Why the Center for Women & Men?

Because Men Hurt: Men are given messages from an early age to ignore physical, emotional and mental pain. They are told to “Just walk it off” “Such it up and cope” and to “Be a Man”. A lifetime of trying to be in control and not let others down places a heavy burden on men and on their relationships with others. The Center for Women & Men is a safe place where men can explore their full range of feelings and beliefs, treat themselves and others with compassion and respect, and learn to communicate with honesty and comfort.

Because Some Men are Hurting Others: Violence in our relationships, in our families and schools continues to be a major problem in society. Men and boys not only create most of the violence ---they are also the victims of most of the violence in society. At the Center for Women & Men, men can learn ways of effectively responding to anger and conflict in ways that improve rather than damage relationships. The Center provides a wide range of workshops that can help to strengthen relationships, explore the changing dimensions of masculinity, and learn to recognize and take responsibility for patterns of hurtful behavior in a non-judgmental atmosphere.

Because Men are Pitted Against Each Other: From the time they are boys, men learn to compete with each other and to imagine themselves as adversaries (whether on the playing field, in the business boardroom, or on the battle field). Men are often pitted against other men. Men learn to view each other with suspicion and mistrust and to fear those who differ from themselves either by nationality, class, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. At the Center for Women & Men, men can practice communicating rather than winning and fighting as a way of life. Men can improve their respect for themselves and other men and improve their relationships in a non threatening and supportive environment.

Because Definitions of Masculinity are Changing: What it means to be a man is constantly changing as society and expectations change. The Center offers workshops which can empower men to resist the pressures to choose a narrow and ridged view of masculinity and to trade dominating masculinity for a more genuine expression of who you are and what you want your life and relationships with others to be. Learn to express your highest values and to be the man you want to be by your own standards.