Counselling for men
Men are less likely to seek help for mental health than women, not because they struggle less, but because they have often been given fewer ways to talk about it. If you grew up being told to get on with things, or that showing difficulty was weakness, it can be genuinely hard to know how to ask for support, let alone to feel like you deserve it.
Why this page exists
This is not a page about what men should be or how men should feel. It is a page for men who are considering counselling but are not sure whether it is for them, and for men who know they want help but are looking for someone who will simply listen without making a big deal out of the fact that they are there.
Alan is a male counsellor. If that matters to you, it matters. If it does not, that is equally fine. The sessions work the same either way.
What men come to counselling for
People come for many different reasons. Some have been carrying something for a long time and finally feel ready to talk. Some are going through something specific. Some are not sure what they need, they just know that something is not right.
Common things men bring to sessions:
- Anxiety, stress, or the sense of always being on edge
- Depression, or a numbness that is hard to name
- Anger that feels out of proportion or hard to control
- Relationship difficulties, as a partner, a father, a son
- Bereavement and loss
- Work pressure, burnout, or questions about what they are doing with their life
- Identity, who they are outside of what they do or provide
- Difficulty connecting, feeling isolated even around other people
- Questions about drinking or other ways of managing difficult feelings
What getting help actually looks like
In sessions, there is no assumption about what you should or should not be able to cope with. There is no pressure to talk in a particular way. Sessions are straightforward. You say what is on your mind. Alan listens , carefully, honestly, and without judgement.
There is no agenda and nothing you need to prepare. The first conversation is informal and free of charge. You are not committing to anything by having it.
On men and mental health
The idea that men do not talk about their feelings is only partly true. Men talk, just often in ways that are less visible. They talk while doing something. They talk around the edges of the thing rather than directly about it. They wait until they feel safe enough.
None of that is wrong. It is just a different starting place. Sessions can work from wherever you are.
Common questions
Ready to take the first step?
The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. It is simply a chance to talk and see whether working together feels right.
Other areas I can help with
In-person sessions from Retford, serving Worksop, Gainsborough, Newark, Bawtry and across North Nottinghamshire. Online sessions available throughout the UK.