Counseling Men: Treatment Recommendations From Australian Men’s Therapists

Abstract

Many of the contemporary treatment recommendations and guides for adapting therapy for men originates from the context of the United States. This qualitative study invited 15 Australian therapists, who advertised themselves as working with men, to describe their recommendations for male-friendly counseling. Three themes and 14 subthemes were identified, each explained from an understanding of their male client group’s experiences and common male norms. The themes included ensuring a safe space, to enact masculinity-informed respect, and to enhance client awareness and motivation. Therapists’ suggestions for working with Australian men were congruent with recommendations in the existing literature; however, variations were noted in how traditionally masculine or feminine-consistent their emphasis was.