Group Therapy

Consider some of the messages many of us received as boys or men: “Suck it up”; “Toughen up”; “Be a man”; “Boys don’t cry”; “Real men don’t cry”; “Real men don’t ask for help”; “X (e.g. a color, a hobby, etc.) is for girls”. A common theme runs through these messages: being a man means limiting our self-expression, especially when it comes to emotions. While anger might be considered a socially acceptable emotion for men to express, what about sadness, grief, playfulness, or joy? This limited self-expression often results in limited capacity for connection and intimacy in our relationships with family, partners, friends, and colleagues, which can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness (two emotions also not commonly expressed by men). In recent years, we have seen some of the horrible results of this isolation: radicalization of young men into violent and misogynist movements that result in acts of mass violence, increased rates of suicide among men, and revelations of the harm caused by rampant abuse across industries and organizations. By connecting with other men in a therapeutic setting, these messages can be explored and we can experience healing by building healthy relationships where self-expression is safe and confidential.