One of my favorite things about working with men is talking about manhood. Really understanding where their definition of manhood was developed and how it is present in their everyday life. This conversation is really interesting as most men are thinking about this for the first time.
Often, people in my office get confused about what they are feeling. When asked to name the feeling they are experiencing, they often name one of four buckets of feelings: Glad, Sad, Mad, and Anxious. Every feeling we have gets thrown into one of those four generalized buckets. Then, the same people start to get frustrated when their partners don’t understand the feeling or why they are experiencing it.
There has been a common theme going in much of the work I have been doing with couples of late. I am hearing folks coming in talking about how their partner responds to them in a way that makes them feel emotionally assaulted. Often, these couples are well intentioned, loving, and looking for connection but for some reason they are having arguments that do not make sense.
Recently I was in Boca de Tomatlan, Mexico for a workshop with other clinicians and practitioners of the 4 dimensional approach to sex and intimacy. Every morning, before we would begin our work, we would clear our space. Clearing space involved using sound (a drum, a rattle, etc.), scent (copal, sage, incense, etc), or other approach to sanctify the area we would be learning and growing in to allow us to be present, to remove negative energy and to set a space that invited intention.
I play many roles in my life. Partner, father, therapist, teacher, business owner to name a few. These roles keep me very busy and I often feel the crushing weight of responsibility on me. Normally I manage it well and focus on meaningful self-care and attachment to positive people (just as I tell my patients to do!). I am intentional and mindful of what I need to do to ensure that I am meeting the many requirements that are put on me.
The other day I was asked what would allow someone to achieve their goals when they seem to be so far away. My immediate gut-level reaction was “bravery”. It was not the answer the other person was expecting. I began exploring how others experienced bravery and their ability to recognize it in themselves.