Inside Out Healing for Men

RESOURCES

A quiet place to find support, tools, and next steps. Healing is not something you do alone, even when it feels deeply personal.
This page exists for moments when you want support, structure, or simply a place to turn.

There is no right order here. Take what fits. Leave the rest.

If You’re Struggling Right Now

If things feel overwhelming or unsafe, support is available.

Immediate Support (Canada)

Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline
Call or text 988
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Talk Suicide Canada
Call 1-833-456-4566
Visit https://www.talksuicide.ca

Reaching out is not weakness. It is interruption, and interruption can save a life.

Sobriety & Recovery Support

These organizations offer peer-based and structured support for people navigating addiction and recovery. Different paths work for different people. What matters is finding one that helps you stay honest and connected.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
https://www.aa.org
Peer-led sobriety support through shared experience.

SMART Recovery
https://www.smartrecovery.org
A science-informed approach focused on self-management and choice.

Recovery Dharma
https://recoverydharma.org
Mindfulness-based recovery communities rooted in compassion and awareness.

Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA)
https://saa-recovery.org
Peer support for individuals seeking recovery from compulsive sexual behaviours.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLA or SLAA)
https://slaafws.org
A 12-Step fellowship for people recovering from addictive patterns involving sex, romance, or emotional dependency.

Men’s Mental Health & Healing

Support for men navigating trauma, emotional regulation, and mental health does not need to look one specific way. These organizations approach healing from different angles and each serves an important role.

The Gatehouse
https://www.thegatehouse.org
Support for adult survivors of childhood trauma, including peer groups and counselling.

Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families (ACOA)
https://adultchildren.org
Peer support for adults who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional homes, focused on emotional sobriety and relationship patterns.

CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
https://www.camh.ca
Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital, offering clinical care, education, and research-based resources.

The Ironwood Project
https://www.ironwoodproject.ca
A community-based organization offering counselling and support groups for men impacted by childhood sexual abuse.

HeadsUpGuys
https://headsupguys.org
Depression resources created specifically for men, with practical tools and real stories.

Tools Referenced on This Site

Many posts on Inside Out Healing for Men reference simple, repeatable tools. These are not techniques to master, but practices to return to.

The Half-Second Rule
A brief pause before reacting, especially when emotions spike.

Body Check-Ins
Short moments of awareness to notice tension, fatigue, or emotional charge.

Self-Care Bingo for Men
Practical care rooted in real life, not perfection.

Books That Shaped My Thinking

These books are not prescriptions. They are companions that helped me make sense of my inner world.

  • The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk
  • The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage – Brene Brown
  • Lifeskills for Adult Children – Janet. G Woititz

Books by Survivors

These books are written from lived experience. They don’t explain healing from the outside, they speak from inside it. Survivor voices carry a different kind of truth, one that often reaches places theory cannot.

Read what speaks to you. Put the rest down.

Professional Help

Inner Counsel Psychotherapy
https://www.innercounseltherapy.ca/

Inner Counsel Psychotherapy offers thoughtful, trauma-informed therapy for adults navigating anxiety, emotional regulation, relationships, and the long tail of early experiences. The work here is paced, respectful, and grounded in helping clients understand themselves from the inside out.

If you’re considering therapy, this is the kind of space where curiosity is encouraged and pressure is kept low.

Lotus Essence Counselling & Psychotherapy
https://www.lecp.ca/

Lotus Essence Counselling & Psychotherapy offers trauma-informed counselling with a strong emphasis on safety, consent, and pacing. The practice includes dedicated experience working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, creating space for healing that honours both vulnerability and resilience.

This is a practice grounded in respect, gentleness, and deep listening, especially for those whose trust has been shaped by early harm.

A Note on Professional Help

Therapy, counselling, and medical support can be powerful parts of healing.
If you are considering professional help, look for someone who understands trauma, addiction, or men’s emotional work.

You are allowed to ask questions.
You are allowed to take your time.
You are allowed to choose.

What This Page Is Not

This page is not a replacement for therapy, medical care, or community support. It is a place to orient yourself, to steady, or to remember that you are not alone.