Since the domestication of dogs and cats thousands of years ago, the connection between humans and animals has been complex and evolving. Today, it is a significant area of psychological study, and of practice in areas as diverse as animal-assisted therapy and pet bereavement counseling. The Psychology of the Human-Animal Bond offers a contextual framework for practicing and emerging professionals to vital subject matter concerning this growing specialty area by providing essential information to consider in understanding the dynamics of this elemental relationship, both in the larger society and on the client level. In topics ranging from the universal (health benefits of pet ownership) to the timely (the exploitation of fighting dogs), the reader gains perspective on the numerous factors that influence the bond between humans and animals, and the ways in which the bond reflects our own challenges as humans.

The Secret Lives of Men offers an exploration, explanation, and clarification into the hidden realm of the male psyche. This book covers:

 --what men wish women knew about their emotions, thoughts, and points of view

--how important occurrences from childhood shape men’s attitudes, goals, and relationships

--how some of their struggles get recycled in adulthood, affecting work and love

--what a man can do to make peace with his past

--the most effective way to communicate with and offer feedback to men

“Gimmicks are mercifully absent in this revealing introduction to the male psyche that introduces romantic partners and family members to the process of male socialization…Blazina, a male-psychology expert, is a compassionate guide…his effort serves more ably than most as a practical instrument for improving relationships with men...Blazina embraces commonalities between the sexes in this respectful and deeply healing book.” - Publishers Weekly

“…Containing valuable information about the male psyche and destined to be read by female patrons, this is recommended for all libraries.” - Library Journal

This text is the first to provide a contextual understanding of the clinical issues that affect men and masculinity across a wide range of cultural and national settings. It demonstrates that gender can no longer be viewed as an isolated characteristic; in an era of increased globalization, mental health professionals need to take ethnic and cultural issues into account to provide adequate care for male patients. Numerous international perspectives are included and their chapters offer insight into the socio-cultural contexts for counseling men in and from their respective countries by exploring the ways in which "being a man" is socially defined, what unique challenges men face, and how these challenges can be negotiated within their specific cultural settings. Topics addressed will include boyhood notions of manhood, relationship concerns and power, fatherhood, and men’s body image across the life span.

Endorsement From Chris Kilmartin, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of Mary Washington. “This is a vitally important and major contribution to a field still in its infancy: the international psychology of men…”  

 This volume shows how masculinity is a socially constructed entity with a definition that has evolved over time. Masculine icons/heroes and methods of male socialization allow for contextual examination of specific time periods, which is necessary to understand the concept of Western "masculinity." The volume presents "two masculinities," representing the aristocracy and the warrior class notions of how to be a man, that have vied for dominance throughout most of Western culture.

Endorsement From Ronald F. Levant, Ed.D., A.B.P.P., Co-Editor, A New Psychology of Men,. Former President of the American Psychological Association.:
“Using a holistic approach based on a historical and contextual analysis of myth and social structure in Western societies, Blazina challenges the idea that 'masculinity' is a given, a constant, a universal set of behaviors that vary not over time or by culture, and shows how ideals of masculinity evolve. This book is a must read for any serious student of gender.”

Amazon listing of publications, including some scholarly journal articles, available for purchase.