08 From Talking to Doing: What Makes CBT Click for Men

🔎 Description:

What if therapy didn’t just help you talk—but actually helped you do something different? In this episode of the American Masculinity podcast, licensed therapist Bryce Jennings joins us to unpack why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works especially well for many men. We talk through what CBT actually looks like in session—no psychobabble, just clear, actionable tools. Bryce explains how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors loop together, and why getting a “bird’s eye view” of that loop can be a game-changer. We also break down the importance of “vibe fit”—a concept Bryce highlights as just as important as therapeutic modality—and what to do if traditional therapy hasn’t worked for you. Whether you’re therapy-curious or trying to fine-tune your mental health approach, this episode is packed with clarity, compassion, and practical advice.

💡 Themes We Cover:

· • Why CBT often resonates with men

· • How to know if therapy isn’t working—or just not the right fit

· • The “vibe” factor in therapy success

· • Why structure and clarity matter in mental health work

· • The danger of getting stuck in thought loops

· • Actionable mental health tools that feel masculine-aligned

Chapters:

· [00:00:00] – Why CBT? Bryce’s Approach to Men’s Therapy Bryce shares why CBT works for many men and how he came to use it in his practice.

· [00:04:17] – What CBT Looks Like in Session We break down how CBT handles thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—and why that clarity resonates with men.

· [00:10:45] – The “Vibe Fit” Factor in Therapy Bryce explains why emotional safety and the client-therapist relationship matter as much as any technique.

· [00:17:52] – What If Therapy Hasn’t Worked Before? Why past therapy mismatches don’t mean you’re “not fixable”—and how to find a better fit.

· [00:25:10] – Tools That Stick: Making Change Sustainable How Bryce helps clients build long-term shifts using practical CBT techniques.

· [00:31:48] – Final Reflections: Empowerment Through Understanding Bryce and Tim reflect on the power of clarity, fit, and structure in men’s mental health.

👤 Guest Bio:

Bryce Jennings is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Colorado, specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He helps men, athletes, and high-functioning professionals navigate anxiety, self-doubt, and performance challenges with practical, evidence-based approaches. Bryce is known for cutting through clinical noise to offer tools that actually work—and for being someone clients describe as both calm and clear. You can learn more about his work at [insert Bryce’s website or professional link].

📚 Book Recommendations:

• Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns

• The CBT Toolbox by Lisa Dion

• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl  

https://bookshop.org/lists/amp-08-cbt-book-list

🧠 Fact Check / Context:

• CBT’s Efficacy with Men: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often a good fit for men due to its structured, action-oriented approach. Research suggests men tend to prefer direct, skills-based interventions over emotionally exploratory styles (Ogrodniczuk & Oliffe, 2011). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038800/] 

• Therapeutic Alliance (“Vibe Fit”) Matters: Across modalities, the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes (Horvath et al., 2011). [https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022186] 

• Men Drop Out of Therapy More Often: Men are statistically more likely to drop out of therapy prematurely, often due to masculine norms that discourage emotional vulnerability or mismatched therapy expectations (Seidler et al., 2016). [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.09.002]

Citations:

Horvath, A. O., Del Re, A. C., Flückiger, C., & Symonds, D. (2011). Alliance in individual psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 9–16. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022186

Ogrodniczuk, J. S., & Oliffe, J. L. (2011). Men and depression: The influence of gender on accessing care. Canadian Family Physician, 57(2), 153–154. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038800/

Seidler, Z. E., Dawes, A. J., Rice, S. M., Oliffe, J. L., & Dhillon, H. M. (2016). The role of masculinity in men’s help-seeking for depression: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 49, 106–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.09.002