Who told you what it means to be a man? What lessons did you learn growing up about manhood? Was, “boys don’t cry” one of them? Men face countless pressures today to live up to unrealistic expectations of what it means to be a male. Times are changing now, as men are more in tune emotionally with their partners and are more involved in helping out with family responsibilities. Even so, the pressures men face today are overwhelming.
In relationships, the traditional masculine role of dominance and power has left men feeling isolated and helpless. Living up to these prescribed roles does not partner well with asking for help and admitting pain. Yet it is this vulnerability that produces healing in our self-esteem and relationships. On one hand, you may desire to have deeper relationships, but on the other hand you may not know how to go about achieving this.
What about emotions? Historically, the only acceptable emotion for men to express was anger. What about all the other emotions we experience every day; disappointment, hurt, loneliness, failure? Through counseling, you can learn how to develop emotional intelligence, which in turn helps you deal with anger and develop closer relationships with your friends.
In counseling, you can begin the process of redefining what manhood means for you. Counseling can help you ask for what you need, understand your relationships, express your emotions, establish healthy boundaries, and help you through transitions of marriage, loss, mid life crisis, retirement, divorce, and employment. If you could benefit from Aurora Men’s counseling, please call the Center For Healing And Change today at 303-481-4229.