13th April
This workshop will look at how masculinity is an invented construct, not anything that is natural or essentialist, and the costs of what has been created are so high for both men and women in terms of physical and mental health.
As men, we grow up in a culture where we learn the rules fast about how to behave, both with each other and with women. Any transgressions of these rules are met with harsh reactions, not only from other men, but often from women too. Patriarchy is still a dominant force in our lives and yet the idea of the power that this gives men is an illusion which confuses us all. Manliness is a contested territory and it is often said that there is a crisis of masculinity; but what does this mean?
The day will address issues of ‘Gender Role Strain’. Particular emphasis will be placed on therapeutic practices in therapy with men, both in family constellations and individually, and how we can make best use of working with those men we see so that we engage rather than alienate them, while still managing to to challenge patriarchal attitudes.
Ged Smith is an experienced systemic therapist and supervisor. He has completed his doctoral study on working with men in family therapy and is currently the Chair of the AFT publishing committee. He has written extensively for Context and other systemic journals.