Masculinity In Therapy
This Alma In Conversation addresses the unique challenges and circumstances affecting men who seek therapy, the potential for informal therapeutic settings and support groups to facilitate powerful change, and themes that tend to arise when working with men. In much the same way that societal norms around femininity and what it means to be a woman have shifted, so, too, are definitions of masculinity. Men are often conditioned to value achievements over relationships: they size each other up and are prone to hierarchical comparisons, and deny their emotions for fear of being perceived as weak. Conventional masculinity is rooted in a rejection of dependence, which has historically made men wary of asking for help or seeking support. Journalist and host of the “Man Up” podcast, Aymann Ismail, moderated the discussion. Our panelists were Lara Friedrich, PsyD; David Gordon, PsyD; and Lucas Krump, co-founder and CEO of Evryman.