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Helping Men in Distress: Relationships, Sexuality, Self-Esteem, Family and Work Issues
Who are the men I see?
- Men who are struggling with problems in their relationship, such as unmet needs, infidelity, betrayal, distrust, difficulties in sex and intimacy, feelings of not being masculine enough, of not being respected or loved, or of no longer being in love...
- Fathers who are struggling with parenting issues, co-parenting, or having conflict with their children...
- Men who are battling low self-esteem, feeling shy or lonely or inexplicably angry...
- Men facing challenges at work – whether interpersonal or productivity related
- Men who are battling dysfunctional and counter-productive habits.
- Emerging adults - young men struggling with coming into manhood
What are some issues & disorders commonly associated with men's issues?
- Many men rely primarily on their cognitive understanding, analysis and personal beliefs and over-employ concrete, realistic and logical thinking. It is common for men to suppress and be unaware of the full range and depth of their emotions and related inner-body sensations, only able to identify limited range of internal states. This deficit in sensitivity ("emotional blindness") often leads to conflicts at work and in family relations, as suppressed feelings can erupt unexpectedly, at inappropriate moments, or, they can be channeled into other expressions of non-authentic feelings to camouflage the real, often painful, inner states.
- Distressing feelings of pent-up, unexpressed anger can effect relationships at home, work or in public, ie...road rage.
- Difficulties balancing work/school and family relations often result in overwork and lack of leisure which in turn can lead to a build-up of stress, and eventually in health problems, such as a decrease or increase in sexual interest and performance, digestive, or heart problems, to name just a few.
- Work related stress can manifest as physical complaints, feelings of irritation, frustration or anger, procrastination, avoidance, feelings of boredom, lack of motivation, feeling "stuck" and even sabotaging one's own success.
- Relationship, parenting and work dilemmas can also evoke feelings of fear, guilt and shame, jealousy, unworthiness, anxiety and depression - all effecting health, functioning and the ability to cope.
- Personality disorders - narcissism and nvoidance; anti-social attitudes; disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to name a few…
- and a variety of addictive habits commonly contribute to distressing experiences for men.
How can I be of help?
Working with the inner world of the men in treatment, I utilize an array of eclectic therapeutic approaches combined with psychological-education, to help close the gap between cognitive and emotional functioning, building on the strengths and abilities of the individual, while assisting in identifying, naming, understanding and normalizing of distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This freeing-up of the psyche in a safe, non-judgemental space of the therapeutic relationship with me, enables healthier relationships and functioning at home, in intimacy, at work and in social settings.
Further, I help modify self-defeating personality traits, beliefs and habits to enable better judgment in daily interactions; alleviate anxiety, phobias, depression and other distressing feelings; recover from post traumatic stress; boost self-esteem; enhance intimacy and cope with distressing feelings of fear, anger, loss, guilt and shame to achieve healthier more peaceful mind and subsequently a better quality of life.