“Feelings are like children; you don’t want them driving the car, but you don’t to stuff them in the trunk either” - Tim Robbins in “Thank you For Sharing” (An awesome movie about men going through some of the stuff I work with)

Relationships/Communication: All people struggle with this stuff. Instead of learning about healthy communication, boundaries, and mindfulness in school, we were being forced to memorize shit that most people probably forgot about the second they walked out of class. This stuff affects everyone, as relationships, to yourself and others are for most people, a centerpiece of their lives. Men especially, frankly, are often deficient in these areas. However, as corny or cliche as it sounds, not being "in touch with your feelings" leads to anger, explosions, bad communication, and substance use and other problematic behaviors. 

Addiction/Problematic Behaviors:  There’s a whole range of stuff that could be going on that someone wants to talk about in relation to this issue. Whether you are a former opiate user who is now sober or on Medication Assisted Treatment, or someone who is watching too much porn, we can talk openly and honestly about the behaviors and attachments you have to things, and see if you’d like to make changes, and how that could happen. I do not moralize any issue, unless you’re seriously harming someone. I believe in people’s choices to do what they want and I don’t believe anything is a problem, unless it is a problem. I personally think substances, sex, and other thrill seeking behavior can be healthily integrated into ones life and can be beneficial, but they can also cause great damage. It’s all about context. So expect an open and honest conversation about these subjects as we figure out your specific situation and what might be a way forward.

Masculinity: Masculinity to me is being touch with who you want to be, as a man. It means being able to embody some more “traditional” masculine qualities of strength, courage, and leadership perhaps while growing in areas men often struggle with. Being open, listening well, being able to process your feelings in healthy ways, communicating not with anger or by shutting down, but openly, honestly, and directly; caring about other people, while being true to yourself. This is really about becoming a more complete human.

Depression/Anxiety/Mood Disorders: Lots of things can cause depression and/or anxiety. Most people experience them, especially anxiety in our society. Usually, there is something going on to cause the depression and/or anxiety and talking can help figure out what's going on and perhaps figure out solutions. It all ties into addictions, our relationships and our views of ourselves. For people with mood disorders, we can talk about lifestyle changes that can help.

As it may be evident, I don’t view issues so singularly but rather as all connected.