Men's Themes
Sound familiar?
Be a man. A man’s man.
Man up. Take it like a man.
A man provides for his family.
Men do what's necessary.
Never send a boy to do a man’s job. Real men don’t cry.
Enough already–we get it.
Throughout our lives, we’re always thinking about not being "man enough." What does that even mean? Who sets these standards? Why is the bar set so high that we all believe we’re falling short?
It’s tough out there for a man, too.
Men today are constantly being reminded of their privilege. And the people reminding us aren’t wrong. There are undeniable advantages to be a man in this world. But along with that privilege come unique stressors and challenges.
We care about our partners and families.
How to be a partner or father changes over time. Suddenly we’re expected to have skills no one taught us or allowed us to practice. We struggle to balance providing and being present, and we feel we're letting others down.
Why is it always about feelings?
As men, we’re supposed to transcend the unavoidable human experience of having emotions. Yet, simultaneously, we seem to be falling short when it comes to sensitivity and understanding of other people’s feelings.
We don’t ask for directions.
We've been programmed to present as strong, capable, independent and powerful. How can you be all those things and admit you’re lost or overwhelmed? Who can you talk to when your go-to phrase is: "I don’t want to talk about it"?
We all need a place to put our stuff.
Sorry, but you can’t not have stuff! You do get lost. You don't have all the answers, and you can’t fix everything without asking for help. Whether you like it or not, you do have feelings. Not only that, they're likely at the root of what's bothering you.
Holding it in isn’t the answer.
When we push down our feelings, they don’t disappear–they come out sideways or explode in a big way. You’re a 3-liter bottle of soda that life is always shaking up, and you need to release some air a little bit at a time.
Therapy is an ideal place to let it out!
Maybe you need to ventilate, talk things out, brainstorm or even just admit that you don’t always know what to do. Therapy gives you the opportunity to take up some space and talk it out with someone who isn’t going to judge you.