Despite the reality that men and women experience similar mental health symptoms, men are less likely to reach out for support. For many men, seeking help can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Understanding what men’s issues are in therapy can help reduce stigma and encourage men to seek meaningful support.
In 2022, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for men in Canada, and men are three times more likely to die from suicide than women. These alarming statistics point to the need for men to receive proper mental health support, and knowledge about men’s issues in counselling can help to break the stigma and encourage men to seek the support they deserve.
With therapists with expertise in men’s issues, Rebound Total Health has insights that you may find useful. Let’s explore some ways in which men’s approach to counselling may be shaped by their unique socialization and gendered expectations.
How Socialization Shapes Men’s Emotional Expression
From an early age, boys and girls are socialized in different ways. Studies have indicated that parents may be more likely to engage with their daughter using emotional language, whereas they may focus on their son’s achievements over his emotional experiences.
From a young age, men are often rewarded for focusing on achievement and action over emotional conversation. This can discourage young men from sharing their emotions with others, leading to difficulty naming and expressing their emotions as adults.
What Are Men’s Issues: Common Emotional Challenges Men Face
Generally, women may be more likely to internalize their emotions, whereas men are encouraged to externalize their emotions. Due to socialization and cultural norms, men may be more likely to project emotions into the external world rather than identifying and processing them. Externalization can be associated with difficulties regulating emotions, impulsivity, violence, sensation-seeking, anger, and substance abuse. These behaviours can exacerbate mental health issues and lead to further difficulties.
The Impact of Masculinity on Men’s Mental Health
Cultural messages around acceptable and ideal masculinity often encourage traits such as strength, independence, dominance and assertiveness. Men may feel internal and social pressure to be strong, to keep it all together, and to figure out their problems on their own.
Breaking the stigma involves reassessing what healthy masculinity looks like. Vulnerability and seeking support are indications of strength. When men experience issues with exploring and expressing emotions, this does not indicate that they lack emotional depth. Rather, it indicates that they have learned how to survive in our culture.
What to Expect from Counselling for Men
Research has indicated that men may benefit most from action-oriented approaches with clear goals. Men may feel apprehensive about therapy if they believe that it is only about talking about feelings. That can be part of it, but not all of it! Therapy can help men to locate, name, and process their emotions. However, it can also be a place to learn and explore self-regulation skills, relationship and social skills, values explorations, sexuality, intimacy, fatherhood, and work stress!
Breaking the Stigma: Support For Men’s Issues That Works
Here at Rebound Total Health, we offer a relaxed approach to help therapy feel accessible and comfortable. We want to break the stigma of men seeking mental health support, so we offer therapy tailored for men with a non-judgemental, down to earth approach.
When it comes to men’s issues, we are here to help. Book your free consultation – we offer in-person counselling in Dundas, Ontario, and virtual online therapy.
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