Recently, my business partner, friend, and men’s group co-leader Brian Thompson and I sat down with life coach and podcaster Shawn Buttner for a conversation about men’s work, the unique power of group therapy, and our own story of partnership that’s run in parallel with leading multiple groups and a group practice together.
Read MoreOur inner skeptics are protectors. This article will explore a three-step process for working with inner skeptics so they don’t keep us from the relationships that we crave.
Read MoreI grew up as a good Midwestern kid, raised on the value of “above all, be nice.” There was always something about this value that didn’t quite fit me…
Read MoreThis article explores the fantasy of arrival--that one day, we will arrive and be happy from that point forward--and how it can help or hinder us in the search for actual happiness in the present.
Read MoreIf you’d like to know what being in a therapy group is like, check out “Group.” I found the series quite moving, and I imagine you will too.
When we say the words “Black Lives Matter,” do we feel it in an emotionally invested way? If we do, I believe we’re more likely to take an active role in standing up to fight alongside Black people. This is the meaning of responsibility—a genuine attitude of care, not an obligation or social performance.
Read MoreI’ve heard many survivors of traumatic abuse echo this sentiment: “The abuse was horrible, but it was the fact that my family stood by and did nothing that really haunts me.” In part II of this blog series, we look at the importance of acknowledging pain.
Read MoreIn this three-part blog series, I offer my perspective as a depth therapist who leads four weekly men’s groups in the Bay Area of California and a White person actively working to challenge my own racism. Groups are a microcosm for larger systems, such as our families, our local communities, and even our national and international communities. Thinking in terms of a small group is helpful because it’s personal, not abstract. Each of these articles offers some things group has highlighted for me that shed light on healing processes and the barricades that get in the way.
Read MoreWhen I think of the men in my life who exude the hallmarks of adult manhood, there’s one feature that stands out: they know where they stand.
Read MoreIn this article, IRL Men’s Group co-founders Troy Piwowarski and Brian Thompson reveal the top 3 concerns that men bring to IRL Men’s Groups: not knowing how to deal with conflict; not knowing how to express or receive intimacy; and nagging self-judgments. Find out more about how we address these 3 issues in our men’s groups.
Read MoreAs an individual and group therapist, I’ve had the privilege to see the various ways that #MeToo has stirred men’s and women’s awareness and attitudes. Click below to read my latest article that explores men’s work in the age of #MeToo:
https://www.therapyden.com/blog/mens-work-in-the-age-of-metoo
Read MoreAs we face new challenges and old demons of masculinity, IRL Men offers a path forward.
Read More"Psychologist Troy Piwowarski and I answer some questions about career and therapy/client relationships. And we talk about masculinity today."
Read MoreSome insights from James Hillman on the experience of betrayal, and what role it plays in human life.
Read MoreThis article explores how phenomenology, a particular approach to understanding consciousness, can vivify and better honor clients' experiences in therapy.
Read More
