Men on the mend: Developing & maintaining empathy with male clients

There are very significant sex differences in  the prevalence of psychological disorders. Most strikingly, the ratio of male to female suicides is around 3:1 across most age groups in most countries of the world. Until now, though, little attention has been paid to these matters. Empathy for men’s mental health has, for various reasons, been in short  supply.

Aiming to correct this traditional relative neglect of males’ psychological health , both by men themselves and others, the course aims to add value to clinical work with males through the lifespan  by examining how the psychological evidence base informs empathic (1) assessment, (2) formulation, (3) treatment, and (4) endings with  males.  Case material, both from the presenter and participants, will be used for reflection throughout.

Timetable:

09:30 Registration, tea / coffee
10:00 workshop starts
16:30 Workshop ends

Details

There is good reason to think that men’s psychological health has – along with their physical health – been neglected (e.g. Wilkins, 2010). There is, however, a growing evidence-base– from epidemiology to sex differences in cognitive biases and behaviour under stress that, properly understood, can add value to clinical practice at every stage in  clinical work with men. In particular, this material can help clinicians understand men & their symptoms,  and above all develop  and maintain  empathy with, men more effectively.

This workshop is intended for Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Counsellors and other care staff, interested in enhancing their skills around work with men. Delegates are encouraged to read the facilitator’s current paper Conceptualizing men: A transdiagnostic model of male distress.

This workshop will be of interest to Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Counsellors and other care staff – those in training onwards, interested in enhancing their skills around work with men.

Learning outcomes and objectives 

• Learning around the (neglected) psychological evidence-base around males
• Applying this to each  stage of clinical interactions with males from GP to secondary care
• Improving abilities to develop  and maintain  empathic connections with males at each stage of care
• Adding value to  various kinds of clinical  interventions
• Reflecting on men’s psychological  experiences and how they can be enhanced by professionals

Facilitator: Dr. Roger Kingerlee CPsychol 

Since qualification in 2003 I have had wide experience of providing professional-quality staff training, including on the Doctoral Programme  in Clinical Psychology at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and, most recently, on the undergraduate psychology programme there. My most recent UEA teaching on cognitive analytic therapy (2010) (to take one example) got consistently high trainee ratings (4-5/5) from most attendees. I have a literary D. Phil. In masculinities (Oxford, 1997; pub.  as a monograph, Psychological Models of Masculinity, 2001) and a D.Clin. Psy (UEA, 2003 (dissertation on men’s depression)) as well as an ongoing  research interest in men’s psychological health (e.g. Kingerlee, R  (2011). A transdiagnostic model of male distress. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice. DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8341.2011.02017.x I work in adult mental health in the NHS & have much experience of working with, and doing research around men using various psychological models (incl. CBT, CAT, EMDR, mindfulness, psychodynamic).

Booking information

Fees:

• DCP members: £25 + VAT
• Society members: £50 + VAT
• Society non-members: £75 + VAT

How to book:

This event is fully booked.

Additional material

Documents: 

LC30APR12 Men on the mend: Developing & maintaining empathy with male clients registration form