If he's up for it, could he see a counselor? I had an amazing therapist for about 3 years who helped me a lot with self acceptance, and even though I haven't "embraced" the fact that I have an anxiety disorder, I've come to terms with it. The shame is still there to a certain degree, but it's not nearly as bad as it once was. (And it's all thanks to the therapist who worked with me for all those years.)