Men in Counseling

Though men experience the full range of mental health concerns and significant distress, men are less likely to seek help for health concerns. Understanding the gendered nature of masculinity is an important cultural competency that impacts counseling practice. To be effective with male clients, counselors must consider and appreciate the unique concerns, needs, and difficulties that men experience in life. Effective counselors are those that enhance their personal self-awareness and skills of inclusive empathy in order to build effective healing relationships with men. This entry explores themes associated with developing a gender-sensitive approach to counseling men, including understanding the presenting concerns, reviewing barriers to help seeking, and creating helpful practices for counseling men.