Powerful and loving
MENTORING
Our private page for men
to gain more qualified support...
CIRCLE of CARE
Helpers we trust and respect
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Couples therapists
Wendy Squirrel
I found Wendy refreshing. In how she focuses on the individuals within the couples dynamic. She does not genderize, having male and female friends.
From meeting with her, I understood that one of her main frames for therapy is IFSO (Internal Family Systems). She knows how to get to your heart of the matter, seeing who you are at your core, and learning about the many parts that make up who you are. She's also good at finding "the exile" quickly. And when the partner gets to see and hear it also, this insight can be so relieving and reparative.
She also gets how deep healing is a choice and has a solid process she is comfortable and confident guiding clients through fully.
Bonnie Levine
Bonnie is also new to me, but a few minutes into meeting her, we hit it off. What struck me about her presence and approach was how curious, passionate, creative and truly eclectic she is. She has studied a lot of different approaches -- like Imago, Ellen Bader and Esther Perel's work, doing family counselling and trained in sex therapy -- and she weaves it all together in a way that is authentic, approachable and full of joy!
She also understands how it can be tough for young guys who are coupled and co-parenting - who don’t know their place. She understands the common conflicting dynamics in a couple from the men's view -- the desire to protect and the feeling of failure and inadequacy at times. She knows how to help men who are often being dragged in to therapy to quickly feel at home in the process, finding their voice, power and passion together.
Bonnie, like most (if not all) the helpers on this page offers a free consult - 30 mins. to really get to know one another decide if her approach is the best fit for you and your partner.
Kristen Gane
Kristen is also new to me and yet I felt like I found a treasure when I interviewed her. She has a lot of humility and openness, that may not immediately reveal the depth of wisdom, skill and experience she has cultivated.
She works with couples and parents in a comprehensive way engaging in parts work (IFS) and trained through the scientifically backed Gottman relationship frame. She is disarming and yet also acknowledges and addresses the realities that she sees. She also has the acumen and discernment to help lead couples through the delicate work of approaching and healing deeper layers of woundedness at the root of their issues.
She grew up with brothers, has sons, and seeing certain expectations put on men, how they can be demeaned in media and how many men struggle with it all, she has loads of compassion for men’s experience. She also has a deep understanding of how wives may not embrace men’s vulnerability and what can be done about that.
Her ideal clients are articulate, with good communication skills - doing own 1-1 therapy, and who relish the challenge of discerning complex dynamics and layers.
Kennedy McLean
Kennedy really gets the needs of couples in trouble. I love how she is willing to roll up her sleeves and do the deep emotional work with clients in the session and also coach couples in the solid science-based strategies and habits that we all need to create safe and fulfilling bonds. Specifically she uses three forms of couples theory and practice that I personally have experience and trust in: EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy), RLT (Relational Life Therapy) and PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy).
Email: info@kennedymclean.com
Website: https://www.kennedymclean.com
1-1 Psychotherapists
Michael McCarthy
Social Worker & Men's Mentor
Michael is therapist, grief leader and mentor, who carries enormous compassion and experience working with men.
He has riches of experience with many cultures, the power of narrative, mindfulness, deep somatic healing, rites of passage and nature connection.
Mike Stroh
I love Mike's vibe of earnestness, humour, mindfulness and depth. He really get addiction, the struggles of juggling it all, in purposeful vocation, business, health, spirituality, intimate relationships and parenting. Knowing him personally, I have enormous trust in Mike. I hope you watch our conversation above to get a sense for yourself if he might be a good addition to your cirlce of care.
You can reach him here.
Chris Pankewich
Chris is newer in my world the last few years and I really appreciate his astute and empowering stance working with men. He's also a quick learner, open and keen to understanding what he doesn't know (yet) and has a wealth of experience in the realm of education around mental health.
You can find Chris here.
Amarjith Balakrishnan
As you see in my interview above, Amarjith is a humble yet resourced therapist who has been specializing in men's issues, connected to many wonderful resources and communities such as Canadian Centre for Men and Families and Family Shelter for Men and Children. He also has experience working with LGBTQ communities from different cultures and backgrounds who are experiencing all kind of issues including domestic abuse, violence, separation, trauma, sexual identity issues, relationship issues, emotion management issues, anxiety, depression, etc.
My sense of Amarjith is that he gets the darkest and hardest moments, offers a lot of understanding and compassion, solid tools, and has a lot of extra resources to refer to also -- thinking of community and a "circle of care" seems to be central to his way of responding.
You can reach him here.
Mentors & Coaches
Anthony Reynolds
Integrative Counselor & Men's Mentor
Anthony understands men and has the courage and experience to explore depths with them.
He is very skilled and passionate about helping men to loving confront themselves and create fiercely authentic, intimate and powerful relationships.
https://www.anthonyreynolds.ca/
Matthew Hilliard
Relationship Coach
Matt is a wise and compassionate relationship coach who gets the darker and harder edges of couples bonding and breaking up. He has solid skills and a warm and insightful presence, and a long history in participating in and leading men's groups.
https://relationshipsthatwork.coach/
Owen Williams
Master relationship Coach
Owen is a paradox of incredible intensity and gentle wisdom. I believe Owen has a real gift for being in tense and painful spots with couples and families (of all ages) and helping them to roll up their sleeves to unwind their Gordian (seemingly impossible to shift and life-long) knots.
www.relationshipexcellence.com
MEN's GROUPS
I did some research a while back, asking for legal and mediation referrals for men going through divorce in Ontario (Canada).
Gathering 30+ responses, I found quite a lot of duds, surprisingly.
I interviewed a douzen and narrowed it down to these TOP 5 who expressed exceptional compassion, experience and care that I feel confident to share below:
AVI Law
https://www.avramlaw.com/
A. Shawn Richard
lcrlaw.ca
ARON David
aron@adfamilylaw.ca
LAURA Peal Spivack
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/laura-pearl-spivack-toronto-on/442014 http://vousfamilylawclinic.ca/team/
CAROLINE Felstiner
https://www.felstiner.com/
Watch Matt H. and David J. discuss their experiences with men's groups and what they recommend to men who are looking...
MKP (Mankind Project)
MKP is an international org that has been around since the 1970's. I would describe it as a very empowering community for men's groups and rite of passage which offers solid tools and training for understanding accountability, integrity and living on's mission. I have been a part of MKP since 2007 (less active these days). It made a life changing impact on me in ways that therapy could not touch.
See more in the video above as Matt and I both met through MKP and share our experience.
EVRYMAN
I have heard many good things about EVRYMAN from men I know and trust. See more in the video above as Matt describes his experience.
PAL (Powerful And Loving)
This is a community which I founded in 2016 after looking for many years for a men's community where I could learn and grow more in a relational way. We are a small village of men deeply committed to growing in three areas: as good hearted men becoming more powerful leaders, as fellow brothers in community co-mentoring one another and as humble students of the science and art of relationships.
+ For Men (esp. fathers) in crisis resource:
Mentioned in the video (scroll up) with Amarjith.
Canadian Center for Men and Families
LEGAL/MEDIATION
I did some research a while back, asking for legal and mediation referrals for men going through divorce in Ontario (Canada).
Gathering 30+ responses, I found quite a lot of duds, surprisingly.
I interviewed a douzen and narrowed it down to these TOP 5 who expressed exceptional compassion, experience and care that I feel confident to share below:
AVI Law
https://www.avramlaw.com/
A. Shawn Richard
lcrlaw.ca
ARON David
aron@adfamilylaw.ca
LAURA Peal Spivack
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/laura-pearl-spivack-toronto-on/442014 http://vousfamilylawclinic.ca/team/
CAROLINE Felstiner
https://www.felstiner.com/