Exploring the Mental Health of Fathers
“Walk it off!” “Rub some dirt on it!” “Man up!” These are, unfortunately, some of the phrases highlighting a toxic mindset that are taught to boys from a young age. Whether explicitly or implicitly, boys are taught that if they show emotions, they are weak or “not masculine” enough. They are taught to always act tough and to not show if they are sad or upset. These harmful beliefs about how men in our culture are supposed to behave lead to fathers who struggle to acknowledge, communicate, and handle their emotions once they become fathers.

Casey is the founder and CEO of Portner Counseling Group (PCG), a counseling center in the Fort Lauderdale area, which specializes with issues related to drug and alcohol use. Casey has completed focused course work on the physiological aspects of drug addiction and human psychology, as well as received extensive training on the treatment of co-occurring disorders.