Essentially Men - Rex McCann
Weekend workshops for men. For brochure and information -
Website: www.essentiallymen.net
Email: essentiallymen@clear.net.nz
Ph: (09) 627 9827
PO Box 48 169, Blockhouse Bay.
Photo: facilitator Rex McCann
About Essentially Men
Essentially Men is a weekend workshop lead by Rex McCann for men wanting to learn more about themselves. There are some issues that repeatedly emerge for men through men's groups. You may recognise these in your clients, or in your own world.
- Isolation, competitiveness, loneliness and lack of friendship with other men.
- Numbness to their own feelings and difficulty in developing intimacy.
- Over dependence on women.
- Lack of positive masculine identity.
- Often an un-nameable sense of loss to do with absence of fathering.
- Cycles of control, depression, frustration and inappropriate expressions of anger.
The Essentially Men workshop is a place for men to come together to address these things and other issues. Men are brought up to cope by themselves and experiencing this level of support with other men can be a powerful catalyst to break this isolation.
It often takes a crisis or loss of some kind to precipitate the seeking of help and the first step is often to see a 'counsellor' or some other helping professional. Essentially Men is available for anyone to refer men on to and is designed to complement one to one counselling and psychotherapy.
The course is a structured experiential learning programme aiming to provide a safe place for men to explore their issues.
It is designed to help men develop emotional competency and 'recover' their ability to feel. It helps release blocked emotion, especially anger and grief, and increases men's ability to be in a relationship to be in a relationship with others.
Some Details
The course has been running since 1991 and is repeated at 4 month intervals in Auckland and less frequently in Wellington.
Each workshop usually attracts between 30 and 50 participants and is lead by Rex McCann, supported by a team of 8 or so men who are experienced in men's groups.
Men come at all stages of growth and walks of life. It is useful for men in the helping professions, education, etc to develop a deeper personal connection to men's issues.
The course is non residential, runs into the evenings and has a follow-up evening. The programme is well-balanced and fun, as well as challenging, and the longer hours support men in getting beyond their old patterns of relating.
Participants are encouraged to form or join ongoing support groups. Back up support and referral is available and further workshops are offered from time to time on specific themes.
A review of Rex's excellent book 'Fatherless Sons' (1999) is here