Real Men Feel: Ep. 269, Men’s Fears of Women | Fear in Our Intimate Relationships

Men’s Fears of Women | Fear in Our Intimate Relationships Episode 269, September 2, 2022

This episode could be titled Real Men Fear. Today’s guest is Dr. Avrum Weiss, a psychotherapist, an award-winning author, and teacher. His decade-long work on understanding men’s internal lives culminated with his recently published bestseller “Hidden in Plain Sight: How Men’s Fears of Women Shape Their Intimate Relationships.”

Avrum is a regular contributor to the Psychology Today website and offers workshops nationally about psychotherapy with men and helping men and women understand each other. He practices psychotherapy online from his home on an island in Midcoast Maine, specializing in psychotherapy groups for men and psychotherapy consultation.

We discuss the hierarchy of fears men have of women, the repercussions of those fears, and what men can do about them. Listen in to learn about men’s unacknowledged dependencies on their partners and the underlying issue of gender role conflict.

Did you know loneliness is as significant a health risk for men as smoking? Let’s do something about that.

“The biggest fear men are most in denial of is being abandoned.”
Dr. Avrum Weiss

Topics and Questions

1:21 Starting with the premise that men are human.
1:50 Is there a particular fear that men have of women, or are there lots of them?
3:49 Have men long been afraid of women, or is this a modern age problem?
4:55 Fear of conflict with women
5:38 Are men fearful of being controlled and of conflict from anyone, or is something different regarding women?
7:00 Are you afraid of women?
10:27 Does saying men are fearful of anything make you anti-man?
12:17 What do you say to a bitter man who says all women are narcissists who use men and throw them away?
15:24 What are some repercussions of men afraid of women?
16:48 Can men change or overcome these fears?
22:41 – what women are taught about men by their moms
23:49 Who was “Hidden in Plain Sight: How Men’s Fears of Women Shape Their Intimate Relationships” written for?
25:36 What did your dad teach you about women?
29:26 Growing up and growing old.
31:17 What is the best way for people to learn more about your work?
33:21 Is there one thing you wish more men knew?