Men’s Mental Health and Parenting: 2 Aspects From and Adlerian Perspective

Fatherhood faces many challenges when considering the notion of parenting and mental health. Parenting is often viewed as a taboo topic because of being judged and labeled a bad parent and the inaccurate depiction of masculinity. On the other hand, discussions of mental health hold restrictions amongst men because of stigmas that depict vulnerability and weakness toward one’s character. However, Adler viewed parenting as essential to the upbringing of a child. Parenting through encouragement can foster social interest growth within a child, whereas a discouraged child will misbehave and lack social interest with time. Therefore, fatherhood influences on the trajectory of a child’s mental health are critical when considering views towards mental health and parenting. Therefore, this presentation will challenge toxic notions of masculinity to foster an environment of enlightenment around men’s mental health and parenting.

Educational Objectives

• Explain men’s mental health.
• Describe mental health/neurosis’s impact on men’s parenting practices.
• Discuss childhood parenting’s influence on current parenting practices.

Dr. Antwan Player is an assistant professor at Adler Graduate School located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and has 10+ years as a clinical counselor. Antwan holds two licenses, one in Minnesota as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and another in Florida as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Antwan is a member of various organizations and was previously the Ethics Co-Chair for the Minnesota Counseling Association. From a clinical standpoint, Dr. Player’s clinical philosophy focuses on helping individuals reach self-actualization. His clinical experience has afforded him the opportunity to work with a range of diverse populations, including, high-risk adolescents, parenting enhancement, and individuals of the LGBTQIA community to name a few.