Mind Over Masculinity

On this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty talks with dyslexia mentor Russell Van Brocklen about a practical, research-aligned way fathers can raise their child’s reading and writing levels at home—without tutors or pricey programs. Russell breaks down his Sentence Builder Approach (word analysis → articulation) that leverages how the dyslexic brain works, shows dads how to co...

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty and entrepreneur Vince Perri (Commercial Claims Advocate; Elite Resolutions) get blunt about the hidden cost of achievement—anxiety, depression, fear, and constant pressure to be “the rock.” Vince shares the breaking point that pushed him to therapy, the mindset-first playbook he adopted (meditation, manifestation, and coaching), and the simple opera...

Upper cervical care sounds small, but its impact on your nervous system can be big. In this straight-talk episode of Mind Over Masculinity, Avik digs into how precise alignment at the top of the spine may influence headaches, sleep quality, stress response, and mental clarity. Dr. Ray Drury explains a simple mirror self-check for postural asymmetry, why brainstem signaling matters, and how to coor...

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty talks with Dr. Walter Bennett about what “anti-ageing” really means beyond creams and hype—covering cellular inflammation, telomere shortening, testosterone decline, and practical regenerative tools like PRP and stem cells. We get a direct look at how diet, environmental stressors, movement, and mindset combine to slow biological wear, restore functi...

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik sits down with Kenny Stoddart—former cybersecurity executive, Ironman triathlete, and founder of Iron Mind Advisors—to unpack why real resilience often starts with surrender, humility, and asking for help. From a cancer diagnosis to alcohol recovery to returning to school for a master’s in mental health counseling, Kenny lays out his IRON framework (Identify, Re...

On this Mind Over Masculinity episode, host Avik Chakraborty and guest Bradley Taylor (founder of The Donut Trap and community-driven business coach) break down what most founders miss: your company can only grow to the level of your emotional maturity. We cover ego death, self-audits, boundary-setting, hiring and firing with respect, and why therapy is a practical leadership tool. If you’re scali...

In this Mind Over Masculinity episode, host Avik cuts through the noise on neuropathy—tingling, burning, numbness that robs mobility and confidence—and gets direct with Dr. Kurt Simons, a chiropractor and founder of Brookfield Disc Center (Wisconsin). They unpack why many men ignore nerve pain, why masking symptoms with medication isn’t a fix, and what a targeted, non-surgical plan can look like....

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with Dr. Albert Charles Bramante—talent agent–turned–psychology PhD, certified hypnotist, and NLP practitioner—to unpack the cultural script that tells men to “man up.” We examine how suppression shows up as isolation, substance misuse, aggression, and burnout—and why vulnerability is a performance advantage in leadership, relationships, an...

On Mind Over Masculinity, Avik digs into the hard edges of losing it all—and rebuilding anyway. Entrepreneur and business podcast coach Roy Coughlan breaks down what it was like to go from managing developments and properties across countries to facing multi-million-dollar liabilities, court actions, and starting from zero. We focus on the mental game: dealing with shame, handling debt collectors,...

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with Traci Austin, Founder & Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, to unpack a practical shift for stressed leaders—turn complaints into clear requests. We tackle why avoidance masquerades as strength, how accountability reduces stress, and a simple blueprint for reframing “My boss never supports me” into outcomes. If you...

In this Mind Over Masculinity conversation, executive coach Maren Perry (Founder & CEO, Arden Coaching) breaks down why “brilliance isn’t the same as effectiveness.” We unpack the traps many men in leadership fall into—over-indexing on structure, shielding with results, and avoiding vulnerability—and how to shift toward people-centered performance without losing accountability. We get practica...

Why do so many men who “do everything right” in personal development—reading books, mastering hacks, hitting big goals—still feel restless, lonely, and purposeless? In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty speaks with Mario Lanzarotti, founder of Aligned Founders and global men’s coach, about the hidden trap of endless self-improvement. Together, they uncover why achievement...

In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with Stefanie Carlstedt, a Human Design strategist and certified high-performance coach, to explore how men can move from hustle-driven burnout into aligned, sustainable leadership. Too often, men are conditioned to chase success using someone else’s playbook—grind harder, push more, ignore their inner signals. Stefanie chal...

On Mind Over Masculinity, consultant and author Harrison Tash lays out how to design a company that thrives with you but doesn’t depend on you. We get practical about decentralizing decisions, preventing founder bottlenecks, spotting burnout early, and applying his 8-to-Create leadership framework so leaders stop firefighting and start leading. Direct, actionable, and built for today’s operators w...

Money isn’t just math—it’s meaning. In this Mind of a Masculinity episode, host Avik and Scott Maderer (Inspired Stewardship) unpack how financial stress becomes a silent test of manhood—fueling anxiety, shame, and burnout. We dig into the trap of “provider = worth,” why overspending masquerades as protection, and how contentment (not complacency) drives healthy ambition. Scott offers a clear refr...

In this powerful episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Sana sits down with Richard Walsh—Marine, champion boxer, black belt, best-selling author, and coach—to explore what masculinity means in today’s world. From losing everything during the 2008 financial collapse while raising six young children, to rebuilding life with faith, discipline, and resilience, Richard shares how true masculinity goes...

Fear and self-doubt don’t disappear on their own. In this straight-talk episode of Mind Over Masculinity, men’s strength coach Sean McManus breaks down a practical path out of burnout: anchor in faith, train the body, and take consistent action. We cover how conviction fuels discipline when motivation fades, why physical capability is a leadership responsibility at home, and how to rebuild confide...

Curiosity isn’t a soft skill—it’s operational. In this Mind Over Masculinity episode, innovation leader and author Joe Lalley breaks down how asking thoughtful questions accelerates decisions, reduces rework, and rebuilds trust on teams. We cover practical ways to make curiosity safe in meetings, why smaller teams often out-learn bigger orgs, and how rapid prototyping turns questions into results....

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik digs into what it actually takes to lead in spaces coded as “male-dominated.” Stephanie Sylvestre—technologist, entrepreneur, and human-potential advocate—breaks down how self-agency, clear boundaries, and language choices shift power without turning every moment into a fight. She distinguishes resilience from tenacity, shows how to build visibility without gran...

In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with executive coach and 3x founder Andrew Poles to unpack one of the hardest transitions in business and life—shifting from operator to CEO. Many men are taught to prove their worth by doing it all themselves, but true leadership demands trust, influence, and the ability to empower others. Andrew shares what it takes to let...

In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with Richard Tierney to unpack men’s hidden battles with trauma, shame, and mental health. Richard shares his groundbreaking 12-step program, Trauma Recovery Anonymous, created to help individuals free themselves from past trauma memories and break the cycle of hopelessness and self-sabotage. Together, they explore why men o...

What does it take to stay deeply human while building systems that can scale? In this Mind Over Masculinity episode, host Avik Chakraborty and leadership coach and fractional executive Andrew Brummer break down the tension between heart-led leadership and operational rigour. Andrew shares how reinvention at 53 sharpened his philosophy: people first, systems next, results always. We cover mindset d...

On Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik sits down with entrepreneur-mentor John Fairclough to dissect how men can drop approval-seeking, dismantle perfectionism, and lead from identity—not image. John frames “Authentic-Ship” as a practical path: clarify your definition of a good man, align decisions to it, build range (softness and strength), and let resilience—not validation—set your course. You’ll h...

In this direct conversation on Mind Over Masculinity, host Avik cuts through performative toughness to ask a harder question: how do men lead when the ground keeps shifting? Leadership author and executive coach Dr. Andy Neillie breaks down his practice of “confident uncertainty”—making the best decision you can today, then iterating tomorrow. We cover transparency without performative vulnerabili...

After a collision—on the road or in life—most men are taught to “tough it out.” In this Mind Over Masculinity episode, Avik Chakraborty talks with Dr. Braxton Nguyen, DC—chiropractor and clinic owner at Access Health Centers (Portland & Beaverton)—about recovering after car accidents and other traumatic hits. We unpack whiplash and nervous-system impacts, the mental load (fear, anxiety, PTSD-l...