More men are asking for help — but they’re not getting what they need.44% of Australian men who start therapy drop out early, and a quarter never come back after the first session.(Movember, 2021)The most common reason for dropping out?A lack of connection with the therapist — over half of men who quit therapy said they couldn’t connect.Finding the right psychologist isn’t easy. A 2022 U.S. survey showed people see an average of three therapists before finding the right fit.(StudyFinds, 2022)What are we doing about it?Movember’s Men in Mind program is training mental health professionals to better engage and support male clients.While it mainly focuses on psychologists, counsellors, and social workers, its strategies are also relevant for GPs, who are often the first point of contact.There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to mental health.Research shows:
Bottom line, everyone’s different...Just because one thing you tried didn’t help doesn’t mean nothing will.Just because one psychologist wasn’t right for you doesn’t mean the next one won’t be.
There’s no silver bullet — often it’s the right combination of therapies and practices that makes a difference.
Keep exploring. Don’t give up.My question for you this week is...What’s working for you? (Let me know in the comments)