Counseling, Men and Body Image

       Despite the covert nature of body image dissatisfaction, more and more men are presenting to counselors with symptoms related to body image dissatisfaction. Clients that present with body image dissatisfaction may list their presenting problems as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. Often times clients with a strong drive for muscularity develop maladaptive coping techniques to cope with their dissatisfaction. It's important for counselor to meet clients where they are in discussing their body image dissatisfaction and how they have manifested their perceptions in terms of behaviors.

       An important thing for counselors to recognize is that oftentimes men are underrepresented in counseling sessions. Therefore, it is important to be supportive and utilize techniques that are men-friendly. For example, research has shown that men respond better to solution-focused counseling versus emotion-focused counseling. Additionally, some male characteristics may create resiliency factors for men with the potential for body image dissatisfaction such as increased desire for autonomy and limited emotional reactiveness.