Breaking the Male Code: Unlocking the Power of Friendship [Paperback]

Calling for a new men’s movement, a noted psychotherapist examines the critical role close male friendships play in helping men lead happy, healthy lives.
 
For much of the past century, men have operated under the rules of Male Code, a rigid set of guidelines that equate masculinity with stoicism, silence, and strength. But as men’s roles have changed, this lingering pressure to hide their emotions has wreaked havoc on men’s lives and relationships, making them more likely to suffer from depression, anger, and isolation. Robert Garfield has worked with men struggling with emotional issues for more than forty years. Through his Friendship Labs—clinical settings in which men engage in group therapy—he teaches men how to identify inner conflicts, express emotions, and communicate openly.

InBreaking the Male Code, Garfield examines the unique challenges men face and urges them to abandon Male Code in favor of a masculinity that integrates traditional male traits with emotional intimacy skills. Drawing on real-life stories, original research, and his firsthand clinical experience, he shows how close friendships can serve as the foundation on which men can build and sustain deep relationships with all of their loved ones and in turn lead happier, healthier lives. Breaking the Male Code will help men discover and accept their own rich, complex emotional natures and respect the wide range of ways to express themselves as men. It will help men resolve their psychological issues. Breaking the Male Code is book every man needs to read to live a happy and healthy life.
—Washington Book Review

Garfield has written a book I didn’t realize I needed. It’s hard to ask for more than that.
—Kansas City Star

“In this rewarding self-help book, Garfield guides men through the whys and practical hows of developing fulfillil3ã