Professional Help: Men, can we talk?

When men end up in therapy, it’s often the result of an ultimatum, or they find themselves collapsing under the weight of cumulative losses.

They know there’s something wrong. But when it comes to talking about the traumatic event that’s at the core of their anguish, often I get: “I’ll talk about anything else.” “Why do I need to talk about it? I want to forget it!” “Talking about it only makes it worse.”

...But talk we must, men. Recent evidence-based research confirms this approach not only brings peace to the mind but also changes the physical structure of the brain.

Adverse childhood experiences may actually alter the structural development of the brain. Harvard researcher, Dr. Martin Teicher found that victims of severe early childhood abuse had less brain volume than those who had not suffered childhood maltreatment. They were also up to 53 per cent more likely to develop a mental illness and/or addiction.

But here’s the good news, researchers in the Netherlands have proven Cognitive Behavioural Therapy reverses brain atrophy and restructures certain areas of the brain that have been altered by psychological trauma.

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Professional+Help+talk/9464738/story.html