Relationship toolkit for men
Relationships Australia Victoria have launched a new free resource for men wanting to renovate their 
relationships called Renovate your relationship: A manual for men.
Full of building and project management analogies, this free book acknowledges that men, just like women:
Identify their partner as their best mate. (True for 80% of Australian Men as revealed in Men, mateship, marriage: Exploring macho myths and the way forward by Don Edgar (1997).
Want close and tender relationships with their partner.
Feel confused, hurt or betrayed when relationships do not work out.
Often do not express their emotions and sometimes their partners often fail to recognise the significant feelings that men experience.
Want closeness; to be supported, to be held.
Want a trusting, honest and loyal friend.
Want somebody to share things with; goals, hopes and values.
To achieve a better relationship, the booklet recommends 13 tools including:
Tool 2: Avoiding misunderstanding
Tool 3: Sharpening up your listening
Tool 4: Resolving conflict
Tool 8: Renovating your sex life
Tool 10: Valuing differences
Tool 13: Children - Planning for the extension
For each tool, there’s an explanation, ideas, examples and quotes from men - like this one about resolving conflict:
‘We were having the usual argument because I hadn’t cleaned up. She doesn’t realise how much I actually do. When I calmed down we were able to discuss it like two adults. I was able to admit that the point she was making was fair enough.’ Theo, 43
There are also info about where to get more help. Because, yes, sometimes, you do need to call the plumber.
This is a good little resource. And I hope men who need it, find it, and get building.
Renovate your relationship: A manual for men by Relationships Australia Victoria.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:47 am
For those of us blokes who don’t have the balls to see a counselor or a men’s group may I recommend you see the movie (now on DVD) titled . Men’s group, an Australian flick about 6 blokes who end up joining a men’s group for a wide range of reasons.
None of them want to be there, yet they all continue to attend.
Throughout the course of their weekly sessions their issues begin to surface. They talk and help each-other out on issues such as dealing with their own fathers, how to relate with their kids, dealing with death (wife, daughter) , suicide, coping with divorce, coping with anger (from the closeted guy) and more.
A slow start that will initially please the most cynical with (I thought as much, this is all shit) BUT as the movie unfolds it is disarming, confronting and real for all males you consider themselves to be men.
It is raw and full of language and issues blokes relate with…the moral of the story is don’t go it alone, TALK.
I challenge any decent bloke to watch it and not tear-up!