During our one-hour webinar on men's mental health, our lineup of expert panelists will explore how unresolved trauma amongst men can lead to mental illness.
Untreated mental illness among men remains one of the most persistent and overlooked public health challenges—one shaped not only by stigma, but by community environments, cultural expectations, and gaps across the healthcare system.
Topics will include:
- The role of social support systems—and their absence
- Coping mechanisms that mask, rather than address, mental health needs
- Fear, self-perception, and internalized stigma
- The importance of culturally competent care
- The ongoing need for more male clinicians and identity-informed providers
- What organizations and communities are doing to respond
Our panel brings together clinicians, researchers, and community organizers who work directly with these challenges every day. Through data, community insights, and lived experience, they will highlight actionable strategies to increase engagement in mental health services, expand support systems, and build culturally informed environments where men can safely seek help.
This session is ideal for service providers, educators, community-based organizations, public health teams, and anyone committed to strengthening mental‑ ‑health access for men across diverse backgrounds.
Meet our Panelists
Alejandro Soria, Moderator
Senior Vice President, The Village Family Services
Alejandro Soria, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Senior Vice President at The Village Family Services, a community mental health organization serving children, families, and Transition‑Age Youth across Los Angeles County. He brings extensive experience in clinical practice and mental health program leadership, with a strong focus on trauma‑informed and culturally responsive care. Through his community‑based work, Alejandro helps create thoughtful, inclusive spaces that encourage help‑seeking, reduce stigma, and improve access to mental health support.
Dr. Manuel Rivera, Panelist
Director of TAY Housing and Child Welfare, Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services and Lecturer at California State University Los Angeles
Manuel Rivera, PhD, brings more than two-decades of experience to his role as Director for Optimist’s residential and foster care programs since joining the agency four years ago. Dr. Rivera’s distinguished career path includes Senior VP of Clinical and Community Services at Children’s Institute, Inc, overseeing large children’s mental health and foster care programs, and serving as part-time faculty at California State University, Los Angeles Counseling Programs.
Cesar Guijarro, Panelist
Associate Mental Health Therapist, The Village Family Services – Adult FSP
Cesar is a Full Service Partnership (FSP) mental health therapist and Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW) specializing in crisis intervention with individuals across high-acuity needs, including severe mental health challenges, chronic substance use, and trauma. His personal philosophy centers on meeting clients where they are with compassion, dignity, and cultural humility, while believing that healing is possible even in the most complex circumstances. Outside of clinical work, Cesar enjoys weekly movie nights, working out, spending time with family and friends, savoring his daily cup of coffee, and playing with his cats.
DeManuel Edmondson, Panelist
Coordinator of Youth Initiatives, A Call To Men
DeManuel Edmondson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 10 years of experience. Before joining A Call to Men, he served as the Director of Adolescent Services at Bergen Family Center (BFC), spearheading transformative mental health and healthy youth development services for the local high school, middle school, and wider community. Within his role, DeManuel collaboratively developed and implemented evidence-based prevention and intervention policies and programs designed to educate and empower youth on their path to adulthood. DeManuel also co-led the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action Committee, instilling trauma-informed practices throughout the organization’s policy and procedures. With a commitment to empowering others to pursue holistic well-being, DeManuel strives to create safe and inclusive spaces that inspire others to embrace authenticity, pursue their aspirations, and embark on transformative life journeys
This event is generously sponsored by Valley Community Healthcare & Gallagher