Therapy For Men

Men are rarely afforded the space to openly discuss and process feelings and emotions. A common myth is that men either don’t have emotions or don’t want to talk about their feelings. It’s utter nonsense when you hear that men navigate life and relationships void of emotions. Men experience the same breadth and depth of emotions as the opposite sex. Here’s the difference: women use words to process their feelings, often getting stuck in emotions without reaching resolution. Men state their feelings and use words to achieve resolution. Sadly, when men do express their emotions or step into vulnerability, society takes away their “manhood/masculinity card” = mixed signals. The result? Confused men who are  forced to adhere to cultural and traditional masculine norms, often minimizing and rendering a man’s suffering invisible. Behind the mask of masculinity, are many men struggling with mental health problems, such as depression, trauma, toxic relationships, unmanageable stress/anxiety, and addiction. The powerful role of gender and mental illness stigma are often immovable barriers that stop men from deviating from the “gender script” and seeking the support they need.

Navigating through challenges and dilemmas inherent in life stages and relationships can pose many unique challenges. Whether in the family, community, work place or school setting, healthy relationships with self or others promote physical and emotional well being, develop empathy and understanding, and facilitate learning. When our relationships thrive, we thrive and grow. When relationships are stuck in rigid, unsupportive, or  dangerous pattern, it may serve the couples interest to receive joint theapy to address problems that arise in the course of the relationship.

Individual Men’s Therapy is a process through which a man (who may be single, engaged, dating, married, partnered, divorced) works with a trained clinician to identify specific areas of conflict and/or aspects of their emotional or relational world they would like to change.

Although not of the male species, Dr. Tama Lane considers herself a shrink for men. Working with Dr. Tama Lane in a safe and confidential setting, men are able to explore how their individual backgrounds, beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors may be impacted in both positive and negative ways. Men’s therapy can assist you to improve communication, developing strategies for protecting and enhancing the long-term health of relationships,  teach you to deal with  problems in new and constructive ways. Whatever concerns you  present with, the therapist tailors the treatment to meet the client’s concerns and goals.  The work can be practical, growth promoting, and enriching.

The initial work in men’s therapy focuses on:

• Using male-based narratives to understand and identify areas of conflict or stress that fuel unhealthy relationships and other life difficulties
• Training to problem solve difficult situations and effectively cope with negative feelings, depression, infidelity, anxiety, and  trauma in a different way
• Understanding relationship patterns, expectations, and sensitivities patterns learned in their original families and how these emotional and relational patterns are replayed in the current relationship
• Working through, letting go of, or recovering from toxic, abusive, and co-dependent relationship