But For Real Episode 24: Men’s Mental Health & The Power of Gaming with Sam DiMartino 👾

Podcast
Written By Colleen Conklin

This episode of But For Real features a very special guest: The Gaia Center’s very own therapist + Client Journey Liaison, Sam DiMartino, chatting about all things men’s mental health and the power of gaming!

Sam DiMartino Men's Therapist Nashville

In his clinical work, Sam supports individuals and couples through an array of topics like grief, trauma, toxic masculinity + men’s issues, systemic oppression, identity exploration etc and also leads our men’s group Tearing Down The Walls! As our Client Journey Liaison he assists our leadership team with ensuring excellent client care and experience, and he does a damn good job. When he’s not therapizing, you can find him gaming, creating, being a literal comedian and sharing his love with his wife Ruby and their two (adorable) cats Sophie and Claus. 

This episode covers:

Tea & Crumpets

Sam is loving playing the new Donkey Kong Bananza game on his new Nintendo Switch 2. He had quite the adventure to get his hands on the console, but it was well worth the effort.

Val has always loved ambient music videos on YouTube, and she’s currently particularly loving the forRest Mind Ambiance channel, thanks to the adorable woodland creatures. 🥹

Emerson is currently obsessed with Heartstopper, an amazing Netflix show about two teenage boys navigating young adulthood and falling in love. The show isn’t new, but it’s new to Em, and she can’t stop watching!

Step Into My Office: Is my little brother addicted to video games?

A listener wrote in about being worried that her younger brother may be spending too much time playing video games. She has heard of gaming addiction, and while she’s glad he’s not out engaging in risky behaviors, she’s also concerned. Sam shares a lot of great advice, with the overarching theme being getting curious about what feels concerning and also seeing if it can be a point of connection instead of disconnection. Want to hear more? You’ll have to check out the full episode!

The DSM: Men’s Mental Health and the Impact of Video Games in Today’s Culture

Emerson starts the segment by sharing why it’s important to be having this conversation now –– three of the major factors include the rise of cultural conservatism, the manosphere, and atrocious “role models” like Andrew Tate.

Sam shares a bit of his thoughts on the “male loneliness epidemic.” One of these thoughts is that many bad actors use the term for justifying doing bad things, leading to poisoning what is a likely well-meaning phrase.

Then, we dive into the topic of if there is enough emotional language for men in today’s culture––and the short answer is yes, however, we don’t necessarily have normalization around men using the language that does exist.

Sam also speaks to the reality of different particular populations/identities within masculinity whose experiences with loneliness are even more overlooked. He especially speaks to bisexual erasure.

He also provides suggestions for men who want to open up more about their emotions and seek connection but have previously had negative experiences when doing so, such as looking for people in your life who are “low hanging fruit” and may be more likely to have a positive experience with vs. someone brand new.

The second part of the segment digs into gaming, especially how despite media misinformation, video games can actually be positive for mental health. Want to learn more? You’ll have to listen to the full episode!

Now That’s What I Call…OKAAAAY

Sam shares one of his fave songs, ZZZ Top by Aesop Rock. Aesop Rock is one of very few rappers with over 7,000 unique words across his entire music library. As a result, the lyrical content of his work is impeccable.

Fire Dumpster Phoenix

Val’s find for this week is an article about how hundreds of thousands of people in Seoul, South Korea have been helped by community centers for single people.

Emerson’s find for this week is an article about why millions of seniors are playing video games and the overall potential benefits of video games for older people.

Sam shared some very good news that after a minor procedure, his adorable cat Claus (pictured here) is doing great––and is even trying to fight him. 😂

If you want to learn more about any (or all) of these topics, click the podcast player at the top of this post or the YouTube video down below to listen to the full episode and dive in with us.

Resources + Stuff Mentioned in This Episode:

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DISCLAIMER: But For Real Podcast is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment or healthcare. This podcast is solely for entertainment and educational purposes. If you are in crisis, please utilize crisis support services, such as the Crisis Text Line (Text START to 741741 in the US) or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: (Call 988 in the US), or visit www.findahelpline.com for international resources.

Colleen Conklin
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Building Secure Relationships: From Attachment Wounds to Lasting Connection