Life in Depth Counseling is an online counseling service dedicated to providing evidence-based psychotherapy in accordance with the standards of the American Counseling Association.
Men’s Therapy in Alexandria, VA
Takeaway: Men face unique challenges in their lives, and it can often feel difficult to get support. Life in Depth Counseling offers a safe space for you to address these struggles and explore your masculine identity. I’m passionate about helping men improve their mental health and learn how to connect more effectively with themselves and others. With men’s counseling, you don’t have to struggle alone.
Even with the increased social acceptance of mental health treatment for men why is it still difficult for them to get the emotional support they need? Well, even though today's standards have changed most men were raised in a time when psychological help equaled weakness.
Despite their being less shame about talking to a therapist it still doesn't eliminate the part of them that is tuned to soldier on through their pain. Men don't identify with the person who needs therapy, that's for someone else... not them. Sadly, it takes men much longer to engage in seeking help. And often once they've done it, they wonder why they had waited so long to start. Let's explore some of the more specific details about treatment for men counseling and what can be done to help.
Does this sound like you?
Have you been on the verge of reaching out but struggling to take that step? Are you stuck between the desire to receive help and the voice that tells you to suck it up and keep going? Do you distract yourself in front of a screen or self medicate with substances or drugs? Many men find themselves right here in this place. This is a place for making a courageous decision.
Become a better man by seeking help to develop the emotional responses to life in the way that you'd like to. Mens counseling is available and more men are seeking these resources to relieve their symptoms to find solutions and live their best life today.
Therapy for men can help.
Men's mental health is more than just mental health. It's a way of learning there is more to whom they are and who they can be. It's about showing up as a full person and meeting the challenges of that men face, differently. Many men struggle with relationships and having a difficult time with feelings and emotions. By learning the language of emotions men can create an internal framework that works for them. Building this understanding they are able to understand and connect with the needs of their partners.
Some of the symptoms that are treated are depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use disorder, anger, stress, family issues, self-esteem, relationships, and other mental health issues. Most men experience benefits not only with emotions but with better physical health and total energy.
Meet Ryan Napolitano, men’s therapist in Alexandria, VA
It takes one to know one. My name is Ryan and I've spent lots of time in male dominated groups; college athletics as a player and coach, provided support for military personnel, and of course, I have my own crew of friends from my hometown who are like brothers to me. As a male therapist, I have a unique perspective in treating mental illness and understanding the mental health services that are needed for men.
My experiences working in competitive sports inform the treatment that I provide as I understand the camaraderie and loyalty needed to confront difficult tasks. My personal formation at a young age with athletics is complimented by the breadth of mental health treatment experiences I've been fortunate to have. I have worked in a luxury rehab center and also a community mental health national institute. I have worked with clients in a residential substance abuse and trauma center and I have worked in short-term outpatient clinics in multiple countries. I firmly believe its the experiences and the teachers that make the clinician, and to this end I've been fortunate to have these experiences to now be able to extend them to you.
My approach to men’s counseling
I'm familiar with what it takes to get past the stigma of coming in for talk therapy. Often the hardest part for men seeking therapy is just being able to make that call and schedule the first consult.
As men, particularly American men, its important to respect the part of us that is resilient and wants to "man-up" without getting mental health support. This part of us is important and needs to continue to be an important and helpful part of us.
Mens counseling is about adding to this strength as opposed to minimizing and shaming it. Society is at a crossroads with understanding the concept of gender and re-imagining the ideal male behavior. And each of us have the opportunity to step up and be part of a positive solutions to it.
Counseling for men is about combining the positive values of the old and welcoming in the new.
What we’ll address in male therapy
Now that we have a but more understanding of what it is. Lets talk more about the details of the therapy.
Mental health therapy for men can address all of the same concerns across the spectrum of issues that people that seek mental health are looking to treat. Therapy recognizes that being a man represents only a part of who they are, and that part of the work will always be integrating that part of them in all aspects of the their life.
Whether it be past traumas or substance abuse, to depression, anxiety, or stress, gender touches all of those things on some level. So respecting the struggle of this part always has some relevance.
One of the key reasons that men seek help is to support their relationship with their girlfriend/spouse or issues with family members. Relationship issues are important, and often times many men apply the same approach they learned as boys to connect with women as adults. What they're needing and looking for is a broader approach to connection.
Struggling to connect can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and a general loss of well being. Therapy will help to process these feelings and allow the emotions to pass, allowing for a greater sense of well being.
FAQs about counseling for men in Alexandria, VA
-
Of course not! You are in control of your own process. The therapist's job is to help guide you through the areas you feel comfortable exploring.
-
Anger is one of the most common mental health issues. It can take some time to see relief from the anger. The therapy I provide doesn't see anger as a problem to be solved. It's a valuable, helpful part of the self that needs to be understood and integrated helpfully.
-
Mental health help can be similar to talking to a friend, but its also quite different. Imagine you had a trusted friend but for 20-30 hours a week for many years all they did was hear peoples stories and learn how to guide them. As well, the human person is complex and dealing with some issues with a friend is not always helpful.
-
Ha! Well, feelings and emotions are part of life so yeah that's part of it. We will respect them when they arise within their relevance to the therapy we've agreed on.
-
Research shows that addressing mental health concerns leads to less emotional burden and general exhaustion. With the availability of online therapy, the burden to seek therapy has never been lower.
-
Yes, however depending on the severity of the issue a therapist is required to adhere to the guidance of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services administration which might require additional intensive care therapy.
-
Why should only the women have all the therapy fun? Let's not overthink this. Mental health professionals in the United States are some of the most highly trained practitioners in the world. In the modern age, to seek therapy is rapidly becoming less of a signal of weakness and more of a sign of strength.
-
One of the reasons that the suicide statistics for men are so high is because of the stigma related in addressing mental health issues. Even the word mental illness, carries unhelpful emotions. Another reason that men need help seeking support is the belief that to admit that life is hard for them, or they have depression, or struggle with drugs, is that they will be deemed as weak, a belief programmed in many young boys across multiple generations.
Depression, which affects a multitude of men, is a deep feeling of despair that prevents men from seeking the resources that are available.
Another thing that stops men from getting therapy is the cultural programming that they can "think" through there problems. Often times the invalidation of feelings and emotions is what can feed the beast of depression. Which if you recall, can prevent men to seek help.
Women constitute roughly 75% of the therapist population. As such, there are less options for men to chose from.
-
Research shows that the bulk of progress in therapy is about the cohesion and connection of the relationship. Most men prefer a male therapist, and other men prefer a woman. The answer to this question is personal, however, the marketplace for therapists is predominantly women, so if working with a man is your preference there are less options to choose from.
-
Men's mental health is both unique and similar to the many types of therapy available. By addressing some of the early adopted beliefs, a man is able to make more conscious decision about how he wants to move forward with his life. To ultimately decide if his beliefs serve him, or modified into something else.
Being able to make more informed conscious choices can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety and lead to more full-filling life. Many men experience improved self esteem and confidence that stem from a feeling of internal freedom.
Prioritize your mental health with men’s therapy in Alexandria, VA & beyond.
Counseling for men is continuing to evolve as more men become more and more open about their struggle. The challenge of the mental health stigma and shame of expressing emotions will continue. As a practitioner, I continue to focus on respecting the parts of men which are classically masculine and help bring them into a greater wholeness.
Through our agreed partnership in exploring their inner world, I help alleviate the burden of their internal struggle, turning what feels like an arm-wrestling match into a cohesive resource that can continue to be drawn on to navigate the world. In addition, one of the main goals of counseling for men is to give them the tools to continue this work long after the therapy is completed.
If you're one of the many men that is struggling with mental health and know that there is a better man inside of you, please reach out for a free consult where I can describe more about the therapy I provide and the ways you can expect to benefit.