On Tuesday evenings, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., I facilitate an on-going men’s group. This group is a powerful, safe, and effective way for men to address concerns that may not be as easily addressed in couples or individual therapy.
Common themes that emerge in the group and which are determined by group members are:
- intimacy in relationships
- managing anger and frustration
- measuring our worth by our success and failure at work, and
- finding ways to acknowledge and express our vulnerability and feelings.
I’ve been privileged to lead this group for over fifteen years. What I’ve discovered is that regardless of the different themes and stories that each man brings to the group, the ultimate value for each member seems to lie with his newfound ability to connect with the other group members in ways that are meaningful and different from past experience.
Prior to his joining the group, I meet with a potential member for one or two sessions to assess whether or not the group is a good fit for him. Once a member joins, he is required to make a six-week commitment to the group. After that time, each member is responsible for determining and working toward the goals that result in what the group ritualizes as “graduation.”