#1: “What Brings You Here, Really?” — Starting Therapy as a Man
I’ll be honest — starting therapy isn’t usually something we, as men, wake up one day excited to do. It’s more like… a slow burn. You’ve been carrying more than you can name. Maybe it shows up as snapping at your partner for no reason, not sleeping, losing motivation, or just feeling stuck. You tell yourself it’s not that bad. You’ve handled worse. You’re fine.
Until you’re not.
I’ve talked to a lot of guys who finally reached out not because things “got so bad,” but because they got tired. Tired of pretending everything’s under control. Tired of not having a space where they could drop the act. Tired of not even knowing how they feel — just knowing it doesn’t feel good.
So if you're reading this and wondering, “Is therapy for me?” — I get it. Starting therapy as a man can feel unfamiliar, even uncomfortable. But here’s the thing: therapy doesn’t have to be some deep, mysterious process. It’s just a space — one that’s finally yours — where you can slow down, say the things you never say out loud, and figure out what’s actually going on under the surface.
Why Men’s Mental Health Support Matters
We’re not always taught how to talk about stress or emotions — especially the ones that don’t have easy fixes. We’re told to push through, man up, stay productive. But that mindset can backfire when you’re juggling career pressure, relationship issues, and a quiet voice in your head wondering what the point of it all is.
That’s where online therapy for men comes in. It’s not about fixing you — you’re not broken. It’s about untangling the stress, the anger, the numbness, the “I should be grateful but I feel empty” moments. It's therapy for stress and anxietythat doesn’t feel like a lecture. It’s therapy for relationship issues where you don’t have to be the villain or the victim. You just get to be honest.
The First Question We’ll Probably Talk About
When someone starts with me, I often ask: “What brings you here, really?”
Not the polished answer. Not the one you think you should say. But the real one. The “I don’t even know where to start, but I’m here because something needs to change” kind of answer.
That’s where we begin.
Because once you stop carrying it all alone — that’s when the work begins. That’s when you start remembering who you are, not just what you do. That’s when your story starts to shift.
Something to Think About
If you gave yourself permission to be honest for a moment… what would you say is weighing on you the most right now?
That might be the first thing you bring into the therapy room. And I promise, there’s room for it here.
About Me
I’m Josué Guillen, a therapist and the heart behind Adelante Counseling — a virtual therapy space designed for men who are ready to stop pushing it down and start working it out. My approach is real, grounded, and built on the belief that healing happens when we’re seen without judgment.
