How a Men's Group Can Work for You: The Science of a Supportive Network
Most men are hesitant to seek support from others because they’re afraid of feeling vulnerable or appearing weak, but men’s groups have been proven to have several health benefits that can improve your life in major ways—if you let them. So how do you know if joining a men’s group is right for you? How does it work? And most importantly, what can you expect? To understand more about the science behind men’s groups and why they may be the best option to make lasting positive change in your life, keep reading.
Why Join a Men’s Group?
If you’re suffering from men’s mental health issues, getting professional help can be incredibly beneficial. However, if you live in an area where there aren’t any psychologists who specialize in men’s mental health treatment available, or the cost is prohibitively high, joining a men’s group may be your best alternative. There are lots of different kinds of men’s groups so be sure to choose carefully when looking at these options.
Some groups will focus on masculinity while others may have you going through unique initiation rituals. My advice to you is that if the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t try and force it on. Talk to some of the members, ask questions and get a sense of your overall sentiment when you interact with the men. If it feels wrong, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
What Makes For an Effective Men’s Group?
When talking about men’s groups, it is vital to understand why men want to join these types of clubs. Many are hesitant at first because they don’t see how joining a men’s group will help their life. However, many studies have shown that these groups can provide benefits such as improved mental and physical health. There are also different aspects to look out for when creating an effective men’s group. In my years of experience with Kingsmen, an effective men’s group will:
have you striving for self-betterment.
push you to the edges of discomfort (because you know it’s good for you and you were meant for more).
make feel safe and supported without judgment.
give you a sense of security knowing that you’ll never have to do anything alone if you don’t want to.
provide plenty of opportunities to become a better leader.
a place to live your truth and call out another person’s BS
Who Should Lead This Kind Of Group?
Men’s groups are typically led by trained facilitators with extensive experience in men’s mental health or psychology. This helps avoid any misconceptions or harmful stereotypes. While these kinds of groups can be very helpful, they aren’t right for everyone, so take some time to consider if you think you could benefit from attending a group like that.
Finding a Place to Meet
If you're just beginning your search, talk with friends and trusted colleagues who have been through a group like yours. Do they think it helped them? Are there other groups in your area? Even if you ultimately don't decide to join an existing group, it can be helpful to get first-hand accounts about what happens in these groups. When considering joining or starting a men’s group, take time to consider both logistics and location. Here are some of my favorite places to meet:
Your own living room
Rented boardrooms (great for hybrid online and offline participants)
Condominium Public Spaces (best to reserve space beforehand to avoid any surprise guests)
What Should Come Out Of A Meeting?
When you attend meetings and try to get your arms around how they work, you’ll quickly notice there are different types of gatherings. For example, some meetings start with drinks and conversation, while others begin with introductions and icebreakers. If you show up unprepared—either because you didn’t understand what would happen or due to lack of time—you might find yourself feeling left out or unsure about how to participate in a meeting. Don’t be shy to ask questions and speak your mind.
A few things that Kingsmen have left with after a group session are:
Feeling refreshed
Boost in energy
A sense of lightness
Depper enlightenment
Long-lasting friendships
A calming sense of peace
Valuable feedback
Invaluable perspectives
Things To Avoid in a Meeting
In psychology, there are two types of meetings: structured and unstructured. Structured meetings follow a preset agenda and typically have set discussion topics. These meetings tend to be more productive than unstructured ones because you can define what your goals are going in—unstructured meetings often end up being arguments over minutiae. But not all is lost if you’re in an unstructured meeting.
Tips For Keeping Your Group On Track
People come to men’s groups because they need support. And that’s what your group should provide—it should be a safe place for men to be vulnerable and open up about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Hopefully, this gives you a good sense of how a good support network can benefit you. As much as I would love for you to join Kingsmen - it isn’t necessary. I just want you to try any support group of this nature and hope that you find the set of people that you need to catapult you toward the best version of yourself!
In your corner,
Alex
P.S. Here are 4 other ways I can help you increase your levels of happiness, peace, and freedom as a creator of your best life;
1. Join Project Elevate – for 3 months of capacity expansion, led personally by me. Plus, receive a complimentary ticket to the next Alexander Lin Intensive.
2. Alexander Lin Intensive – The flagship program where you get to unplug, slow down, and reconnect with your reasons for being. It’s an opportunity to spend 3 days with me and the members of my community which could potentially become your life-changing mastermind.
3. Join Kingsmen, the Private Men’s Network. It’s a life-changing brotherhood that makes your success their mission. You get weekly live group calls with me and other leaders—and you join our Private Facebook Group to access personalized guidance and consulting, so you don’t get lost and you stay out of confusion. Usually, the difficult part is the aspect of overcoming fear and building trust. This isn't an issue here! Kingsmen is for anybody interested in what it means to be a leader and take control of their own destiny.
4. Private Coaching is where you bring your desires, I bring my jetpack. Together, we’ll build that ship made of ‘impossible goals’, get them so high off the ground, and have you look back with wonders of why you were thinking so small when we started. It can be challenging, powerful, and transformational. If you’re interested in reserving a future spot, go here.
