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1. Reflections on Jack Sternbach, “Lessons I Learned About Working With Men: A Prison Memoir” Social Work, 45, No. 5. October 2000, 413-423.

2. Nature/Nurture

   1. Brain and physiological differences and implications for clinical work with men and boys

   2. Socialization differences

      1. amount of nurturing received

      2. traits and behaviors expected and encouraged

      3. traditional views of “the male role” and masculinity

      4. current views of “the male role” and masculinity

3. Archetypes of male psychology

   1. King

   2. Warrior

   3. Magician

   4. Lover

4. Psychological Correlates of the Provider/Protector Roles

   1. societal expectations and uses of men and boys

   2. behaviors, attitudes, insecurities that result

   3. role strain experienced by unemployed fathers

   4. family alienation, crime, emotional vulnerability

   5. The power of shame in the lives of men and boys

      1. Performance shame

         1. lack of “success”

         2. lack of prowess

      2. Intrinsic shame

         1. the multiple negative stereotypes of males and maleness

         2. women are angels; men are dogs

   6. Men’s physical health

      1. male bodies as machines

      2. male reluctance to admit physical ailments

      3. male under-utilization of health services

   7. Mid-Life crisis: Is this all there is?

5. Male relationships with significant others

   1. The “Father Wound”

   2. intimacy

   3. dependency

   4. trust

   5. vulnerability

   6. homophobia

   7. abuse of male children

      1. sexual

      2. emotional

6. Men in groups

   1. the role of sports and competition in male culture

   2. teams as family

   3. gangs as family

   4. what does military training teach men?

   5. Peer pressure, acceptance, respect

      1. authority

      2. “proving” manhood

      3. fear

      4. insecurity

      5. vulnerability

      6. shame

7. Male reproduction and family life

   1. couvade

   2. men as fathers

   3. male nurturance

   4. “men’s way of caring”

      1. coaching

      2. problem-solving

      3. protectiveness

      4. exploration and confidence

   5. impact of abortion

   6. impact of divorce

      1. custody, child support, visitation/access

      2. depression, suicide, substance abuse

      3. helping fathers reconnect with estranged kids

8. Male sexuality

   1. heterosexual

   2. homosexual

   3. bisexual

   4. asexual

   5. relating to female sexuality

   6. advantages of being initiator

   7. disadvantages of being initiator

   8. pedophilia

   9. men’s shame/distrust of male sexuality

      1. homosexual “panic”

      2. rage at homosexual advances

   10. societal distrust of male sexuality

       1. vulnerability to false accusations of sexual crimes

9. Domestic violence

   1. physical

   2. emotional

   3. intervening with men as perpetrators

   4. societal attitudes toward men as victims

   5. helping men as victims

   6. politics and ideologies of the problem

10. Male communications styles and emotionality

    1. anger

    2. fear

    3. hurt

    4. unexpressed non-anger emotions manifesting as anger

    5. making men and boys feel safe to be open

    6. fostering joy

    7. self-expression

       1. the depth and power of BBDC (“big boys don’t cry”)

       2. desire to seek help vs. requirement for control and self-sufficiency

       3. strictures of the male wardrobe: is transvestitism about sex or emotional expression?

11. Depression and OCD in Men

    1. alcoholism

    2. substance abuse

    3. drugs of choice for various types of dysphoria

    4. effective gender-specific interventions

    5. under-diagnosis/DSM criteria applicability to male depression

12. psychological effects of being soldiers and warriors

    1. male-only draft registration

    2. PTSD

    3. preparing boys to be soldiers and warriors

13. Social Policy toward men and boys

    1. Which comes first, “Responsible Fatherhood” or “Respected Fatherhood”?

    2. Equal treatment of men in social policy?

       1. welfare, public assistance, homelessness

       2. custody, child support, access/visitation

    3. VA benefits and services for veteran clients

    4. Societal ambivalence

       1. How much male emotionality does society want?

       2. How much male joy?

       3. How much work-life balance?

       4. How much time with the kids?

          1. Do men as primary parents threaten women’s roles and identity?

          2. Attitudes of child welfare workers toward fathers as resources for their children

    5. Current state of the art:

       1. Father Friendly Check-Up for Social Services and Programs. https://www.fatherhood.org/checkupsocial.asp

       2. National Family Preservation Network training curriculum on involving fathers in social work practice

14. Law Enforcement, men and boys

    1. gender profiling

    2. assignment of primary culpability to male in male-female partner crime

    3. sentencing disparities vis-à-vis women

    4. gang intervention

    5. gender-specific interventions

       1. adult men

       2. juveniles

15. Special Issues of Latino and other ethnic groups of men and boys

    1. cultural ideas of fatherhood and motherhood

    2. cultural ideas of maleness and femaleness

    3. immigrant separation from families

    4. attitudes toward speaking to helping professionals, male and female

16. Special Issues of African-American men and boys

    1. legacy of slavery

       1. Provider/Protector role under slavery

       2. “Black mothers raise their daughters and love their sons”

       3. Provider/Protector role today

    2. is the African-American community a patriarchy?

    3. revisit social policies toward African-American fathers

       1. role strain experienced by unemployed fathers​

       2. family alienation, crime, emotional vulnerability

       3. welfare

       4. custody, child support, visitation/access

       5. attitudes of child welfare workers toward fathers as resources for their children​