Therapy for Men in South Orange & Maplewood, NJ
A lot of men put therapy off for years. You get used to handling things yourself, and asking for help can feel like conceding something. If you've been carrying more stress, anger, or quiet unhappiness than you let on, it can help to talk it out with someone who won't make a thing of it.
I'm Sean Gilligan, a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) in South Orange, New Jersey. A good part of my practice is men, and I see clients from Maplewood, Montclair, West Orange, and around Essex County.
What men come in to work on
Stress and burnout, and that feeling of running on empty
Anger or a short fuse that's spilling into home or work
Anxiety and depression that are hard to put into words
Relationship and marriage trouble, including communication and infidelity
Divorce, separation, and co-parenting
Self-esteem, and the "is this it?" questions that show up in midlife
Big transitions: a new job, becoming a father, a loss, a move
Why some men want a male therapist
Seeing a therapist of any gender works fine, and plenty of men do. But some tell me it's easier to start out with another man, someone who understands the particular things they grew up being told to keep to themselves. If that's your instinct, it's a fair one. I tend to be pretty direct. We'll talk like two people in a room, and I won't push you to open up faster than you're ready to.
How I work
Most of my work is psychodynamic, which is a longer way of saying we'll pay attention to the patterns underneath a problem and not just the surface of it. I stay practical about the things you actually want to change. You set the pace.
Getting started
If any of this sounds familiar, request an appointment or call me at (646) 265-3634. My office is in South Orange, a short drive from Maplewood, Montclair, and the towns around them.