Men's Issues
We address men’s issues, relationship issues, and anxiety. Men have been socialized to lock away our feelings and throw away the key. But that doesn’t change how we feel, it just further isolates us from the emotion, others, and ourselves.
If you are experiencing…
- Crippling sadness that just won’t go away
- Worry that if you feel your emotions, you’ll fall apart
- Sadness regarding your lack of friendships or intimate relationships
- Cold, neglectful, or abusive behavior from your parental figures
- Difficulty being vulnerable and open
- A tendency to avoid your emotions or difficult conversations out of fear
- Anxiety around dating and how to approach people in ways that are welcome as opposed to “creepy” or “toxic”
- Anger and aggression
- Numbness, emptiness, dissociation and withdrawal
- Difficulty engaging in hobbies and interests you used to enjoy
- Feelings of purposelessness or that life is meaningless
- A lack of direction
- Addiction to substances, alcohol, porn, gaming, or the internet
- Negative inner monologues berating and shaming your behavior
Men’s therapy in the Bay Area offers a confidential, supportive environment where you can explore your personal issues, judgment-free.
Ask yourself…
Do your relationships just feel like they’re missing something?
Has that passion at work faded or was it never really there?
Are you craving intimacy but simultaneously afraid of it?
Do you try so hard to be the “good guy” that you’ve lost yourself along the way?
Do you feel tired doing it all alone?
If so, then you may benefit from a male therapist specializing in men’s issues.
When things get hard, it’s tough when you feel isolated and alone.
It can be hard to talk about what you’re going through with friends or loved ones. You just don’t talk about serious stuff with the guys. Or maybe you don’t have anyone to talk to about serious stuff, period.
You want your life to improve — you just don’t know how to go about it. You’ve heard of psychotherapy — and may have friends who’ve been — but answering a lot of personal questions seems uncomfortable and awkward. How are you supposed to trust a stranger with your most private, shameful experiences? You don’t like to think about the hard stuff, let alone talk about it. You feel it’s best to just leave it alone.
The thing is — what you’re doing isn’t working anymore. Cutting yourself off from intimate relationships, engaging in behaviors that are harmful to your health, and isolating or withdrawing so no one knows what you’re going through — everything you’re doing to stay strong is exhausting.
Look, I get it. When someone asks what’s wrong, you say, “I don’t want to talk about it,” or, “I’d rather not get into it”, or “I’m all good” – but there’s a part of you that wants to say how you really feel. Men are not immune to mental health concerns. You know for sure you have “stuff” you could — and should — deal with.
I help men integrate their experiences and embrace mindful masculinity rather than compartmentalize, numb out, and live in survival mode.
It’s normal to be afraid that someone is really going to see through you if you reveal your vulnerability. That’s what you’ve been taught. You’ve been taught to fear and judge the parts of yourself that are emotional, vulnerable, or seeking help. You unconsciously see vulnerability as weakness. But you also know that avoiding your feelings and acting like everything is fine just isn’t cutting it anymore.
If you’re a man in the Bay Area seeking a therapist, working with someone who specializes in men’s issues could be a good fit. I am an inclusive therapist and welcome all male-identifying people and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
It’s time to take a modern approach to masculinity.
I’m passionate about unpacking the harmful version of masculinity you and I were taught to embody. Because the truth is, it’s just not working. It leaves us feeling disempowered, disconnected and dysregulated. When you hear the word “masculinity,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? I’ll bet it’s the phrase toxic masculinity. Well, I believe in mindful masculinity, which is cultivated when you make a conscious effort to examine the ways in which you’ve been conditioned to interact with the world, other people, and yourself.
The lessons you’ve learned, especially unconsciously, are worth examining. Together we’ll go through these imposed beliefs and values. We’ll determine which ingrained beliefs you want to take with you and which ones you want to leave behind. You have the power to rewrite your own story and build yourself up to the life you deserve. I will offer you a judgment- free place to do that. Maybe you’re here because you’re stressed out, apathetic, and tired of feeling so damn bad all the time. Maybe you’re here because your partner is urging you to seek help.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re here.
Men typically resist seeking mental health treatment. Why? We’re taught to suffer in silence. To just “deal with it.” To “look on the bright side.” You may even be scared of what will come out in therapy – what if you cry? What if you acknowledge the pain… and then you can’t stop? Let me tell you this, you will be okay; in fact, you will feel so much better once you do.
My role as an remote or in person therapist in the Bay Area is to help you honor the disavowed parts of yourself so you can fully integrate your experiences and heal. In our sessions, I will model healthy masculinity by embracing my own vulnerability and encourage you to do the same. When you connect with yourself and create space for your authentic experience, you’re changing your relationship with masculinity. And I truly believe that healthy, mindful masculinity can change the world. Working with men gives me hope. Because when we become gentler, more compassionate, kinder humans toward ourselves, so too do we change how we show up in the world.