Recent research has revealed important insights into how therapeutic approaches can be better tailored to meet men’s psychological needs. These findings offer valuable direction for practitioners seeking to effectively engage and support male clients.
Action-Oriented Treatment Models
- Research by Kiselica and Englar-Carlson (2010) shows men engage more readily with therapy that incorporates concrete problem-solving and goal-setting.
- Treatment models that balance internal reflection with external action demonstrate higher completion rates among male clients (Rochlen et al., 2010).
- Therapeutic frameworks that include measurable progress markers allow men to track their development in tangible ways (Englar-Carlson & Kiselica, 2013).
Benefits of Male-Specific Group Settings
- Meta-analyses reveal that specialized men’s groups often achieve better outcomes than mixed groups for issues like anger management, addiction recovery, and depression (Andronico, 1996; Wong et al., 2017).
- The shared experience of masculine socialization creates unique opportunities for authentic connection and validation (Nahon & Lander, 2014).
- Group settings reduce the perceived power differential of individual therapy that some men find uncomfortable (Rabinowitz, 2019).
Instrumental Emotional Processing
- Research by Seidler and colleagues (2018) demonstrates that many men process emotions through doing rather than talking.
- Activities like walking meetings, building projects, or physical challenges can facilitate emotional expression when traditional face-to-face conversation feels stilted (Kingerlee, 2012).
- Men often express emotional content indirectly through metaphor, humor, or discussion of external situations (Seidler et al., 2016).
Strength-Based Approaches
- Studies show framing therapeutic goals in terms of building on existing masculine strengths rather than correcting deficits increases engagement (Kiselica et al., 2016).
- Traditional masculine values like protection, provision, and perseverance can be channeled constructively rather than pathologized (Hammer & Good, 2010).
- Viewing stoicism not as emotional avoidance but as emotional regulation helps therapists work with rather than against men’s natural coping styles (Brooks, 2010).
These research-backed approaches don’t lower standards for therapeutic outcomes—they simply acknowledge that the path to psychological well-being might look different for many men than conventional therapy often assumes. By integrating these findings into practice, clinicians can create more effective therapeutic environments for male clients.
References
Andronico, M. P. (Ed.). (1996). Men in groups: Insights, interventions, and psychoeducational work. American Psychological Association.
Brooks, G. R. (2010). Beyond the crisis of masculinity: A transtheoretical model for male-friendly therapy. American Psychological Association.
Englar-Carlson, M., & Kiselica, M. S. (2013). Affirming the strengths in men: A positive masculinity approach to assisting male clients. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91(4), 399-409.
Hammer, J. H., & Good, G. E. (2010). Positive psychology: An empirical examination of beneficial aspects of endorsement of masculine norms. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 11(4), 303-318.
Kingerlee, R. (2012). Conceptualizing men: A transdiagnostic model of male distress. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 85(1), 83-99.
Kiselica, M. S., & Englar-Carlson, M. (2010). Identifying, affirming, and building upon male strengths: The positive psychology/positive masculinity model of psychotherapy with boys and men. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 47(3), 276-287.
Kiselica, M. S., Benton-Wright, S., & Englar-Carlson, M. (2016). Accentuating positive masculinity: A new foundation for the psychology of boys, men, and masculinity. In Y. J. Wong & S. R. Wester (Eds.), APA handbook of men and masculinities (pp. 123-143). American Psychological Association.
Nahon, D., & Lander, N. R. (2014). Working with men in groups from an integrity model perspective. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 39(4), 295-311.
Rabinowitz, F. E. (2019). Deepening group psychotherapy with men: Stories and insights for the journey. American Psychological Association.
Rochlen, A. B., McKelley, R. A., & Whittaker, T. A. (2010). Stay-at-home fathers’ reasons for entering the role and stigma experiences: A preliminary report. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 11(4), 279-285.
Seidler, Z. E., Rice, S. M., River, J., Oliffe, J. L., & Dhillon, H. M. (2016). Men’s mental health: A case for a masculinities model. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 25(1), 116-132.
Seidler, Z. E., Dawes, A. J., Rice, S. M., Oliffe, J. L., & Dhillon, H. M. (2018). The role of masculinity in men’s help-seeking for depression: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 49, 106-118.
Wong, Y. J., Jones, A., & Tran, K. K. (2017). A meta-analysis of the relationship between psychotherapy attendance and outcomes among clients of color. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(6), 594-611.