Man Kind: Tools for Mental Health, Well-Being, and Modernizing Masculinity

Masculinity requires a redesign. Men exhibit higher rates of suicide, lower rates of help-seeking, higher rates of substance use and abuse, and higher rates of anger and violence. How can this change? In Man Kind, counseling psychologist Zachary Gerdes, PhD, provides a framework for improving men's mental health and well-being while redefining what it means to be masculine. Rather than following a traditional view of masculinity focused on stoicism, patriarchy, and self-reliance, Gerdes provides his LIFT model—a road map to help men foster collaboration, understand when and how to utilize resources, and build mental resilience and flexibility.

In this empowering book, Gerdes:

• helps men understand their thoughts and behaviors from a psychological perspective
• provides steps to help men change behaviors that are detrimental to their health and relationships
• outlines a model for healthy masculinity that incorporates psychological and relational practices for improving well-being
• includes strategies for improving cognitive insight, elevating emotionality, reinvigorating relationships, and overcoming oppression and oppressiveness
• illustrates how certain behaviors are not necessarily "masculine" but merely the result of social conditioning
• explains the latest psychological and social science research on gender identity and masculinity to provide a scientific foundation for improving men's mental health
• operates on the Leverage, Insight, Freedom, Truth (LIFT) model, which Gerdes developed as an intervention to improve various health outcomes in men

Man Kind provides men with the tools they need to improve their mental health and well-being.