'How can you be strong all the time?' Discourses of stoicism in the first counselling session of young male clients.

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Title: 'How can you be strong all the time?' Discourses of stoicism in the first counselling session of young male clients.
Authors: Martin, Sam
Source: Counselling & Psychotherapy Research. Jun2016, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p100-108. 9p.
Subjects: College students, Conflict (Psychology), Counseling, Discourse analysis, Emotions, Masculinity, Pain, Psychotherapy, Psychological resilience, Stereotypes, Patients' attitudes
Abstract: Background: Being ‘strong and silent’ has long been a definitive masculine stereotype. However, research shows that stoicism and the strict control of feelings can contribute to grave consequences for young men who suffer with depression. Aim: This study aims to explore stoicism in the talk of young male clients in their first counselling session. Method: Recordings of the first counselling sessions of six male university students attending a university counselling and psychotherapy research clinic, were listened to, transcribed and analysed using a Foucauldian method of discourse analysis. Results/Findings: Discourses of stoicism presented a number of different, often opposing, constructions. The male clients were aware of a ‘strong and silent’ masculinity and talked about a number of conflicts when coming to counselling. They were seen to negotiate with the counsellor the struggle to share and express feelings while maintaining a masculine identity. Stoicism was constructed as a useful emotional resilience but also as a dysfunctional barrier to showing caring feelings. Conclusions: This research enhances understanding of conflicts of stoicism in counselling for practitioners working with young male clients. The findings can contribute to professional practice by helping practitioners recognise the tension for male clients opening up and expressing their feelings to a counsellor, as well as encouraging practitioners to respond in a way that opens up a dialogue about constricting masculine stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Counselling & Psychotherapy Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: 'How can you be strong all the time?' Discourses of stoicism in the first counselling session of young male clients.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Counselling+%26+Psychotherapy+Research%22">Counselling & Psychotherapy Research</searchLink>. Jun2016, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p100-108. 9p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+students%22">College students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conflict+%28Psychology%29%22">Conflict (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Counseling%22">Counseling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Discourse+analysis%22">Discourse analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotions%22">Emotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Masculinity%22">Masculinity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pain%22">Pain</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychotherapy%22">Psychotherapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+resilience%22">Psychological resilience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stereotypes%22">Stereotypes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patients'+attitudes%22">Patients' attitudes</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Background: Being ‘strong and silent’ has long been a definitive masculine stereotype. However, research shows that stoicism and the strict control of feelings can contribute to grave consequences for young men who suffer with depression. Aim: This study aims to explore stoicism in the talk of young male clients in their first counselling session. Method: Recordings of the first counselling sessions of six male university students attending a university counselling and psychotherapy research clinic, were listened to, transcribed and analysed using a Foucauldian method of discourse analysis. Results/Findings: Discourses of stoicism presented a number of different, often opposing, constructions. The male clients were aware of a ‘strong and silent’ masculinity and talked about a number of conflicts when coming to counselling. They were seen to negotiate with the counsellor the struggle to share and express feelings while maintaining a masculine identity. Stoicism was constructed as a useful emotional resilience but also as a dysfunctional barrier to showing caring feelings. Conclusions: This research enhances understanding of conflicts of stoicism in counselling for practitioners working with young male clients. The findings can contribute to professional practice by helping practitioners recognise the tension for male clients opening up and expressing their feelings to a counsellor, as well as encouraging practitioners to respond in a way that opens up a dialogue about constricting masculine stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Counselling & Psychotherapy Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1002/capr.12062
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              Text: Jun2016
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