One of my primary specialties is guiding men through challenges in their personal and/or professional lives. Most of my male clients are executives, attorneys, business leaders and owners, or individuals in high-stress roles, and my background as an executive myself can be helpful when discussing certain career challenges and work/life balance issues.
I’m generalizing, but I’ve found that men initially tend to be a bit more ambivalent about counseling than women. Sometimes, they share that they had significant doubts about whether or not it could actually be effective. Some men also say that they feel uncomfortable sharing their emotions and vulnerabilities, have trouble relinquishing control, or feel shame about their particular issue. Confidentiality is also frequently a concern for men when they seek assistance. Please know that I am aware of and sensitive to these concerns. If this happens to describe you, my hope is that you’ll still consider giving it a shot just to see if it has the potential to be helpful to you.
I am not a “touchy-feely” counselor and counseling is much more than just a discussion about feelings. It’s a forum to identify and solve real-life problems in a very strategic way. Together we can explore new perspectives that you may not have considered, develop a better understanding of why you think and behave the way that you do, work on the development of new skills and behaviors, and discuss the pros and cons of different ways to approach challenges. I’m very much a straight-shooter, and my advice will always be direct, practical, objective, and balanced.
Common issues that I assist men with are:
- Relationship problems
- Difficulty with communication
- Problems with emotional intimacy or feeling physically and/or emotionally disconnected from their partner
- Problems with resentment, rejection, apathy, or defensiveness
- Navigating autonomy
- Sexual concerns and infidelity
- Parenting challenges
- Need for validation, struggles with insecurities, and feelings of inadequacy
- Stress, anxiety, and depression (which in men may present as irritability and/or anger)
- Issues with conflict management
- Desire to better understand self, emotions, relationships, and how to feel more fulfilled
- Career problems, leadership development, and work/life balance challenges
If you are a man considering counseling please know that many men experience similar issues and have discovered the benefit of having a confidential, supportive, and completely non-judgmental environment to explore them and find solutions. Please let me know how I can assist you.