Creating Space For Seldom Heard Voices

Research exploring help-seeking for physical health and psychological difficulties is a well-established field. Historically, much of this research has focused on psychological and structural barriers to seeking help. In recent times, a new strand of help-seeking research has emerged that explores how some men successfully manage to seek help. Many of these studies have been informed by social constructionist and feminist perspectives, which view masculinities as multiple and enacted through a plethora of situations and interactions. This paper presents a critical review of these new developments in help-seeking research, centred around four main themes related to the psychological and social processes involved in how men sought help, to the resources they drew on and conflicts they experienced. These themes have been labelled: having ‘permission’, striving for a ‘manly’ expression of distress, reframing help-seeking and drawing upon experiences of ‘otherness’. While recognising the challenges of seeking help, it is hoped that by examining how men can manage to overcome these difficulties, this paper can prompt practitioners to reflect further on how to engage with men and masculinities.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

other

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

City University London

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Garvey, Brian

• BF Psychology