How to get a man or boy to go to therapy

As a therapist who has over 10 years of experience providing individual therapy for anxiety or depression with men and boys in downtown Hamilton, I will often get calls from mothers, daughters, sons, wives, husbands, and partners asking: “How do I get the man/boy I love to go to therapy?” Usually, the man or boy’s loved one is seeing the signs that he is struggling with his mental health (gambling, drinking, drug use, anger, not sleeping, avoiding the kids, receding into games, etc.). But each time they bring up therapy, it just seems to make him shut down or lash out. If you are in this situation, it is not your responsibility to manage this man or boy's mental health and no one can be made to go to therapy. That being said, here are a couple do’s and don’ts to help bring up therapy to a guarded man or boy in a more effective way…