used to silly comments etc I get people have certain views on "extreme" looks, if I couldn't cope with it then I wouldn't do it. It is lovely to get nice comments though.

I smile whenever I see anyone with dreads (and mentally compare them to DP ).

Tonight is hair wash night for DP. Takes a while, especially to dry. His hair is naturally very thick and curly, so dreads came easy, he just has to maintain them. I do wonder how much longer he'll be able to keep them though, he's pushing 50 and I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for the dreads he'd be a bit thin on top .