Many men have difficulty discussing their emotions, particularly if they believe they are being judged for their mental health concerns. This may make them less likely to seek treatment.
To encourage men to seek help, clinicians must understand and debunk misconceptions about men’s mental health. This involves encouraging open communication and understanding from the start.
Manage Expectations
Men are often pressured to adhere to rigid masculine gender roles, resulting in feelings of embarrassment and shame. A therapist like those at Elevated Counseling can be a trusted confidant with whom men can express these negative emotions without fear of judgment or repercussions.
However, many men feel that seeking therapy is counterintuitive to their masculine role socialization and can make them seem weak or vulnerable. They are afraid that they will be misunderstood or that their problems are not important.
Several studies have suggested that therapists can help mitigate this resistance by promoting healthy coping skills and managing client expectations. For example, six articles recommended using relevant metaphors that connect with male clients’ interests (e.g., sports or computing) to facilitate nonthreatening avenues for communicating emotional material and therapeutic concepts. They also suggested clearly describing the structure of treatment to reduce client distrust. By doing so, they can help reassure men that seeking help is acceptable and beneficial.
Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
Men are at higher risk for mental health issues like PTSD and depression. They may experience emotional distress more intensely than women, including self-destructive behavior such as drug/alcohol abuse or physical violence. Some may even have difficulty admitting to themselves that they are struggling.
Men feel pressure to be strong and independent, so seeking help may seem weak. This can lead to feelings of shame and inadequacy. Moreover, they often have difficulty trusting and opening up to someone they don’t know.
A common male therapy approach is called motivational interviewing, which helps to create a safe and supportive environment for discussing personal problems. The client and therapist must have a good fit to get the most out of treatment. Several articles suggest that a therapeutic relationship focusing on collaborative problem-solving is more effective for men than a paternalistic expert/patient model. Being direct about expectations and goals from the outset is also helpful.
Promote Healthy Coping Skills
Men participating in therapy can better deal with stress and bounce back from adversity. This increased resilience allows them to feel more confident about their ability to handle life’s challenges, resulting in a more positive outlook on their quality of life.
Many men struggle to seek help for their mental health struggles because of societal norms that promote masculine traits like stoicism and self-reliance. While these stereotypes aren’t necessarily bad, they can create barriers for men seeking help.
One way to reduce these barriers is to encourage emotional expression and provide resources for finding professional support. In addition, clinicians need to provide a balanced therapeutic relationship.
Encourage Self-Discipline
As the conversation around mental health evolves, we must recognize that men can have unique concerns. Some may need more help than others coping with issues like unchecked anger that can lead to road rage or domestic abuse. To address this, mental health therapists encourage self-discipline in men to take action, seek therapy, and learn how to manage their emotions.
Some therapists find unconventional messaging helpful when trying to reach hard-to-reach men, such as using humor or leaning into masculine stereotypes to make them feel comfortable and normalize seeking help. Other therapists are learning how to support male clients better, including learning about their cultural backgrounds or specific stressors that may be unique to them.
No matter who you are or how you identify, you deserve access to mental health care. Seeking treatment is never a sign of weakness, and you deserve to be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding.