Psychologist Enjoys EMAGES Training Program Dr. Haneefa Mateen, Post-Doctoral fellow A Safe Space to Share Without Punishment or Judgment
D r. Haneefa Mateen is a Post- Doctoral Fellow in Psychology, who counsels participants at EMAGES. She explains that the post-doctoral level, as opposed to interning, “is like having a job but being supervised. At the post-doctorate level, there is not usually training involved, but with the fellowship, there is actually training.” Her trainer is Dr. Butler, whom she shares counseling duties with. She hopes to stay on at EMAGES when she finishes. Educated at Chicago School for Professional Psychology and Illinois School of Professional Psychology, she received her master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. Specializing in substance abuse and sex offender treatment, she provides both individual counseling and group therapy at EMAGES. Dr. Mateen shares that she appreciates the opportunity to provide treatment to men because men don’t typically reach out for therapy and counseling. “I see it as an opportunity to heal and build healthy families.” She points out that typically, it is women who seek out therapy, and they bring their children. They may attempt family therapy, but the men generally don’t want to come. Dr. Mateen shares, "Unfortunately in the USA, it’s sad how
many people don’t have fathers, they didn't grow up with fathers, or even if they have an intact family, the fathers work such long hours.” She wants to make a difference, and helping male clients at EMAGES can do just that, changing the lives, not only of the men themselves but of their wives, children, family, and friends. When asked if the treatment for men is different than for women and children, Dr. Mateen shares that men often don’t feel comfortable talking about their feelings— they don’t have the “language” for them. Dr. Mateen adds, "Many men, when it comes to communication, were taught to speak ‘Sports language.’ And they mostly want to talk about work. The hard part is getting them to talk about something besides work!” She has found that storytelling helps—for example if she counsels someone with relationship problems: “A lot depends on the situation. I might tell them that I didn't know much about relationships when I was younger, in my 20s and 30s. Now that I'm older, I want more out of a relationship. That gets
them talking. How was your parent's relationship? And
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