4 Reasons Why Men Are Hesitant To Start Working With A Men’s Therapist
It seems like it’s an understatement to say that it’s hard for men to want to go to therapy. Often men go to therapy at the nudging of someone they love. It feels humiliating to need help from someone else when you’ve always believed it’s your job to be there for everyone else. As a man, you’re supposed to sacrifice and put everyone first. This can lead to feeling burned out and a decline in your mental health. It’s important to take care of yourself and your needs so you can better be there for the people you love and care about.
There are many reasons why as a man you could benefit from going to therapy. There are reasons why you are hesitant to reach out for help because of misconceptions about what therapy will do or not do for you. Therapy can help you be the best version of yourself but you have to understand what holds you back from reaching out for help.
Why are men hesitant to go to therapy?
Each person has a reason why they put off going to therapy. These are just a few of the reasons men have been reluctant to go to therapy.
Men think therapy means they’re weak
Men have the idea instilled in them that they must do everything to avoid looking weak. They are told this from a pretty young age so it’s difficult to just undo it. Men don’t want to do anything that might make them seem vulnerable. It’s terrifying to go talk to a stranger about their struggles. They think nobody wants to hear what they are going through and don’t want someone else to tell them to get it together and get over it. As a therapist, I have never even thought that the man sitting across from me wasn’t strong enough or was weak for seeking help. I am always genuinely impressed when a man is willing to come to therapy and has insights about themselves. It’s a sign of strength to focus on self-improvement
Men don’t want to turn into a cry baby
Another message that men have been given is that they should never cry or show any emotion that makes them seem weak. They don’t want to go to therapy if it means they are just going to start crying at the drop of a hat. They are not interested in becoming a “crybaby” because they have been told to “dry up” when they’ve cried as a child or people have made it a big deal. While I believe it’s unhealthy for men not to cry, and I don’t think it’s at all natural not to cry since it’s a biological response to manage stress, it doesn’t mean that you’re going to start crying all of the time because you go to therapy. I won’t pretend that you will never cry in therapy but that’s not the goal of therapy. Just because you cry once doesn’t mean you’re going to cry all of the time at everything.
Men want to figure it out themselves
Men aren’t used to getting help from other people so the idea of going to therapy seems even more uncomfortable. They believe they need to pull themselves together and just deal with what they are struggling with. It seems weird to go to someone else to help when they’ve never done this before. As a therapist, I can’t even figure things all out by myself and that’s even with years of education and training. We just aren’t meant to figure it all out alone, and we require an outside perspective to help. Going to therapy can help you see angles, blind spots, or areas that you wouldn’t have thought about but a men’s therapist is able to share perspective.
Men are afraid of judgment
You might be afraid to be judged for going to therapy. You worry that if other people knew you were going to therapy they might think something is wrong with you. You already question if there is something wrong with you and don’t want anyone else to think the same thing. Men might also be worried that as their therapist I will also judge them. I’m not here to judge you, and I wouldn’t be in this profession if I was here to judge people. I just want to help you feel better and overcome the things that are holding you back.
How Therapy for Men can help
Going to therapy can make a huge difference in your life. Many men share that they wish they would have done it sooner and aren’t sure why they put it off. Therapy for men can help you be able to cope better with your struggles and improve your relationships with friends and family. Therapy is meant to help you gain more awareness about yourself so that you are able to make the changes you want to in your life. Attending therapy every week can help you work through past negative experiences that you may not be aware are still impacting you. My goal in therapy is to help you change the negative beliefs you have about yourself into something more positive and helpful. Therapy is meant to help improve your overall mental health.
Begin working with a men’s therapist in Utah
You don’t have to keep it together and figure it out on your own. You aren’t weak for reaching out for help. It’s actually a sign of strength to be able to work on improving yourself and growing to be a better version of the people you love. This Utah Counseling Practice has a men’s therapist specializing in therapy for men. To begin counseling follow the steps below:
Meet with a men’s therapist in Utah
Start feeling better
Online Therapy in Utah
I understand that it’s challenging to prioritize going to therapy in the midst of your busy schedule. I know you have a lot to balance in your life including work, family, school, and other things in your life. It can be hard to commit to when you think of all the time it takes to travel to and from therapy. I also know how valuable therapy is and how much it can change your life. I want it to be as accessible and convenient as possible, which is why I provide online therapy in Utah. Online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy and can be done on your lunch break if you have the privacy.
Online counseling also allows me to work with you wherever you are in the state of Utah. I work with clients in Salt Lake City, Saint George, Heber, Logan, Cedar City, and more.
Other mental health services at Maple Canyon Therapy
Therapy for men isn’t the only counseling service provided at this Utah Counseling Clinic. Marcus Hunt Therapy provides additional mental health services: anxiety therapy, depression therapy, PTSD treatment, EMDR therapy, marriage counseling, LDS marriage counseling, and premarital counseling in Utah.
About the Author
Marcus Hunt is an associate marriage and family therapist at Marcus Hunt Therapy in Utah. Marcus has a bachelor's degree in behavioral science from Utah Valley University in Orem. He also has a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. Marcus focuses on men’s issues such as porn addiction, LDS mission trauma, and other mental health concerns. As a man, he understands the struggles of men’s mental health being understood and prioritized. Marcus wants to help other men being able to be able to manage their depression and work through their trauma.