The clamming up thing...most men do it. We have no idea how to communicate our feelings, good or bad. We we raised that was and genetically programmed that way.
That inertia is very difficult to overcome. All you can do is offer up your emotional reaction to the news and offer an war if he wants to respond.
He has to want to talk about it...no wild horses gonna drag emotions out of a man if he don't won't to. Now a good councillor can help, but I'd bed a dime to a donut that most men have no inkling of desire for that unless he has something to lose if he doesn't, he won't go.
