Therapy for Men: Do Men Go To Therapy?
We live in a society that has a lot of stereotypes and stigmas around therapy. One myth is that if a man goes to therapy they are weak. Men have been given the message that they can’t show sadness, anxiety, or fear. They can show anger but not too much anger because then it’s aggression. It can be lonely and isolating to be a man and do not feel you can let your guard down with your feelings. Those messages keep men stuck in unhelpful patterns and do more harm than good. You may have good days and not feel as stuck but sometimes those feel fleeting. It takes a lot longer to get unstuck when you’re trying to do it all on your own.
Therapy is for men too
Men do go to therapy. I wish every man could go to therapy. Many men go to their bishops to help them resolve what they are going through rather than going to therapy. It’s already hard to ask for help as a guy with all the messages that society has given. Seeing a bishop can be helpful. Talking to a friend can be helpful too. It’s not the same as therapy and there are some real benefits of seeing a mental health professional. Unlike a bishop or friend, a therapist or counselor can be neutral, unbiased, and provide safety for you to be open and honest with what you’re going through. There are no consequences or judgments for what you say in therapy. Men can be afraid to open up because they’re afraid it can be used against them. The job of a therapist is to never do that but help provide you with perspective and to work towards solutions with you.
Therapy can help men feel more fulfilled
Most men don’t realize they can have it so much better. They don’t realize they could be thriving and not just surviving. Part of why it’s just survival is because men might ignore their people as a way of coping. Pushing emotions down actually doesn’t make emotions go away. It leads to greater anger and depression. Going to therapy can be such an important tool in working through the unexpected impact of life experiences. Men that go to therapy and do the work you be up being happier and more fulfilled. They are more likely to achieve their goals and to be better partners and fathers.
Working with a men’s therapist doesn’t make men too emotional
Like you, men struggle with depression, anxiety, and not feeling good enough. They have emotions that need to be acknowledged and experienced. It does not mean that going to therapy will make you “overly emotional” or that you’re going to cry all the time. I understand how some people worry that this is what happens in therapy and to be honest I hope that at some point you will allow yourself to cry. I do hope you’ll learn to be ok with crying but don’t misunderstand that therapy is only about that. Therapy is about helping men feel better. You would be surprised at the relief you can feel to have someone listen to you and validate that what you are experiencing matters.
Therapy needs to be a safe place for men
I know some men worry that their therapist will make them do things they don’t want to do or push things onto them that they’re not comfortable with. A good therapist is willing to work with whatever you bring. They are willing to focus on what’s important to you and not try to push their own agenda onto you. It might be uncomfortable to talk about some of the things that you will talk about in therapy. Therapy is a safe place for you to practice talking about uncomfortable things because it’s likely that you feel uncomfortable talking about similar things with other people in your life. Truly the only expectation a therapist should have for you is that you show up to your session and that you’re trying to be open.
You gotta try therapy for men in Utah.
There are no awards given for never going to therapy. You will be surprised at how much it helps. If you’ve grown up in a family that didn’t believe in therapy you may have never considered the idea of going to therapy. Going to therapy might be one of the best choices you will ever make for your life. It can be what makes men learn to thrive, and I just want to help other men achieve that.
Begin working with a men’s therapist in Utah County
You don’t have to keep your feelings or experiences inside just because you’re a guy. Therapy for men can help. This Utah County Counseling Clinic has a therapist for men who specializes in working with men’s issues. To begin therapy follow the steps below:
Meet with a men's therapist
Begin therapy
Online Therapy in Utah
I know you’re busy and it’s hard to step away from work or school to drive to another appointment. This is why I offer online therapy in Utah. This is a safe and convenient way to receive therapy without having to travel or sit in traffic cursing at the cars in front of you.
Online therapy in Utah also means I can provide therapy to you wherever you are in Utah. This means if you are in Logan, Salt Lake City, St. George, Heber, or Cedar City, we can still work together using a secure video therapy platform.
Other mental health services provided by Marcus Hunt Therapy
Therapy for men isn’t the only counseling service provided at this Northern Utah Counseling Center. Other mental health services provided by Marcus Hunt Therapy include anxiety therapy, PTSD treatment, trauma therapy, marriage counseling, LDS marriage counseling, and premarital counseling in Utah.
About the Author
Marcus Hunt is a marriage and family therapist at Marcus Hunt Therapy located outside of Provo, Utah. Marcus has a bachelor’s degree from Utah Valley University in behavioral sciences. He also has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Marcus is on a mission for men to have more understanding of themselves, their experiences, and their emotions. Being a man is a positive thing and negative beliefs can often hold men back from reaching their full potential. Having emotions and challenges doesn’t make you weak as a man. Outside of therapy, Marcus enjoys taking car rides up American Fork Canyon with his wife and goldendoodles.