Summit Counselling Services — Specialty
Men's Mental HealthAsking for help is not a weakness. It takes more strength than pushing through alone.
Men experience mental health struggles just as much as anyone — but are far less likely to seek support for them. At Summit, we're here to change that. Therapy that fits you, on your terms.
About Therapy for Men
Men struggle with mental health — but rarely reach out.
As a society, we're slowly beginning to acknowledge the ways that traditional ideas about masculinity have made it harder for men to acknowledge their struggles, let alone seek support for them. The expectation to be self-sufficient, to push through, to not need help — these are deeply ingrained, and they have a cost.
Men experience depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, and existential struggle at similar rates to everyone else. But men are far less likely to label what they're experiencing as a mental health concern, far less likely to talk about it, and far less likely to seek professional support. The result is that many men arrive at crisis — in their relationships, their careers, their health, or their sense of self — before they ever get help.
Therapy for men at Summit doesn't look like what you might imagine. You don't have to cry. You don't have to process everything. You don't have to have a dramatic backstory. You just have to be willing to start a conversation — and we'll take it from there at whatever pace feels right.
"As our society changes to allow men to acknowledge their struggles, we hope they will also begin to feel comfortable seeking support when needed — before reaching the point of crisis."
How men's mental health often presents differently
- —Irritability and anger rather than sadness
- —Withdrawal and emotional shutdown
- —Increased risk-taking or reckless behaviour
- —Using alcohol or substances to cope
- —Overworking or compulsive busyness
- —Physical symptoms — sleep issues, tension, fatigue
- —Difficulty identifying or naming emotions
- —Conflict in relationships without clear understanding of why
- —A sense that something is wrong but no language for it
Male, female & non-binary therapists available
Several of our male psychologists bring shared lived experience to their work with men. If a male therapist is not a requirement for you, our female and non-binary therapists are equally trained in men's psychology and provide excellent care for men's mental health concerns. Use the Find Your Fit tool to find your match.
Areas of Focus
What men come to therapy to work on
There's no single template for men's mental health. These are some of the most common areas our therapists work on with men — though the list is far from exhaustive.
Emotional & Psychological
- Emotional regulation and managing anger
- Emotional awareness — learning to identify and name feelings
- Depression — including masked depression that presents as irritability or withdrawal
- Anxiety — including high-functioning anxiety that looks like productivity
- Trauma — including trauma men often minimize or don't recognize as such
- Stress and burnout
- Coping skills and building resilience
- Self-worth and self-esteem
Relationships & Life
- Relationship conflict and communication
- Building healthy relationships — romantic, family, friendships
- Divorce or separation
- Parenting — especially through conflict, separation, or blended families
- Work stress, pressure, and workplace conflict
- Family stress and difficult family dynamics
- Sexuality and sexual health
- Abuse — including men who have experienced abuse and rarely disclose it
- Life transitions — career, identity, retirement, fatherhood
Our Approach
Therapy that fits how you actually are
Therapy for men at Summit is not a one-size-fits-all process. Some men want structured, problem-focused support — concrete tools, clear goals, measurable progress. Others need space to talk through something they've never had the language for. Both are valid, and both are available here.
Our therapists understand the specific barriers men face in seeking support — the stigma, the self-sufficiency expectation, the discomfort with vulnerability. They won't push you to emote on a timeline that doesn't feel natural. They'll meet you where you are and build from there.
Sessions are available in person at our Brewery District, St. Albert, and Windermere locations — evenings and weekends included — and virtually for anyone in Alberta who prefers it.
Therapeutic Approaches
How our therapists work with men
Our therapists draw on a range of evidence-based approaches — matched to the individual rather than prescribed by gender.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT tends to resonate well with men who prefer a structured, problem-focused approach — identifying the thought patterns driving distress and building practical strategies for change. It's direct, skill-based, and evidence-backed.
EMDR
Particularly effective for trauma — including trauma men often don't label as such. EMDR doesn't require extensive verbal processing of traumatic experiences, which many men find more accessible than traditional talk therapy approaches.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
ART produces significant results in fewer sessions than many other approaches — often 3–5 sessions. For men who are skeptical about long-term therapy or want to see results efficiently, ART can be a compelling fit.
Solution Focused Therapy
For men who want to spend less time on the past and more time building toward something better — practical, forward-looking support that builds momentum and confidence rather than extensively analyzing what went wrong.
Attachment Therapy
Many men's relationship difficulties — difficulty with intimacy, vulnerability, or connection — are rooted in early attachment experiences. Attachment-based approaches explore those patterns and begin to build something more secure.
Sex Therapy
Sexual concerns — performance anxiety, desire discrepancy, the impact of stress or trauma on intimacy — are among the most common and least discussed issues men bring to therapy. Our sex therapists provide a comfortable, skilled space for this work.
Book a Session
Find us in Edmonton, St. Albert & Windermere
All three locations offer men's mental health therapy in person, with evening and weekend appointments available and virtual sessions across Alberta.
Wîhkwêntôwin ᐄᐧᐦᑫᐧᐣᑑᐃᐧᐣ (Oliver)
Grandin Plaza, 2nd Floor
Edmonton, AB
Common Questions
Men's therapy — your questions answered
Our Therapists
Therapists who specialize in men's mental health
The clinicians below specialize in working with men. Male, female, and non-binary therapists are available — find the right fit using our tool, or start with a free 15-minute consultation.
Further Listening
From the Modern Manhood podcast
Summit's own Lyndsay Wright joins the Modern Manhood podcast to talk about how men relate to anger, why it's often the surface emotion covering something deeper, and how men can begin to hold space for each other — and themselves.
Listen to the episode →Related Support
Other areas we work with
You've been figuring it out alone long enough.
Your first consultation is free — 15 minutes, no commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation about what's going on and whether we're the right fit.
We acknowledge that our practice is located in Treaty 6 territory, on the traditional lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, and Nakota Sioux Peoples, including our Brewery District office in Wîhkwêntôwin ᐄᐧᐦᑫᐧᐣᑑᐃᐧᐣ (Oliver). We recognize that healing and reconciliation is a responsibility shared by all.