Is Traditional Masculinity Harming Your Son's Emotional Health?

You told him to shake it off. To be tough. To not let it bother him. And he did — at least on the outside. What you could not see was what went underground instead. The "man up" message does not make boys stronger. It makes them better at hiding — and the hiding has costs that show up years later in friendships that stay shallow, relationships that break under emotional weight, and a deep disconnection from their own inner life that nobody taught them to tend. Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst has spent nearly 50 years as a psychologist studying exactly how that wiring happens — and what she shares about how to tell the difference between typical boy behavior and a genuine cry for help, the simple scripts that coach boys through big feelings without shame, and the five concrete actions you can take this week will give you everything you need to raise a boy who is not just tough but genuinely whole. Strength and emotional health are not opposites. This episode shows you how to build both. You’ll learn:⚡ How to spot the difference between “typical boy” behavior and a real cry for help🧠 The early experiences at home and school that wire boys for emotional health (or shutdown)🗣️ Simple scripts to coach boys through big feelings without shame or shutdown👊 Better ways to handle conflict, school struggles, and screen time without blowups or withdrawal❤️ Five concrete actions you can take this week to better support the boy you love Connect with Dr. Gloria K. Vanderhorst Website: https://drvanderhorst.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-vanderhorst-ph-d-730826b/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloria.vanderhorst.7YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEB&search_query=gloria+vanderhorst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices