The Emotional Desert: What Culture Does to Men and Boys | Gloria Vanderhorst

Gloria Vanderhorst started her practice as a psychologist working with preschool children — mainly boys. Female teachers saw their exuberance and physical energy as problematic. They were labeled hyperactive or attention-deficient. Her work with those boys resulted in their fathers coming to therapy to explore their own emotional angst. And over fifty years, she's watched how our culture robs males of access to the full range of emotions necessary for a healthy sense of self. She's the author of a New York Times bestselling journal book, Read, Reflect, Respond: The 3 R's of Growth and Change. She writes a weekly essay that challenges people to grow emotionally. And she's writing a book about how fathers can help their sons avoid the trap of the emotional desert. In this episode of The Honest Mic, Gloria talks about why men struggle with intimacy, how culture limits male emotional development, and what fathers can do to help their sons. If you've been told your whole life that your feelings don't matter, this conversation is for you. Connect with Gloria: Website: DrVanderhorst.comSubstack: Weekly essays on emotional growth