Gender roles are restrictive in nature and often lead to negative consequences and unhealthy relationships. Inspired in part by feminism, during the past fifteen years clinician/scholars have examined constrictive conceptions of masculinity that inhibit men’s development, reduce men’s capacity to form meaningful relationships, and contribute to the oppression of others.

This course will focus on issues and challenges inherent in providing psychotherapy for men. We will look at the role of masks in male development, and keys to engaging resistant men in therapy. We will examine the treatment issues in traditional and nontraditional manifestations of depression, including addiction issues such as the use of pornography. The prevention and treatment of violence will be addressed. We will examine the comparative advantages of individual, couple and group therapy, as well as the value of men’s groups. These issues will be analyzed in relation to men from diverse socio-economic and racial/cultural backgrounds.

Jeff Sharp, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and has had a private practice in Oakland for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Yale and has a doctorate from UC Berkeley. Dr. Sharp has taught and supervised at graduate schools and clinics throughout the East Bay. He has published articles on existential-humanistic psychotherapy, the training of psychotherapists and the importance of mentoring in male psychological development. His therapy with individuals, couples and groups is relationally oriented, informed by attachment theory and an existential-humanistic emphasis on working in the here-and-now and exploring the pursuit of meaning. He has been involved with men's work in various forms throughout the past 30 years.