My Road to Becoming a Counselor for Men
I’m living proof that counseling actually works…that it can help men transform their lives and relationships.
Even though (like many men) I was at first a “reluctant volunteer” to the world of counseling, I gradually came to embrace the process of learning about myself and completely turned my life around.
It was my own personal experience as a therapy client that led to wanting to help other men experience the benefits of counseling like I have.
Professional Qualifications
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, licensed by the State of Connecticut (Conn. License #002192).
I have a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I am a graduate of a body-centered gestalt therapy training program for professional psychotherapists, in which I studied for 7 years. As part of my Master’s degree, I interned at two residential care facilities, working with clients who faced challenges that spanned from substance abuse to mood and personality disorders.
Life Experience
Martial Artist
My 35 years of practice as a martial artist has helped me to develop skills in relaxation, focus, emotional balance, and the ability to maintain focus and calm in the face of great adversity and challenge. This is what I strive both to live and to teach men in my counseling sessions.
I was both surprised and excited to discover that the philosophy and practice of martial arts was much like the philosophy and practice of counseling. They both focus on values such being balanced and centered, aware and awake, non-attachment to people, places and things, integrity, honor and honesty.
These are all critical components to having a happy and rewarding life and ones that are paramount to my personality and role as a counselor. I’m passionate about showing men how to take action against their issues in positive and uplifting ways.
Attorney
My career as an attorney and a corporate executive over 25 years has led me to know and understand the many challenges involved in creating and balancing a successful career and personal life. These are some of the core challenges men face, and I’m happy to share with my clients what has worked for me in this regard, and I’ll help you find your own unique solutions to this common life challenge.
As a business owner, I’ve lived through the exhilarating and sometimes daunting task of building both a business, and keeping the dream that serves as the basis of that business alive.
Combat Veteran
As a 14-year veteran of the Army Reserve, I’ve served as:
- Peacekeeper (Haiti, 1995),
- Peacemaker (Bosnia, 1996)
- Combat Veteran (Iraq, 2003-2004)
I know only too well the challenges my fellow veterans and their families face in both deploying and coming home again. It has also showed me that in spite of great adversity, trauma and seemingly impossible challenges, any man can turn his life around if he sincerely wants to.
If you are man looking for a counselor who understands where you are coming from, I may be the counselor for you. Contact me to find out at: (860) 306-0927 or via email at: rjcaffrey@gmail.com.