Men and Therapy

Stereotypes and conditioning of men and their emotions

For men who are uncomfortable with the thought of a one-on-one session, many therapists say group therapy is a good starting point. Scott Halzman, a psychiatrist in Rhode Island , says the male stereotype is mostly true: Guys often aren't interested in sharing their feelings, and many simply don't have an emotional vocabulary that allows them to do so. For such men, sitting down in a group setting--usually with six to ten other individuals--can address feelings of isolation and improve interpersonal skills.

Group treatment can help men overcome the "boys don't cry" attitude that often keeps them away from therapy, says New York University professor David Brook. "Men in our culture may have more fear of intimacy and revealing emotions, and difficulty with empathy or with 'soft' emotions. By helping people share their concerns and fears, groups can ease men past these barriers to treatment." Therapy groups with a narrow focus can be especially appealing to guys.

What can be done to get more men to go to therapy?

One way to convince more men to seek help, then, is to convince them that the things they need help with are "normal." In this regard, psychologist and masculinity researcher James Mahalik, Ph.D., of Boston College , says psychology could take a cue from the erectile dysfunction drug industry.

"Men are going in to see their doctors much more about erectile dysfunction now, after the ads for Viagra and other drugs, because there's so much more awareness," he explains.