Episode 23: Spelling, Masculinity in Therapy and Guest Matthew Braman

Licensed professional counselors Johanna Dwinells and Sarah Bryski-Hamrick are slowly demystifying and destigmatizing therapy, one episode at a time. Recording and living in the Philadelphia area, Johanna and Sarah work to make therapy feel more accessible, with quirky, sometimes intrusive questions that reveal the human side of healthcare professionals, all while they overcome their own anxieties and internalized stigmas. 

TW: Toxic masculinity, Discussion of violence, Grief

Episode summary: Johanna can’t spell. Sarah puzzles. They both discuss masculinity and therapy. Guest, Matthew Braman, talks about working with men, especially new fathers, in therapy and how he self discloses to benefit therapeutic relationships.

Guest Bio: Matthew Braman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of New York, Georgia, and Maryland. 

He’s an imperfect new dad, therapist, and the CEO of his private practice called Verve Psychotherapy, which is a modern and inclusive online mental health practice for men, new dads, and their partners. 

Matthew earned his Master of Social Work degree from New York University Silver School of Social Work in 2013. He started out working as a bilingual therapist for one of the largest behavioral health providers in New York City where he eventually became a clinical supervisor. He treated a culturally diverse population of English and Spanish speaking children, adolescents, adults, and families in Brooklyn, New York. 

Life transitions took him to Atlanta, Georgia where he spent one year working for a small group private practice and also an adolescent crisis stabilization unit that served teens from 14-17 years of age who were at risk of suicide, violence, psychosis, and substance use. 

Matthew facilitated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Groups for teens at the crisis unit and also coordinated the Family Support Program for parents to effectively manage their teens’ transition back to the community. 

More life transitions and a growing family moved Matthew back to New York for one year before moving again to finally settle in Baltimore, Maryland where he and his wife now live with their 11 month old son and their 2 year old puppy dog named “Emory”. Together, they love taking family walks to explore their new neighborhood, trying new food, and singing along with Elmo. 

Matthew is an avid fan of Manchester United Football Club, listening to music by Durand Jones & The Indications, and spending time cooking in the kitchen. His dad jokes are, usually, not that great, and that makes sense.

Sources for today’s History Lesson: ‘The History of “The Man Box”’ by Mark Greene; “Putting My Man Face On”: A Grounded Theory of College Men’s Gender Identity Development by Edwards, K.E. & Jones, S.R.; Man in a Box: The traditional hegemonic definition of masculinity by Edwards, K.E. (2012); The Man Box: The link between emotional suppression and male violence by Greene, M. (2013) ; wikipedia.org

Resources: “The Man Enough Podcast”; “For the Love of Men: From Toxic to a More Mindful Masculinity” by Elizabeth Plank; “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity” by Justin Baldoni

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