New BPS briefing paper on practising therapy with men
The BPS has published a new briefing paper that seeks to highlight ways in which men and boys may better engage with therapy.
18 November 2022
The briefing was developed with the input of the BPS Male Psychology Section and open consultation with the Society’s whole membership.
It suggests approaches that may be beneficial when working with male clients. 'Talking therapies should not be the only option, although men can and do talk in the right setting', the briefing states.
‘Action-oriented and community approaches should also be considered, including due consideration of culturally appropriate settings’.
John Barry, former chair of the Male Psychology Section and one of the authors of the briefing, said:
"Increasingly over the past few decades, men's mental health has been misunderstood or overlooked to an unacceptable degree. It is to the benefit of everyone in society to be able to properly understand men's mental health problems - how they manifest, what causes them, how they might be prevented etc - and learn how to treat them effectively."
Martin Seager, consultant clinical psychologist, adult psychotherapist and co-author of the briefing paper, added:
"The hallmark of good psychological interventions is that they should be tailored and personalised to meet the needs of unique human individuals - for too long the male gender has been overlooked as a key factor in developing high quality formulations.
“These guidelines offer some important first steps in better meeting the needs of men and also hopefully attracting more men to seek psychological help. They could also play a secondary role in attracting more men into the profession of psychology."
Briefing paper: Psychological Interventions to Help Male Adults
Blog: New BPS briefing paper on practising therapy with men ‘a step in the right direction’