On the APA Guidelines for Boys and Men

The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

Curt and Katie talk about the 2018 APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men. We talk about the definition of masculinity and each of the guidelines, looking at what they explain well and where they miss the mark.

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

In this episode we talk about:

• Discussing whether these guidelines would be created
• The importance of teasing out the differences across demographics, genders, etc.
• The complexity of men and what the guidelines address
• The definition of masculinity and Curt’s problem with it
• The concept of many masculinities
• The shifting perception of masculinity and femininity
• Toxic masculinity as the extreme
• The places where the guidelines miss the mark
• Comparing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Michael Cerra
• The stuff that is “no duh.”
• Discussing intersectionality, the impact of culture, sexism, power, privilege on how men develop
• Biological, evolutionary, and societal impacts on sexism for men
• Challenging the idea that we actually value all the different types of masculinity
• How the educational guidelines miss the need to adjust how schools operate
• What is missed or misrepresented about bullying
• How the guidelines address violence
• The problem with the data on violence – looking at convictions versus how many are committed
• The concept of “boys will be boys”
• Physical differences that lead to stand up and be protective
• The thought that the Guidelines are not acknowledging the biological or physical differences between men and other genders
• The types of responses men have toward taking care of their health
• How to embrace masculinity as an element of diversity and not thinking that masculinity is bad
• Differentiating toxic masculinity from masculinity (i.e., pathologizing masculinity)
• How this can be perceived in the #metoo era
• The shifting of what is acceptable for men and potential impacts of these shifts on boys and men
• How advocacy is addressed in the guidelines, especially looking at intersectionality

Relevant Episodes:

When is it Discrimination?

Resources mentioned:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.

APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men

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Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/