Vulnerability in Men
-
Burnout to Bounty: Confessions of a De-Motivated Dad Struggling Amid Chaos
Motivation after overcoming burnout has been a real struggle for me this past year, and that’s not something I normally struggle with. Let me explain why. During the past year, COVID has affected my wife and seven children on two separate occasions, just as I was about to launch a new coaching course and scale my marketing business. We were hit with wave upon wave of illness for over five months. After recovering from COVID twice, my elder daughters brought a new chest infection into the house from university, followed by a stomach bug, and then another round of chest infections. January through June was a blur of boiling kettles…
-
This Helped Me Better Understand How Men Perceive Vulnerability
Recently I watched my husband grieve the loss of his father following a courageous battle with cancer. This experience was truly heartbreaking to witness. However, I believe it helped me to better understand just how complex the depths of vulnerability can be for men. To be vulnerable means to identify and share what is true for us emotionally. From the words of Brené Brown, “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” As a therapist I encourage vulnerability; It has the power of truly transforming our relationships, with ourselves and with others. When we show vulnerably in the context of…
-
A Guide to Supporting Men Through Emotional Challenges
Sometimes, it feels like men have no idea how they are feeling and how it’s affecting them. Worse, they fail to understand how it affects people around them. But they are not entirely to blame for this! As if the differences between men and women are not enough, male and female brains are built differently, affecting emotional expression. So get this: Studies show that women’s brains are better connected across the right and left sides. On the other hand, men’s brains have stronger connections between the front and back regions. But why is this important? Well, those connections make women better at emotional expression. The right part of the brain…
-
Fostering Open Communication in Men
Despite years of progression and acceptance, the running rumor of men not having feelings is going strong. And with good reason, too! Ask any woman in a relationship with a man if their partner has ever shown any emotional authenticity. Unfortunately, many will tell you that it has never happened and may never happen. Open communication for men is like a suggestion rather than a requirement. Unfortunately, this means that communication in the relationship will be limited to memes, jokes, and whichever sport is in season. In the words of Queen Charlotte, ‘sorrows, prayers!’ But before you can brush up on your sports talk, consider understanding where your partner hides…
