Readers of my blogs hopefully understand that my prime interest in psychotherapy is with men. I just see men in my practice with just a couple of women whom I have known for years or decades who saw me a long time ago and consult with me on occasion. Importantly, I have had an interest in understanding men, and to some degree helping men, for at least 50 years of my 55 years of practice. I have written blogs and statements about men and Deb and I are now in the final process of publishing a book with the outlandish title of Balls although the subtitle Men Finding Courage with Words, Women, Work, and Wine (“Wine” meaning addictions). I think I can speak with some clarity about men and perhaps with a bit of authority. I can speak with no clarity or authority, however, about women. That having been said, I thought it would be valuable for me to share some thoughts, experiences, and feelings that I have had recently, but more accurately, for years, about women. What does “look to the man” mean, what does it come from, and what is the value of this clause?
Looking to the man: what does this come from?
It comes from the Bible, namely the third chapter of the first book of the Bible, Genesis. You might remember Adam and Eve were created in Genesis 1 and 2 and lived in the “Garden” on earth where, it seems, everything was perfect. They were just asked to take care of the garden, and eat anything available to them except from two trees: one was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the other tree was the tree of life. Then in Chapter 3, Eve was tempted by “the serpent,” understood to be Satan in snake form. He convinced Eve that she should eat of the first tree, which she did, and then gave some of the fruit to Adam. Then we see God appearing in some way and being disappointed in the couple, he told Adam that he would “work by the sweat of his brow.” To Eve, he said that she “would look to the man,”…whatever that means. I don’t really know why God said that Eve was to “look to the man,” but it has stirred many thoughts about how women see us men, understand us and perhaps fail to understand us. I think there is likely something very beautiful about this command and perhaps something of a conundrum for women and for men. I’d like to think that we could all do well to understand this “looking to the man” and see what we can make of it. You don’t have to believe in the Genesis account, and you don’t have to believe in God in order to profit from what sacred texts, like the Bible might have to say.
So, this is the origin of the “look to the man” clause, but what does it have to do with real life? Here is where I am treading on unfamiliar ground, or at least ground that makes sense to me. I can say this, however, that I have seen many women “look to the man” to such a degree that it is bad for the man, bad for the woman, and probably bad for any family members. Let me explain.
Examples of women who “look to the man.”
At this point I want to give some examples of how this “looking to the man” does not work and the problems it generates:
- I recently had an encounter with the wife of a patient I saw many years ago, who unbeknownst to me, had had had several affairs over their marital years. I did my best to patch things up, but I failed in that endeavor, and they had quite a nasty divorce, almost entirely about money and property because the kids were adults. Now, years later, this woman, bright, attractive, and a person of good character, to say nothing about her evangelical Christian faith. However, in this spontaneous encounter, she told us an elaborate story of how she was taking her ex-husband to court to seek several hundred dollars in alleged back alimony. We listened patiently, but some time afterward, we mused about why this woman would want to tell us this story, especially to such extent, to some degree making comments on one or more of their children who were allegedly estranged from their dad.
- I no longer see a couple whom I saw for two or three years, seemingly with great success because I said that I could no longer see them given the circumstances. The “circumstances were that the woman was “looking to the man” 95% of the time. Interestingly, she is the only person, and certainly the only woman, I allowed to have an extra hour of an Intake assessment because she so desperately felt the need to tell me about what “was wrong with” her husband. Over the many sessions we had, I never succeeded in helping Val find a way to talk about herself because she always had so much baggage of what Mal had done to her over the previous week. Val, too, was very bright and attractive and a successful professional woman.
- I had a brief encounter with a woman I saw at an auction many years ago. I had briefly, but again unsuccessfully, treated her husband for his alcoholism and the underlying factors, from which he had found sobriety in AA. At this brief encounter, Sally insisted on telling me about her ex-husband, what he had done, what he hadn’t done, and what I could possibly do for him. I never saw this woman in my office and we had never done any kind of couple’s therapy, but she felt it necessary to tell me “about the man.”
- I continue to see another couple whom I have seen for many years, more than 25 years from the start with years’ of hiatus in between. He is a very successful professional whom has made some significant errors financially in his life together with some other irresponsible behavior, like failing to adequate execute his profession leaving him a lot of free hours to do what he wanted rather than what he needed. In these 25 years, off and on, I have never heard anything from the woman about herself but rather have heard countless statements about what is wrong with her husband of more than 50 years.
- One of the two woman I see on occasion in my office has a similar focus on her husband, now separated but not divorced. This may be about his physical health, his mental health, his work, or his (former?) girlfriend. It seems almost impossible for Janet to talk about herself.
- I see and have seen many men whom have or have had serious medical conditions. This phenomenon seems ripe for women focusing entirely on the medical/physical conditions of their spouses, usually with almost total disregard for their own psychological conditions. While not inclined to complain, as such, their focus is, indeed, “how can I deal with this man?”
- One couple if have been seeing for a few months seems to be improving, but recently, the man asked rhetorically, “Why is it when I talk about my feelings, I talk about myself, but when she talks about her feelings, she talks about me?”
There are many more women I have seen over the years, and many more such stories, some simpler, some more complex. I will not indulge myself with these stories, but I suggest that you examine yourself, if you are a woman in a male relationship, or look at yourself, if you are a man, in a situation when the woman in your life seems to be “looking to” you more than herself. Is there some positive aspect in this “looking to the man” that we have all missed? Do women know something important about us that we need to hear? And, importantly, do they actually profit in some way with this “looking to the man” if they don’t simultaneously look at themselves?
Possible positive aspects of “looking to the man”
Again, I’m out of my league, and out of my comfort zone with trying to understand this phenomenon. I’m much better at seeing the silver lining under men’s problems, which are many, namely anger, avoidance, addictions, and a deep anxiety under those first three. I’m sure it is much more difficult for women to see beyond a man’s anger and such and see the anxiety, and ultimately the love that always underlies such things. But that is another study, another blog (that I have already written) or a book (that I have already written). I will trudge forward with trepidation. I expect female psychologists could do much better, and probably many nonprofessional women could do well at this discussion.
What, might we conjecture, be the positive aspect of “looking to the man”? I think the “work by the sweat of your brow” command that God gave Adam is very important. At least, I think it is very important, namely that a man find meaning and value in his work. I don’t take this as a negative thing that God is saying to Adam. He is just saying, “You will have to work, work will be hard,” and possibly, “You won’t like everything you do for work.” I work diligently with man to find value and meaning in their work, not just work. Again, I’m not suggesting you have to trust the Bible, believe in God, or anything of the like, but rather consider that these statements might have some philosophical and ultimately psychological value in them
Let us muse about what might be the positive aspect of “looking to the woman.” I can say this at a very personal level: Deb has been of immense help in my understanding myself and become a better man over our nearly 50 years. I didn’t listen as much to her observations and suggestions when I was younger, but now that we have both matured, I find it rare that she is actually wrong in what she sees, says, or suggests. Could it be that women are particularly gifted in seeing things about us that we can’t see, or perhaps won’t see for some reason? I think so. So, let’s consider that there is something very positive about a woman “looking to the man.” Maybe we could even consider this a gender-based gift (apologies to the LGBTQ gang). Could it be that, truly, women see things about us that we don’t see, perhaps cannot see? If that is the case, we just might have a real pearl of wisdom that men and women could use in their relationships. Simply put (possibly), the woman sees what the man can’t see. She has a special gift in this “seeing” that he does not have. (We won’t consider the opposite, that the man sees something in the woman.) How might she use this gift? For people interested, there are several passages in the Bible, both in the Christian Scriptures and in the Hebrew Scriptures that suggest such a thing. The Syro-Phoenician woman in the New Testament, and Ruth and several others in the Old Testament. But this is for another study because there are many rich things in sacred Scriptures and a bit of garbage.
How to “look to the man” for women and how “to be seen” for men
For the woman:
- Look first at his strengths, his abilities, and his successes. It is too easy for all of us, men and women, to fall into seeing what is wrong rather than what is right.
- Dare to comment on these things, even the simple things, like if he washes the dishes, cares for the lawn, plays with the kids, or goes to work.
- Carefully listen to what he says about work, friends, work, recreation, relationships, and moist of his felt responsibilities. Do you your best to not offer suggestions or interpretations.
- Wisely, examine what ails him, from your perspective, from his, and very carefully from other people.
- Avoid the danger of complaining about him to any other person, especially women.
- Ask him if you can say something about what you feel. If he declines, let it be for another day and hope that he might bring it up. Never say anything twice.
- Tell him how you feel seeing strengths and such. Tell him how you feel seeing limitations and difficulties. When you “tell him how you feel,” speak about yourself, your love, your joy, your disappointment, and your hope
For the man:
- Carefully listen to what she says about you. She’s probably right. She may not be graceful in her presentation and she may sound critical, but she is doing her best. No one taught her how to talk to a man, especially about feelings and thoughts.
- When you are hurt by what she says, note it, speak it if you can, or perhaps speak about it at another time.
- Avoid at all costs anger. This sounds impossible but it is possible…and necessary. Women don’t understand that we have been hurt when we express anger.
- Begin to tell her how you feel. You won’t be good at this.
- Ask of her some restraint in interpreting, challenging, and disagreeing with your feelings. Know that your feelings are never wrong. The words are often so.
- Sometimes, just listen, and say nothing. Then, maybe, say something later.
- You can both get better at this.