Wounded masculinity: Transformation of aggression for male survivors of childhood abuse

Little is known about how to treat men who have been abused in their childhood. This paper is based on the scarce literature and on our own clinical experience. I discuss the tension between traditional masculinity and victimization. Especially aggression is problematized. Inspiration for therapy is found in person-centered therapy and the literature on posttraumatic growth and on gender-specific treatment. The concept of posttraumatic growth leads to the existential aspects of therapies that focus on recovery after trauma. Artwork forms represent ways of connecting and relating that run counter to traditional ideas of masculinity and to the effects of sexual abuse. We show how art therapy can contribute to posttraumatic transformation and to a redefinition of masculinity.