At last, the twelfth blog in the series The 12 blogs of Christmas based on the Psychreg Journal of Psychology (PJP) special issue on male psychology

The American Psychological Association (APA) produced guidelines in late 2018 on how to conduct therapy with boys and men. Some parts of the guidelines are, in my opinion, welcome (Guideline 9 has lots of good advice), but other parts of the guidelines were perplexingly ideological and caused a wave of critical reaction, including my own blog.

The most contentious part of the guidelines was the assertion that aspects of masculinity, such as stoicism, are unhealthy social constructs rooted in patriarchy. These radical notions were seen by many as being at best loosely connected with the reality of men’s mental health, and were roundly rejected by therapists and non-therapists alike.

So far the reaction of the APA to criticism of their guidelines has been - ironically – somewhat stoical, and the guidelines stand unchanged. Indeed there are signs that this ideology has increased in the past two years. In the face of this, American clinical psychologist, Dr Shawn Smith, has written an open letter on YouTube in an attempt to appeal to the better angels of the APA to think again about the direction they are going in and the impact this will have on therapists and clients.

Although no official response has followed, Dr Smith’s letter contains more than a pinch of good advice, and it would be a wonderful Christmas gift if the APA were to genuinely take on board the valid concerns of their critics.

I recommend you read Dr Smith’s open letter, which can be downloaded by clicking the button below.

Final words:

Well, I hope you enjoyed this blog series, and hope you have a happy and peaceful Christmas and new year. In case your holiday season is less than happy, here are some places you can contact for support: 

Samaritans lines are open 24/7 (365 days) Tel 116 123 (UK & Ireland)

CALM is open 5pm - midnight (365 days) Tel 0800 585858 or webchat https://thecalmzone.net/help/get-help/

If you are a father experiencing a stressful time post-separation, you can call the Families Need Fathers helpline 0300 0330 363 (9am - 10pm Monday to Friday, 10am - 3pm at weekends).

If you are a man experiencing domestic violence, you can call the Mankind Initiative helpline weekdays 10am to 4pm on 01823 334244

About the author
Dr John A. Barry is a Chartered Psychologist and Professional Researcher.  He is a leading expert in the areas of male psychology including men’s mental health and the psychological aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). His new book, Perspectives in Male Psychology: An Introduction (ISBN: 978-1-119-68535-7), co-authored with Louise Liddon, is published in the new year and is available to pre-order now.