Men, Depression, Psychotherapy the Focus of National Conference - June 2nd, 2010

Venus and Mars in Therapy, Anger Busting 101 and Ethical Issues in Working with Men are a few of the topics to be addressed by national men’s health experts at the 2nd Annual National Psychotherapy with Men Conference, hosted this weekend by The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education.

The conference is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sat., June 5, at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center and is aimed at psychology professionals, practitioners and graduate students, as well as professionals in social work, psychiatry, marriage and family therapy and general counseling.  The conference has over 22 sponsors, including several agencies and centers on campus.

“It’s only rather recently that researchers have discovered just how differently men exhibit and handle different mental health problems, as compared to women,” says Dr. Aaron Rochlen, conference organizer and associate professor in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Psychology. “Men tend to display different symptoms of depression, for example, than women and resist confronting the illness and seeking help.

“The stigma men face in regard to depression is particularly troublesome, considering the fact that men commit suicide at four to six times the rate of women. They also tend to ‘act out’ their depression in problematic ways. We know how difficult it is for many men to be vulnerable and access and express their emotions, which is obviously a key feature of the therapeutic process.  This conference addresses both the barriers to help-seeking that men often face and how to make therapy more appealing to greater numbers of men.”

Rochlen is known nationally for his research on barriers to help-seeking, marketing mental health, and men in non-traditional work and family roles, including stay-at-home dads. He also was a keynote speaker at the inaugural Psychotherapy with Men Conference last year.

The keynote speakers at this year’s Austin conference are Dr. Gary R. Brooks, an expert on designing “male-friendly” therapy, and Dr. Mark Kiselica, an expert on counseling for boys and adolescents.  Dr. Melba Vasquez, the current APA President-Elect of the American Psychological Association will also be presenting.

Acknowledging the stigma some cultures attach to mental illness, especially in males, the conference will include breakout sessions that address the needs of multicultural patients.

For more information on conference presenters and session topics, please visit the conference Website or contact Dr. Aaron Rochlen.

—Kay Randall, University Communications, 512-232-3910