Deepening men’s relationships

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June 11, 2012 — They’re spending time together…they’re in touch with each other’s feelings…there’s mutual admiration…. Take two men in a healthy, secure, non-sexual relationship, and what’ve you got? In pop culture, it’s been referred to as a man crush or bromance, ala the movie “I Love You, Man”(2009).

Men and intimacy: it’s not an oxymoron. In this country (while masculinity has traditionally emphasized independence, competition, and stoic behavior) some men are moving away from this, and in the process, redefining what it means to be manly. On top of this, experts say embracing and cultivating emotional intimacy has a positive impact on mental and physical health and can improve relationships of all kinds.

Dr. Dan Gottlieb discusses the importance of emotional intimacy in men’s lives, with an emphasis on friendships between men. Dan’s guests are Rob Garfield, M.D. and Jake Kriger, M.S.S., along with Robert Heasley, Ph.D. Rob Garfield and Jake Kriger conduct therapeutic workshops on male intimacy and men’s friendships.Robert Heasley is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and president of the American Men’s Studies Association.