Tough Guys and True Believers

Managing Authoritarian Men in the Psychotherapy Room

Some men are especially difficult to manage in the psychotherapy room. They are controlling, exploitive, rigid, aggressive, and prejudiced. In a word, they are Authoritarian. This book is a guide for therapists and counselors who work with these men, offering an understanding of their psychological development and providing empirically supported recommendations to work with them effectively. In the first part, Robertson describes several versions of authoritarian men. Some are Tough Guys (workplace bullies, abusive partners, sexual harassers), and others are True Believers (men who use religion to justify their authoritarian behavior). Robertson draws from a diverse literature in psychology, sociology, men’s studies, and neurobiology to describe the developmental histories and personalities of these men. Part two offers practical and specific strategies to assess and treat these wounded men—developing a masculine friendly alliance, respecting their personal and religious beliefs, and teaching them self-awareness and self-regulation skills. Throughout, Robertson emphasizes a reality that many therapists doubt: Some authoritarian men want to change their behavior, and are capable of doing so. This book presents an empathic and respectful view of a group of men too often written off as unmanageable and unchangeable.