6 SepOn Raising Confident and Healthy Boys by Dr. Konstantin Lukin, Ph.D. Raising boys today is no easy task. When it comes to masculinity, our society still adheres to traditional and antiquated stereotypes. Boys are supposed to be tough, strong, and stoic, as opposed to weak, emotional, or vulnerable. But in reality, assigning these attributes to a gender is random and dangerous. Ignoring emotions and disavowing vulnerability is extremely problematic. With that said, here are five suggestions for raising healthy and confident boys. 1. Nurture feelings. Allow your children to experience their feelings—whatever they may be. Validate and acknowledge them while focusing on effective behavioral strategies. Use language like, “Billy, I understand that you are upset that Bobby took your toy. It’s normal to feel sad when something you love is taken away. Let’s try to figure out a way to ask for it back.” This will allow and encourage boys to feel good about having different types of emotions and see emotions as a guidance rather than a nuisance. Read the Full Article on Psychology Today Author Dr. Konstantin Lukin, Ph.D. Dr. Konstantin Lukin is a psychologist, author, speaker, and researcher specializing in men’s issues, couple’s counseling, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is the Director and Co-Founder of the Lukin Center, northern New Jersey’s premiere evidence-based psychotherapy practice. The Lukin Center emphasizes evidence-based treatments such as emotion-focused therapy for couples, and cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapies for children, adolescents, and adults. Since its inception, the Lukin Center has grown to include testing and assessment as well as medication management services. As a therapist, Dr. Lukin focuses on providing support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. He integrates complementary modalities and techniques – including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), schema-focused therapy, and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) – to offer a personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, he works with his clients to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth to which they are committed. Dr. Lukin has extensive experience in private practice, conducting outpatient therapy with children, adolescents, and adults. He also has extensive clinical and research experience with people of all ages and their families, including those diagnosed as severely and persistently mentally ill, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He has co-led groups for children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with OCD in an outpatient setting. He is trained and experienced in administering a variety of psychological test batteries including neuropsychological, cognitive, and personality assessments, and he has conducted diagnostic and intake interviews and prepared evaluation reports. Dr. Lukin is a graduate of the Honors College at SUNY at Stony Brook, and earned his doctorate from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
