The Real Reason Men Aren't in Therapy

In this episode, I spoke with Simon, who runs a therapy practice focused on helping men. He flips the common belief that "men don't want therapy" on its head, showing how therapy services often just aren't set up in a way that works for men. We talked about simple but powerful changes that make a real difference - like letting clients book their own appointments online and creating an office that feels more like a professional workspace than a medical clinic.

We also dove into how therapy is changing with AI tools like ChatGPT. Simon shared a refreshing take on this: instead of seeing AI as a threat, he sees it as a way to help therapists be better guides for their clients. We wrapped up with an interesting discussion about knowing when therapy should end and how to keep the door open for clients to return when needed.

Chapters: 
(00:00:38) - The Reality of a Therapist's Workload 
(00:02:42) - Why Men Actually Do Want Help 
(00:05:21) - Making Therapy Work for Men 
(00:08:19) - Speaking Your Client's Language 
(00:10:37) - Using AI to Help Clients 
(00:20:52) - Training New Therapists 
(00:25:16) - Therapy: Craft vs Science 
(00:31:01) - When to End Therapy

About the Host:
Moody Abdul is the founder of Klarify and host of the Future of Therapy podcast. 
After experiencing the powerful combination of therapy and AI tools during a personal breakthrough, he became passionate about helping therapists leverage technology to enhance their practice. Through Klarify, he's working to automate time-consuming tasks like case notes, allowing therapists to focus more on client care. The Future of Therapy newsletter & podcast reaches over 27,000 therapists across North America, exploring how technology and new approaches are shaping mental health care.

Connect with Moody:

• Website: https://www.klarify.ca/
• LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/moodyabdul

About Simon:

A Guelph, Ontario native, Simon holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Toronto. He later traveled to Europe to complete a Master of Arts degree in Clinical and Health Psychology and a doctoral-level research diploma in Experimental Clinical Psychology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. His research and practice in Spain focused on the application of cognitive therapy in the psychosocial rehabilitation of patients experiencing persistent and distressing psychotic disorders.  

Returning to Canada in 2012, Simon took a position as the Lead Clinician for Mental Health at the Etobicoke Medical Centre Family Health Team. He has slowly grown his private practice work over the last decade, and recognizing a growing mental health crisis amongst men, has evolved his practice into Cogent, providing psychological services for men. His role includes direct service provision as well as the training and supervision of other mental health professionals. 

For more about Simon's work: http://www.cogentclinic.ca/