In this episode, I sit down with Dr Audra Horney, a licensed psychologist from Arizona, USA, who specialises in men’s mental health. Audra brings a refreshing mix of humour, honesty, and deep compassion to her work, helping men feel that therapy is a place where they truly belong.

We explore how to make therapy relevant, comfortable, and safe for men — and what happens when men start to connect with their emotions rather than avoid them. Audra shares her journey into specialising in men’s mental health, how she builds trust through authenticity, and why laughter can be such a powerful therapeutic tool.

Together, we dive into big questions around self-compassion, emotional expression, and self-criticism, and look at how approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and psychoeducation can support men in navigating their inner world with greater understanding and courage.

It’s a conversation about expanding what masculinity can mean — one that invites men to show up with both strength and softness.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Audra Horney

01:14 The Importance of Men’s Mental Health

03:25 Challenges Men Face in Therapy

05:17 Creating a Safe Space for Men

09:26 Authenticity in Therapy

15:25 Humour and Rapport Building

18:59 Compassion and Self-Compassion

26:30 Emotional Vocabulary and Expression

29:53 Understanding Emotions in Men

31:03 The Role of Shame in Emotional Expression

35:23 Navigating Self-Criticism

46:22 The Importance of Self-Compassion

48:02 Expanding Masculinity

52:02 Upcoming Projects and Podcast

Links:

Dr Audra Horney's website (and links to socials)

https://www.moderntherapyaz.com/

If you would like to learn more about compassion focused therapy, you can find Dr Stan Steindl's book The Gifts of Compassion here: https://www.ausapress.com/p/the-gifts-of-compassion-how-to-understand-and-overcome-suffering/ 

Say hi on social: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl 

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/StanSteindl 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_stan_steindl/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ 

Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ 

YouTube Video URL: https://youtu.be/ltdqw22oaTI 

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Video hashtags:

men’s mental health, compassion in therapy, self-compassion, internal family systems, IFS therapy, emotional expression, masculinity, shame and vulnerability, humour in therapy, compassion for men, men and emotions, psychology podcast, compassion focused therapy, Dr Stan Steindl, Dr Audra Horney, mental health awareness, therapy for men, emotional intelligence, self-criticism, vulnerability and strength