Mental Health in Boys and Men: Redefining Masculinity

Despite growing public awareness around mental health, men and adolescent boys remain severely underserved by traditional behavioral health care frameworks. While men experience high rates of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and trauma, they are significantly less likely than women to seek professional treatment. Furthermore, they tend to process emotional difficulties via anger and irritability, physical symptoms, and risk-taking or escapist behaviors rather than sadness. These differences result in a diagnosis and treatment gap that contributes directly to severe clinical consequences: according to CDC data, men account for nearly 80% of all suicide deaths in the United States, and they are more likely to have no documented mental health diagnoses prior to death.

Clinicians frequently report feeling underprepared to engage male clients effectively. Traditional therapeutic modalities often over-emphasize verbal vulnerability and emotional processing without accounting for how masculine socialization, societal expectations, and digital environments shape male distress. In this course we'll address the critical disconnect between standard clinical practices and the lived experiences of modern boys and men. Faculty will discuss cultural stereotypes of ideal masculinity, male loneliness, anger, sexuality, inviting responsibility for change within couples, working with boys and men of color, and online overuse. Join us to gain the confidence and skills to effectively treat mental health issues and promote healthy models of masculinity in boys and men. All health care practitioners are welcome!

*Generative AI was used to draft this overview. HMS faculty course directors then reviewed and edited it to ensure factual and clinical accuracy.

Who Should Attend

• Specialty Physicians
• Primary Care Physicians
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Family Therapists
• Counselors
• Psychologists 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Articulate several common conflicts that emerge in boys and men when their interior sense of self feels discordant with external circumstances of his life—from family to friendships to work.
• Define the Man Box and explain how it leads to increased loneliness and isolation.
• Simultaneously engage men in couple therapy while inviting them to take responsibility for problematic behaviors.
• Describe how traditional models of masculinity impede the open discussion of sexual health issues and experiences of sexuality, and how to encourage boys and men to become more comfortable with these topics.
• Explore initiatives that effectively engage boys and men of color to combat the stigma around mental health issues.
• Review strategies to address male anger and self-hatred in the therapy setting.
• Summarize screening methods and techniques to help reduce problematic online and media use.
• Formulate a personalized treatment plan that helps male clients construct a healthy, adaptable sense of masculine identity grounded in relational health and emotional flexibility.

ABMS/ACGME Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) / Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

• Patient Care and Procedural Skills
• Medical Knowledge
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills

IOM Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following Institute of Medicine Core Competencies:

• Provide Patient-Centered Care
• Employ Evidence-Based Practice

Disclaimer Policy

CME activities accredited by Harvard Medical School are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of certification of competency. Practitioners should always consult additional sources of information and exercise their best professional judgment before making clinical decisions of any kind.

Note: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ is calculated based on submission of a preliminary agenda and may be subject to change.

Disclosure

In accord with the disclosure policy of the Medical School as well as standards set forth by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), course planners, speakers, and content reviewers have been asked to disclose any relationships they have to companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. In addition, faculty have been asked to list any off-label uses of pharmaceuticals and/or devices for investigational or non-FDA approved purposes that they plan to discuss.

Questions?

Please contact us.

Blaise Aguirre, MD

Author
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, McLean Hospital
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School 

Elizabeth Brenner, LICSW

Director, Therapy Training Boston
Supervisor, Couples and Family Therapy Program, Cambridge Health Alliance
Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Private Practice, Watertown, MA

Daniel Ellenberg, PhD

Author, Leadership Coach, Licensed Therapist, Seminar Leader, and Group Facilitator
Principal, Rewire Leadership Institute and Relationships That Work
President-Elect, Society for the Psychological Study of Men & Masculinities, American Psychological Association 

Marshall Forstein, MD

Senior Lecturer on Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Editor
Author
Psychiatrist in Private Practice, Boston MA

Mark Greene

Author
Co-Host, Remaking Manhood podcast
Co-Founder, Walking Talking Men

Kevin Simon, MD, MPH, MBA

Attending Psychiatrist, Division of Addiction Medicine
Attending Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Paul Weigle, MD

Associate Medical Director for Ambulatory Services, Natchaug Hospital, Hartford CT

Course Directors

Harvard Medical School Continuing Education attracts the best and brightest faculty from all around the world. As a student in this course, you’ll have access to outstanding course directors and faculty.

Christopher Willard, PsyD

Psychologist and Educational Consultant
Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Karen Kuc, MPH

Director, Continuing Education in Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance​​​
Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

In support of improving patient care, Harvard Medical School is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Live/Live Online Courses: To receive CME/CE credit, learners are required to complete the course evaluation. Once the evaluation is complete, you will be able to claim your credit and download your certificate. All evaluations and credit claims must be completed within 60 days of the course end date.

Online Courses: To receive CME/CE credit, learners must pass the course post-test and complete the course evaluation in order to claim credit before the final day of the accreditation period. Learners have access to the course for 60 days after the accreditation period has expired.

Physicians

The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses

For the purpose of recertification, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and the American Nurses Credentialing Center accept  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.

Physician Assistants

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) states that  AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are acceptable for continuing medical education requirements for recertification. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.  

Psychologists

Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 7.00 continuing education credits.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, counselors, and LMFTs, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please contact us.

Social Workers

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted to NASW-MA. Please contact us at cme@challiance.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. NY Social Workers: Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an Approved Provider #0038 of continuing education for licensed social workers. This course offers 7.00 contact hours.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, counselors, and LMFTs, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please contact us.

Counselors

Cambridge Health Alliance is an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5444.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course meets the requirements for 7.00 continuing education hours and is also applicable for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Counseling/Allied Mental Health accreditation for 7.00 credits.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, counselors, and LMFTs, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please contact us. 

Marriage/Family Therapists

This activity has been certified by NEAFAST on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health & Human Services Professions for LMFT Professional Continuing Education. Certification #215880021-A, for 7.0 contact hours. The States of CT and RI accept NBCC and NASW approval for marriage and family therapy.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, counselors, and LMFTs, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please contact us.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.

Union of European Medical Specialists

The American Medical Association (AMA) has an agreement of mutual recognition of continuing medical education (CME) credit with the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). Additional information regarding this agreement may be found on the Union of European Medical Specialists website.

You may register through our secure online environment and will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your payment. Session recordings are available 30 days after the course ends.

At the end of the registration process, a $10 non-refundable processing fee will be added to your registration.

Course Tuition

Course Registration - Mental Health in Boys and Men: Redefining Masculinity

Physician (MD/DO)

$290 / ($260 if registered by April 15, 2027)

All Other Health Professionals

$230 / ($200 if registered by April 15, 2027)

Review the cancellation policy.

Tuition includes electronic syllabus.