Expired How Healthy Masculinity Heals Us All [Online]

In the wake of the #MeToo movement and countless other social pressures, men are beginning to question the way they understand masculinity today. Male identities are at the forefront of this conversation because the way we socialize our men and boys comes with a price. Traditional masculinity, marked by stoicism, achievement, fear of being perceived as weak, risk taking, and aggression produce poor mental and physical health outcomes for men.

The APA emphasizes that traditional masculine norms can breed violence against women and girls because women are seen as having less value and regularly objectified. As clinicians, it is incumbent upon us to begin to question the ridged notions of manhood that are at the root of violence against women and girls.

This online workshop is designed to deconstruct the male identity and help us all develop a better understanding of how men see themselves in the world. Clinicians will leave this workshop with new skills to support clients in developing healthier forms of manhood that lead to systemic change. These changes will create representations of masculinity that lead to authentic connection, improved relationships, and increased respect for women, girls, and non-binary people.

Learning Objectives:

• Evidence an understanding of male socialization and the connection to violence of all forms.
• Develop an astute understanding of how to engage men in conversations about healthy masculinity.
• Apply an intersectional framework to the clinical setting to strengthen critical consciousness, self-knowledge, and self-awareness about male socialization.

Presenter:

Jay Taylor, LCSW, is a social worker dedicated to social justice and equality initiatives. Jay has worked in anti-human trafficking, community health centers, psychiatric hospitals, young men’s restorative programs, and university wellness centers. Jay currently holds three positions: he serves as Clinical Director of the MSW program at Fairfield University and maintains a private practice specializing in men’s mental health issues. In addition, he works as a resource trainer for A Call To Men, a national nonprofit violence prevention organization that promotes healthy masculinity through community organizing and education. Jay teaches and trains with a focus on intersectional equality – addressing how race, gender, ethnicity, class, and sexuality play a role in maintaining or preventing violence against others.