As the importance of mental health continues to gain recognition, there is still a great need for resources surrounding the field of men's mental health. In response to the prejudice men and boys face regarding stereotypical masculinity at all ages, additional tools are needed to help equip mental health counselors and professionals as they address these issues. The book,
Mental Health Counseling for Men: Practical Strategies and Effective Engagement (ISBN: 9798369314593) emerges as an informative guide for anyone looking for comprehensive knowledge regarding how to navigate the complex issue of men and boys' mental health. Chapter Author, Dr. Max Utterberg, with a background in cognitive behavioral therapy, provides valuable insights on the mental well-being of young boys. See his discussion below.
The State of School-Aged Boys’ Mental Health By Max Utterberg
According to some, the task of raising boys has become much more difficult in recent years. As discussed in "Counseling School-Aged Boys: Influences and Interventions," boys are struggling to find their identities in a world where they are pulled into traditional masculine roles and feminist movements at the same time. This is especially difficult because they are still seeing very few male role models in the schools, especially at the elementary level. As counseling and mental health more broadly are still primarily female-dominated professions, it is of paramount importance that we are intentional on how we connect with boys in the modern era, no matter their gender expression.
Gender expression comes about after years of influence from different mediums that we must try to understand. The first one is the boy’s parents; what portions of their views on gender are traditional? What portions of their views are not? Second, we look to peers, which become increasingly more important in adolescence. It is not uncommon for boys to “gender police” each other if they do not act masculine, which can sometimes lead to bullying. Thirdly, boys are influenced by the media. The ripped physique of Thor, Captain America’s bravery, Venom’s ruthlessness, and Deadpool’s careless attitude come to mind, and boys soak that in; they emulate what they see, regardless of if it is age-appropriate or not.
It can feel difficult to connect with boys as a mental health professional as they develop verbal abilities slightly later than girls. Everyone who raises boys becomes intimately familiar with hearing “I don’t know” or “I don’t care”. However, a focus on the therapeutic relationship through competitive play, shared activities, and witty banter is a possible path through. For many boys, the only two socially acceptable emotions are “angry” and “funny” - using humor and competition to reach them may be the only way they know how to build a relationship.
In the end, some boys will present with a more traditional, rugged expression, and others might present as more sensitive, artistic, or a combination of the two. It is important as the counselor that we accept the students’ expression, regardless of what it is - and focus on building the relationship and healing the client from whatever they are experiencing. In this, we can begin to create positive change for boys everywhere.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
About the Chapter Author
Max Utterberg is completing his PhD in counselor education and supervision with Oregon State University in Summer of 2024. He has worked in the school-based mental health setting since 2017, in clinical and supervisory roles. His dissertation is on representations of masculinity in the news and in classic literature. He is certified in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and takes an existential, humanistic, and playful approach to the profession of counseling. He teaches developmental psychology, clinical writing, and statistics at St. Mary's University of Minnesota.