© 2019 Student Athlete Counseling

June Is Men’s Mental Health Month

Jamal T. Jackson, LCSW

6/23/25

A man’s social and emotional vocabulary can shape his emotional awareness.  A man who states, I feel hurt, sad, disappointed, resentful, ashamed, insecure or confused can create healthy social and emotional communication, strength and courage as well as an essential foundational tool to regulate emotions.  Without and or a lack thereof this foundational tool, a man’s emotional awareness can be limited.  And, limited emotional awareness can impact a man’s relationships with himself, family, friends and colleagues.

Tools to improve emotional awareness and vocabulary include…

  1. Check-in w/ yourself
    1. Ask how I am feeling?
    2. What am I thinking?
    3. How is my body physically responding to what I am feeling and thinking?
    4. What was the situation that made me feel this way?
  1. Radically accept your current feelings, thoughts, physical reactions
    • For example – “I accept that I am feeling ashamed of how angry I reacted when I was hurt by…”
  1. Engage in an activity that gives you life.
    • For example
      1. Shooting hoops/golfing/lifting weights
      2. Watching a comedy show on Netflix
      3. Playing an instrument
      4. Talking with a friend
      5. Reading a book
      6. Therapy
  1. Reflect on how you can handle your feelings (ie. anger, frustration, etc) more appropriately in the moment.