'Therapy has become an essential part of how I manage my mental health - I'd urge other men to give it a go'
When Lucas Whitehead experienced a relationship breakdown, bereavement and the resurfacing of past trauma all at once, he recognised he was at risk of falling back into unhealthy coping mechanisms around drinking and substance abuse.
The 26-year-old, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, instead turned to therapy as a way to process his childhood experiences and what he was facing as an adult – and he’s now sharing his experience after new research from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) suggested six in ten men in Yorkshire and Humberside would only consider therapy once they reach breaking point.
Lucas first engaged in therapy in late 2024, having already been involved for a number of years with with Andy’s Man Club, the men’s suicide prevention charity which offers free peer support groups across the country.
He started regular talking therapy sessions after finding a therapist through the BACP directory and though he admits he initially approached it with “some hesitation”, he says it has helped him to work through a range of experiences from childhood and adulthood, build self-worth, better understand his behaviour and emotions and “see support as something I can return to whenever I need it”.
"One of the biggest barriers to therapy I see, particularly among men, is the fear of being judged,” Lucas notes. “There’s also a common misconception that therapy is about being told how to live your life, when in reality it’s about having a safe, non-judgemental space to talk and reflect.
"Many men also don’t recognise that things like stress, financial pressure or relationship issues are valid mental health challenges, and instead feel they should just deal with them on their own. I also think there’s a wider issue around vulnerability. A lot of men are conditioned to see opening up as a weakness, when actually it takes strength."
BACP has launched Outside View, a new campaign encouraging men to pause and consider professional support before they reach breaking point. It aims to meet men where they already feel comfortable opening up, including walking with friends.
The charity has recreated a therapist’s office on a well-trodden walking route, inviting men to take a moment in the great outdoors and consider how an ‘outside view’ from a therapist can help them.
Alongside this, rapper and therapy advocate Professor Green appears in a short film, walking with other men who have experienced challenges to their mental wellbeing, sharing honest conversations about the moments that led them to seek support.
Lucas says: “I would encourage anyone considering therapy to give it a go and to find someone who feels like the right fit for them. It’s become an essential part of how I manage my mental health and something I recommend to everyone around me.”
Visit www.outside-view.co.uk