When it comes to optimizing your work or health performance, you have no problem figuring out what ails you physically. On the other hand, for issues dealing with the head, the enthusiasm for figuring this out may be lacking.
I’ve learned throughout the years that Men’s symptoms present differently than they do for women. When I say “differently” I don’t necessarily mean the experience of anxious symptoms are different. Men have the same struggles as women do but it’s socially acceptable for men to display anger and use substances to cope.
We typically think of the masculine identity as a position of power but is that a lived experience?
In my office, I often see men who feel powerless and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. He feels he has to take care of his family financially and be there for them emotionally, but that last part is a struggle.
Understanding both the intrinsic privilege and the inherent vulnerability of the manhood experience gives a more balanced perspective.
We live in a society that expects men to have all the answers, and if they don’t, to be able to figure them out on their own.
There are not a lot of spaces where men are given the freedom and support to be okay with uncertainty, to sit with helplessness.
The idea of “what it means to be a man” is very much rooted in Patriarchy. Thus, it’s sometimes hard for Men to explore anything other than a binary system rooted in the idea that Men are more creative, responsible and rational.
Therapy relies on verbal cure and talk therapy especially will leave some men at a loss.
As we continue to have conversations about Modern Masculinity, it’s important to make space to allow men to be richer and more complex human beings.
Anxiety disorders come in many forms: generalized anxiety disorder, frequent panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and specific phobias.
And for some, Men’s therapy begins because the physical symptoms are just too much like:
3 Ways Therapy for Men Helps with Anxiety Treatment is:
1)Helps identify and make peace with the inner critic.
2) Helps to lower your metaphorical mask & figure out what it’s purpose is.
3) Men’s therapy has many benefits. Learning tools to help you feel less anxious, less irritable, and more calm in your daily life is transformational.
Whether you feel “not good enough” in some or all areas of your life, or you are tired of pushing up against a patriarchal system designed to tie you to outdated stories of what it means to be a Man, I can help!
Whether through 1:1 therapy for men or our popular Men’s support group, you will learn the WHY behind your not feeling happy and content with your life. You’ll reduce fear, insecurities, and build up, and learn ways to cope with the anxiety and gain control of your emotions while identifying the source of the issues. Therapy for Men can finally help you create the YOU that you want to be.