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Social Work Clinical Social Work Practice with Males
by
Robert Blundo, J. Christopher Hall
  • LAST MODIFIED: 11 January 2018
  • DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0262

Introduction

Social work practice focuses specifically on males or females is a more limited area of scholarship when compared to those focused on general models of practice within social work. The majority of practice texts and journals do not differentiate gender when presenting a theory or method of practice. Males are similarly less of a focus than women and other specified groups other than gender. Overall, males are less likely to be a focus of social work practice literature than in other disciplines such as psychology and counseling. Many of the approaches to working with males, in particular early writings, address issues of masculinity as a necessary step in working with males. Social work practice with males can be examined from a policy, population, community or individual perspective, and while all of these areas of practice are important, this article is limited to references addressing clinical practice with individuals and small groups. To that end, while the primary focus is clinical social work practice, references are included from psychology, psychotherapy, and counseling. These references are important, as significant crossover scholarship and research from parallel fields adds to the literature base of social work practice with males. While this article focuses primarily on practice with adult males, a section and selected references addressing practice with male youth and children is included.

Description of Selection Process

The material is organized according to the format, such as books, handbooks, and journal articles. The content includes only those works that describe a specific process of intervention in either individual and/or group settings. Research that is focused on the outcome of a specific practice or intervention is included if the practice is well defined as to be replicated by practitioners. Similarly, research focused on specific constructs, such as masculinity and its implications for working with men, is not included unless a specific practice is being described that can be replicated by practitioners. Working with young males or boys is also included since very little scholarship in practice with this male age group is available. One exception in this article is the text When Men Grieve (Levang 1998, cited under Books and Handbooks Focused on Unique Content). It is included because of its unique focus on men and can be helpful for practitioners in terms of possible work with men grieving. The references are in chronological order and alphabetically within a common year, starting from the most recent. The fact that there are very few publications on or about working with men, the following will be organized to help locate a particular practice approach and differences based on a particular problem. The list is separated into Books, Handbooks, and guides, and journals. Dates before 1990 are included if they are related to a specific group of men or are significant in terms of early ideas focused on practice with men. The following references provide descriptions of practice ideas and examples when working with men. Works are included that are meant to approach work in a general way or with a particular focus, such as feminist theory in Mintz 2013, sexual dysfunction in Rowland 2012, trans-theoretical in Brooks 2010, and men at risk in Furman 2010 (all cited under Books).

Books

Books or single-focused practice books on specific ways to conduct practice with men and boys is one of the few venues that provides an in-depth look at a particular model or techniques with men in general and in the case of specific content areas, such as sexual dysfunction in Rowland 2012. Other authors focus on theory, for example Mintz 2013 offers feminism as a specific theoretical framework for practice with men, while Brooks 2010 explores a trans-theoretical perspective in men’s practice that blends theoretical approaches. Finally, Furman 2010 offers a discussion of practice with men who fall into a category of acuity that involves risk.

  • Brooks, G. R. 2010. Beyond the crisis of masculinity: A transtheoretical model for male-friendly therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    DOI: 10.1037/12073-000Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Focuses on engagement of the “hesitant male client” by means of consciousness-raising within a flexible agenda to include “out-of-office” settings and empathic bonding. Engaging in the medium of the other is a technique specifically important for men who may have reservations about talk-oriented approaches. A trans-theoretical approach to male counseling is discussed and blendings occurring with cognitive and ecological approaches, among others.

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  • Furman, R. 2010. Social work practice with men at risk. New York: Columbia Univ. Press.

    DOI: 10.7312/furm14380Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Integrates cultural sensitivity with conceptions of masculinity and the dynamics of male relationships in interventions with a wide range of cases. The book build upon the idea that men may move into more acute emotional states gradually and without realizing it due to cultural forces and gender discourse. Interventions are designed to be culturally sensitive and flexible based on social and environmental factors.

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  • Mintz, L. B. 2013. Feminist therapy with male clients: Empowering men to be their whole selves. In The Oxford handbook of feminist multicultural counseling psychology. Edited by C. Z. Enns and E. N. Williams, 322–338. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

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    The focus is on engaging men by means of challenging masculinities’ denial of men’s ability to share emotions and vulnerabilities. The book suggests ways in which to engage men to increase emotional transparency, which will lead to increased positive outcomes.

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  • Rowland, D. L. 2012. Sexual dysfunction in men in the series advances in psychotherapy, evidence-based practice. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.

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    Covers a broad range of issues related to sexual dysfunction in men. Provides sufficient knowledge of the problem and ways for practitioners to engage in interventions, specifically evidence-based practices and best practice techniques for working with men with sexual-related issues.

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Handbooks

Handbooks and general guides provide a broad range of treatment models and can include various issues and challenges that need to be understood in order to work with men. Handbooks can cover several approaches to practice such as Englar-Carlson, et al. 2014; Blundo 2011; and Englar-Carlson 2009. Still other handbooks offer new approaches to working with men in counseling such as Wexler 2009.

  • Blundo, R. 2011. Men: Practice interventions (revised). In Encyclopedia of social work. Vol. 3. Edited by T. Mizrahi and L. E. Davis. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

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    Provides a general overview of practice with men and looks at new models of practice to engage men in counseling. Strengths-based approaches are presented and emphasized.

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  • Englar-Carlson, M. 2009. Engaging men in psychotherapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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    Provides a wide range of chapters on ways of engaging men in practice. The underlying premise is that men seldom seek interventions in the form of therapy or counseling. Suggestions are made to tailor counseling to men and through changing the way men are engaged. Traditional counseling settings and direct talk may not be the most effective and engagement adaptations are suggested.

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  • Englar-Carlson, M., M. P. Evans, and T. Duffey. 2014. A counselor’s guide to working with men. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

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    Explores the challenges in working with men by looking at various issues of masculinity that require masculine-sensitivity to help connect with men in treatment and providing evidenced-based treatments. Several issues are covered, including depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. Approaches and techniques are presented to assist in the exploration and treatment of these problems.

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  • Wexler, D. B. 2009. Men in therapy: New approaches for effective treatment. New York: W. W. Norton.

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    Provides an examination of the “Guy Code” or traditional ideas of what it means to be a man. The text provides a set of guidelines on how to engage men in the treatment process. The “Guy Code” is recognized as a gender discourse and the concepts are deconstructed for the client to understand how the influence of these ideas is occurring and then new ways of masculinity are discussed.

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Practice in the Context of Diversity in Both Books and Handbooks

The references cited here focus on particular issues facing men, such as sexual orientation in Bieschke, et al. 2010 and Silverstein 2011. Issues of diversity are also discussed including key elements in engaging African American males (Alan, et al. 2011; Davis 1999) as well as how to work with gay men (Silverstein 2011; Bieschke, et al. 2010). Finally Good and Brooks 2005 and Englar-Carlson and Stevens 2006 are texts that provide overviews of numerous contexts of practice with men, including with college students, veterans, and physicians, among others.

  • Alan, W. D., J. P. Rosier, and L. G. Tucker. 2011. Strategies for therapeutic success with African American males. In Black fathers: An invisible presence in America. 2d ed. Edited by M. E. Connor and J. L. White, 219–237. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

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    Provides strategies and resources for practitioners to use to enhance their practice. It is intended to improve cultural competence to apply to practice specifically with African American males. Discussions of social roles and culture are presented, including fatherhood in African American families and the ways is which cultural understandings have been formed and internalized. Techniques are offered to help counsel African American men that avoid blame and judgment.

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  • Bieschke, K. L., M. Oerez Ruperto, and K. A. DeBord. 2010. Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients. 2d ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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    Provides descriptions of practice with gay, bisexual, and transgendered male clients. The text is specific to working with each client and explores common problems and counseling approaches to work with men who identify as gay, bisexual, and transgendered. The text is important in that it separates out the unique experiences of these men and the ways in which common problems may manifest.

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  • Davis, L. E. 1999. Working with African American males: A guide to practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    DOI: 10.4135/9781483328454Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides a resource for working with African-American men and surveys the challenges faced by African American men that provides a background for interventions. The book weaves educating the reader about ecological challenges faced by African American men while also presenting techniques and approaches for working with African American clients who have experienced these challenges.

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  • Englar-Carlson, M., and M. A. Stevens, eds. 2006. In the room with men: A casebook of therapeutic change. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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    Provides a wide range of practice issues from eating disorders to working with diversity. This book offers one of the first discussions of how to work with men who have eating disorders and is valuable because men have a tendency to isolate and avoid counseling. With eating disorders this potential for isolation is compounded. The authors provide examples of how to reduce avoidance.

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  • Good, G. E., and R. Brooks, eds. 2005. The new handbook of psychotherapy and counseling with men: A comprehensive guide to settings, problems, and treatment approaches. Rev. ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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    Presents counseling for men in numerous contexts, such as veterans, college students, business, and medical settings. It focuses on several problem areas such as depression and a range of diversity contexts, using a range of models of practice. This is a wide-ranging book that is a good catch-all text if one book is needed to cover an expanse of interventions with men in specific settings and roles.

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  • Silverstein, C., ed. 2011. The initial psychotherapy interview: A gay man seeks treatment. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

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    Focus is on the foundations of the initial interview with gay male clients and how to explore issues that may be very sensitive, such as sexual-related issues and choices. The text is very specific and offers hands-on advice and techniques for asking questions and engaging in therapeutic relationships that expand conversations with gay men.

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Books and Handbook with a Particular Focus on Boys and Young Males

The following materials are focused on working with boys and young males. The works treat play therapy and the use of sports with boys (Haen 2011); the use of positive psychology (Kiselica, et al. 2008), employment of strengths-based approaches (Baker 2010), sexually abused and developmentally disabled boys and young men (Horne and Kiselica 1999). Cognitive specific approaches to working with young makes are offered in Verhaagen 2010.

  • Baker, G. 2010. Overcoming the odds: Helping young men find their strengths. In Reverence in healing: Honoring strengths without trivializing suffering. Edited by D. A. Crenshaw, 99–110. Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson.

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    A particular focus is placed on building personal strengths with boys and men as a way of practice. The text is grounded in strength-based theory and suggests counseling techniques designed to empower and enhance young men to recognize the resiliencies and skills they have in overcoming their past and current challenges.

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  • Haen, C., ed. 2011. Engaging boys in treatment: Creative approaches to the therapy process. New York: Routledge.

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    A description of the author’s unique and personally derived practice with boys. This includes the use of play therapy and the use of sports and movement. Provides material on gender variant and sexual minority boys, and ADHD. The contributors mix various approaches, including cognitive, solution-focused, and narrative.

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  • Horne, A. M., and M. S. Kiselica, eds. 1999. Handbook of counseling boys and adolescent males: A practitioner’s guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

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    Provides a broad spectrum of strategies for working with boys and male adolescents; provides an extensive look at cultural context and various populations such as sexually abused and developmentally disabled boys. The book is broad in scope and covers many topics in a relatively detailed manner.

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  • Kiselica, M. S., M. Englar-Carlson, A. M. Horne, and M. Fisher. 2008. A positive psychology perspective on helping boys. In Counseling troubled boys: A guide for professionals. Edited by M. S. Kiselica, M. Englar-Carlson, and A. M. Horne, 31–48. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

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    This particular chapter presents practice from positive psychology and is unique in the literature. Strengths-based approaches are discussed and the concepts of growth and positive change from negative experiences are emphasized. Techniques are discussed to amplify these positive consequences.

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  • Verhaagen, D. 2010. Therapy with young men: 16–24 years old in treatment. New York: Routledge.

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    Provides information on how to build rapport and to engage young adult males. The author presents different ways of using a cognitive-behavioral approach to engage young adult men. Ways to explore core beliefs, automatic thoughts, and cognitive restructuring with young men in counseling are presented.

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Books Focused on Practice with Abusive Men

Material in this section focuses on ways to practice with abusive men. In particular, Lee, et al. 2003 contains an extensive review of the outcome of research conducted to test models of practice with men who batter. Murphy and Eckhardt 2005 provides a discussion of cognitive-behavioral intervention techniques.

  • Lee, M. Y., S. Sebold, and A. Uken. 2003. Solution-focused treatment of domestic violence offenders: Accountability for change. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

    DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195146776.001.0001Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides rigorous outcome research and describes practice using the solution-focused approach working with men who are offenders. Through the use of positive talk and strengths-based techniques new possibilities are envisioned for the future and plans are made to attain the preferred future. The book is unique in that it avoids discussions of negative past events but instead places the focus on the future. Research is presented that supports the approach.

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  • Murphy, C. M., and C. I. Eckhardt. 2005. Treating the abusive partner: An individualized cognitive-behavioral approach. New York: Guilford.

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    Presents a cognitive-behavioral approach to working within the context of individual treatment. The book provides an in-depth examination and presents ways to connect situational triggers to thoughts and then to abusive actions. Specific techniques are offered to then break down these triggers and patterns for cognitive change to occur. The authors suggest that with cognitive change will come behavioral change and better client outcomes.

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Books and Handbooks Focused on Working with Men from a Very Specific Theoretical Model

The following references focus on a wide range of practice theories, such as psychodynamic theories in Rabinowitz and Cochran 2002; cognitive behavioral therapy in Good and Sherrod 2001; the mythopoetic movement in Barton 2000; African American men in Rasheed and Rasheed 1999; and finally, working with men in human services in Pease and Camilleri 2001.

  • Barton, E. R., ed. 2000. Mythopoetic perspectives of men’s healing work: An anthology for therapists and others. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

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    A unique look at men at midlife utilizing the concepts of generativity versus stagnation; providing insights into working with men at mid-life. It follows the work of Robert Bly and Joseph Campbell in the mythic journey to manhood and provides a look into the theory behind the mythopoeic workshop and retreat movement.

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  • Good, G. E., and N. B. Sherrod, eds. 2001. The new handbook of psychotherapy and counseling with men: A comprehensive guide to settings, problems, and treatment approaches. 2 vols. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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    A wide-ranging text on practice with men that includes diversity, age, and the particular context such as men in the military, business and industry, and college settings. There is a series of chapters on men and development. These chapters are followed by descriptions of various models of practice, such as the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and group therapy with men.

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  • Pease, B., and P. J. Camilleri, eds. 2001. Working with men in human services. Crow’s Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

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    Presents practice with men by addressing male discourse and the culture of masculinity. The text offers a profeminist approach and explores how men may often isolate themselves according to internalized ideals of masculinity. Interventions that seek to balance gender power are supported for helping both women and men.

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  • Rabinowitz, F. E., and S. V. Cochran. 2002. Deepening psychotherapy with men. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    DOI: 10.1037/10418-000Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    A complex book requiring a basic familiarity with a range of psychodynamic theories. It engages psychoanalytic perspectives that include object relations of Winnicott; separation, individuation, and the self from the work of Mahler, Kernberg, Masterson, and Kohut; and postfeminist constructions from Chadorow.

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  • Rasheed, J. M., and M. N. Rasheed. 1999. Social work practice with African-American men: The invisible presence. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

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    Provides strategies for working with African American men at all levels of practice, from individual and group to community and policy issues. It is a broad-ranging book that provides good clinical insights into the ways in which to address oppression and the effects of oppression with African American men.

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Books and Handbooks Focused on Unique Content

The following references are included because they focus on areas of working with men on which little material is available. They include Levang 1998 on men grieving and Andronico 1996 on the use of psychoeducation with men in groups. Erickson 1993 provides specific direction for female counselors working with men. Since the literature on the practice with men is sparse, historical writings are also included. Some of these works are among the earliest writings about practice with men, and they include Reed, et al. 1983; Scher, et al. 1987; and Meth and Pesick 1990.

  • Andronico, M. P. 1996. Men in groups: Insights, interventions, and psychoeducational work. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    DOI: 10.1037/10284-000Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides an intervention that combines educational and support group as a means of addressing the issues of masculinity in terms of gender confusion, power, and responsibilities. Discusses the use of groups as an intervention strategy and a way to expand insights into masculinity, including how to teach men about gender and the cultural impacts of gender.

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  • Erickson, B. M. 1993. Helping men change: The role of the female therapist. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.

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    Erickson looks at the concerns that women therapists may have when working with men. The book provides tools and basic competencies for female therapists to work effectively with men and outlines common issues that may arise and ways around those issues for women working with men.

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  • Levang, E. 1998. When men grieve: Why men grieve differently & how you can help. Minneapolis: Fairview.

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    Publications focusing on men and grief are uncommon in the literature. Although not a specific practice text, this volume does provide important understanding material that practitioners can use in their work. While written for social workers the text is accessible to non-counselor men and to their families.

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  • Meth, R. L., and R. S. Pesick. 1990. Men in therapy: The challenge of change. New York: Guilford.

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    This is one of the early text on working with men. It provides a background to men developing problems such as depression, relationships, and parenting. The authors provide a range of descriptions of how men can be engaged in successful therapy.

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  • Reed, B. G., C. D. Garvin, P. Y. Martin, et al. 1983. Group work with women/group work with men: An overview of gender issues in social group work practice. New York: Haworth.

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    Includes significant content on working with men in groups and provides a very early look at the focus on working with men. Discussions of early group theories and practices are plentiful and valuable from both practice and historical perspectives.

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  • Scher, M., M. Stevens, G. Good, and G. A. Eichenfield, eds. 1987. The handbook of counseling & psychotherapy with men. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.

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    An early text on working with men. It refers to “masculist therapy,” similar to the work of Robert Bly, which combines male gender roles with ways to engage men and provides a wide range of specific problems and ways of working by means of case examples.

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Journal Articles with Particular Models of Practice

Journal articles on practice with men are wide ranging in focus and are intended to address a particular issue. These articles are focused on particular models of practice when working with men. Narrative therapy and the ways it can be used to explore gender discourse are treated in Hall 2011. The impact of feminist theory on practice with men is addressed in Kahn 2011; the use of solution-focused practice with men is the subject of Blundo 2010. Positive psychology when working with boys and men is treated in Kielica and Englar-Carlson 2010, and the contextual approach with men is addressed in Granello 2000.

  • Blundo, R. 2010. Engaging men in clinical practice: Solution-focused/strengths-based model. Families in Society: Journal of Contemporary Human Services 91.3: 1–7.

    DOI: 10.1606/1044-3894.4010Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides a solution-focused approach to working with men that utilizes men’s penchant for control and taking charge as a means for creating the clients desired change. The coaching perspective is adopted as one way men who traditionally eschew counseling could be induced to enter into a helping relationship.

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  • Granello, D. H. 2000. Using a contextual approach in counseling men. Journal of Psychotherapy in Independent Practice 1.3: 43–52.

    DOI: 10.1300/J288v01n03_04Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Implications of the nature of masculinity and its impact on treatment for practitioners are presented. The contextual model is discussed in depth and ways that it can be used in the treatment of men is discussed. This is one of the main articles on contextual work and men.

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  • Hall, J. C. 2011. A narrative approach to group work with men who batter. Social Work with Groups 34:175–189.

    DOI: 10.1080/01609513.2010.544914Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    The author provides a detailed description of narrative counseling followed by examples of how it used in practice with men. Specific attention is given to group work with men, the exploration and deconstruction of gender discourse, and the construction of a new way of being based in preferred narrative.

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  • Kahn, J. S. 2011. Feminist therapy for men: Challenging assumptions and moving forward. Women & Therapy 34.1–2: 59–76.

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    The focus of this article is addressing issues of masculinity in terms of male privilege and diversity in men’s gender and identity. There are demonstrations of the impact of feminist theory on practice with men and suggestions are offered about future ways feminist theory can be used and studied in counseling with men.

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  • Kielica, M. S., and M. Englar-Carlson. 2010. Identifying, affirming, and building upon male strengths: The positive psychology/positive masculinity model of psychotherapy with boys and men. Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training 47.3: 276–287.

    DOI: 10.1037/a0021159Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Important contribution to working with men from a positive psychology perspective. Strengths are discussed and a strengths-based approach is identified as the cornerstone of the suggested models of practice with boys and men.

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Journal Articles Focused on Specific Problem Areas

The following articles provide a way of appreciating various problems areas and challenges as well as the means used when working with boys and men. Health needs of African American boys and men are covered in Lindsey and Brown 2017; Father-son communication strategy is discussed in Johnson, et al. 2016. On-line support for African American men is examined in Watkins and Jefferson 2013. Lindsey and Marcell 2012 as well as Hillard 1985 discuss unique practices with African American men. Sena 2009 is authored by one of the only scholars to explore the use of sandplay work, specifically with men, while van Zessen 1991 and van Naerssen 1990 both explore counseling male pedophiles. Milner and Singleton 2008 provides an overview of solution-focused practice with domestic violence males; Sumerlin and Privette 1994 shares examples of working with homeless men. Robertson and Fitzgerald 1992 offers techniques to work with men who avoid counseling.

  • Hillard, A. G. 1985. A framework for focused counseling on the African-American man. In Special issue: The black male: Critical counseling, development, and therapeutic issues. Edited by Lee N. June and Thomas S. Gunnings. Journal of Non-White Concerns in Personnel and Guidance 13.2 (April): 72–78.

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    Provides a unique approach by focusing on the history and culture of the African American experience, which is seen as imperative if one is to work with African American men. For example, the use of the term black man is significant since the color of one’s skin has a great impact on life experiences.

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  • Johnson, W., L. Rich, and L. Keene. 2016. Father-son communication: An intervention strategy for boys and men of color to promote neighborhood safety post-Ferguson. Journal of Men’s Studies 24.2: 151–164.

    DOI: 10.1177/1060826516641106Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    This article draws on both social-ecological and risk and resilience frameworks for the mobilization of fathers, social fathers, and their sons of color, in a communication intervention strategy that enhances father-son communication about successful navigation of diverse neighborhood contexts post-Ferguson. Safety and the creation of safety is a very timely issue given the growing prevalence of mass shootings.

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  • Lindsey, M. A., and D. R. Brown. 2017. Boys do(n’t) cry: Addressing the unmet mental health needs of African American boys. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 87.4: 377–383.

    DOI: 10.1037/ort0000198Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    The authors distinguish the mental health needs of African American boys as being both inclusive and exclusive of those factors that characterize mental health needs among their white male peers and those of other young males of color. The article is important as it is the most recent publication on the topic and demonstrates the next wave of findings on the mental health needs of African American males.

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  • Lindsey, M. A., and A. V. Marcell. 2012. “We’re going through a lot of struggles that people don’t even know about”: The need to understand African American males’ help-seeking for mental health on multiple levels. American Journal of Men’s Health 6.5: 354–364.

    DOI: 10.1177/1557988312441520Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    The authors identify perspectives and contexts that contribute to disparities in help-seeking in mental health among African American males that fall outside the realm of those associated with help-seeking for mental health among white peers and other male peers of color. The authors attempt to bridge the gap between health-care providers and African American men who want services but are reluctant to seek them.

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  • Milner, J., and T. Singleton. 2008. Domestic violence: Solution-focused practice with men and women who are violent. Journal of Family Therapy 30.1: 29–53.

    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6427.2008.00414.xSave Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides a unique opportunity to look at perpetrators of both genders. The article offers suggestions from a solution-focused practice regarding how to work with domestic violence perpetrators regardless of gender. It is included primarily because it is one of very few articles exploring practice with men as victims of domestic violence.

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  • Robertson, J. M., and L. F. Fitzgerald. 1992. Overcoming the masculine mystique: Preferences for alternative forms of assistance among men who avoid counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology 39.2 (April): 240–246.

    DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.39.2.240Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides various means of engaging men who do not want to be involved in any form of therapy. It is wide ranging in terms of the various populations of men [such as rancher] and how to address each man’s particular resistance to be in some form of counseling. Suggestions are offered to overcome these obstacles to counseling.

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  • Sena, L. 2009. A prologue to sandplay: With inner-city self-identified gay men. Journal of Sandplay Therapy 18.1: 107–115.

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    The focus is on an uncommon intervention process with self-identified gay African American males. Demonstrates the process and outcome. One of the first and only articles published on this approach with African American gay men.

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  • Sumerlin, J. R., and G. Privette. 1994. Humanistic constructs and counseling for homeless men. Psychological Reports 75.2 (August): 611–626.

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    This is a rare research area treating the potential of engaging homeless men in treatment. It provides an opportunity to understand possible implications of being homeless for males and the need for counseling services. This article is exceptionally important to the literature of social work and male counseling because of the magnitude and acuity levels of homeless men.

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  • van Naerssen, A. 1990. Man-boy lovers: Assessment, counseling, and psychotherapy. Journal of Homosexuality 20.1–2: 175–187.

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    Provides research that describes men treated for sexual identity conflict and sexual relationships with boys. The author suggest means for engaging these men in treatment.

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  • van Zessen, G. 1991. A model of group counseling with male pedophiles. Journal of Homosexuality 20.1–2: 189–198.

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    Describes a structured six-week group counseling program using social support that includes other pedophiles. This a unique article given that the topic is often not written about and the author provides details on how to work with men experiencing this issue.

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  • Watkins, D. C., and S. O. Jefferson. 2013. Recommendations for the use of online social support for African American men. Psychological Services 10.3: 323–332.

    DOI: 10.1037/a0027904Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    The authors promote the use of online social support interventions as an effective micro- and macro-intervention strategy for African American men. This is an important article because it is the first to deal with online supports specific to African American men.

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Journal Articles Providing a Historical Background to Work with Men

The following articles have historical significance as they provide a glimpse at the first attempts to focus on practice with men. Includes psychotherapy with older men (Tomer 1978) and with older gay men (Gordon and Kilpatric 1977, Kimmel 1977).

  • Gordon, R. H., and C. A. Kilpatric. 1977. A program of group counseling for men who accompany women seeking legal abortions. Community Mental Health Journal 13.4: 291–296.

    DOI: 10.1007/BF01422530Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    One of the earliest article to address practice with men as well as men in this particular context. It is a unique article because it blends feminist theory with specific masculinity discourse of protection and sacrifice.

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  • Kimmel, D. C. 1977. Psychotherapy and the older gay man. In Special issue: Psychotherapy with the elderly and dying persons. Edited by Jack D. Krasner. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice 14.4: 386–393.

    DOI: 10.1037/h0087510Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Important early work on working with elderly gay men. Describes the nature of various adaptations elderly gay men might make and provides an early look at work with this population. Also of importance is this is an early work of Kimmel, a major scholar in the field of men’s studies. He blends ideas of masculine exploration and acceptance of a range of masculinity as a way to find self-acceptance and to challenge male culture identity expectations.

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  • Tomer, J. E. 1978. Males in psychotherapy. The Counseling Psychologist 7.4: 22–25.

    DOI: 10.1177/001100007800700406Save Citation »Export Citation » Share Citation »

    Provides an opportunity to look at an early effort to focus on practice with men. Tomer suggests mixed gender therapy teams. The text is important from a historical perspective and is an example of early masculinity discourse and norms of counseling.

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