ManTalks Podcast

Talking points: exercise, stress, science, testosterone, mindset I think this episode takes the cake for highest amount of information. Dr. Layne Norton is. on. fire. Seriously, dig into this if you’re looking for what REALLY works (hint: it’s probably not going to be the fun option). We cover everything on managing stress, testosterone, and the right mindset to bring it all home. (00:00:00) - Wha...

Talking points: grief, fatherhood, anger, masculinity The void left by a father who’s gone can feel impossibly difficult to handle for many men. I’ve had a lot of them in my practice, and the impacts on their life can be pretty severe. If you or someone you know grew up without a father, strongly encourage you to listen to this one. These are the lessons you might have missed. (00:00:00) - Intro a...

Talking points: attachment, relationships, intimacy You’ve heard about attachment. Maybe you’ve discovered you or your partner (or both!) have a specific kind. Ok, cool. But what do you DO with that info? How do you move forward? That’s exactly what Sarah Baldwin and I sat down to discuss. From the deep origins of our survival strategies, to their impact on intimacy, and how to work WITH it all an...

Talking points: mindset, death, change Alright, you’re past 30. Assuming you’re past the usual advice you get from all the corners of the internet, what’s next?  Because all the “you need to make more money, you need to get to the gym, you need to wake up earlier” stuff is fine—don’t get me wrong—but it's also entry-level work. Listen in for the harder stuff. (00:00:00) - Intro and the first thing...

Talking points: grief, loss, relationships, masculinity, anger I met David at a psychotherapy symposium a while back, and it wasn’t long before we were sharing some of the things we’ve grieved. He just has that calm yet strong presence. He’s also, of course, an absolute expert therapist. We dig into everything loss in this episode; how the 5 stages actually work, what death does both for and to us...

Talking points: self-worth, mindset This is a wildly simple fact, but so easy to miss. Self-esteem is built along the way, not something you find at the end of the work. Listen in. (00:00:00) - Intro and real reason your self-esteem takes a hit (00:03:14) - The secret hope (00:07:16) - It’s that simple, and that hard *** Pick up my book, Men's Work: A Practical Guide To Face Your Darkness, End Sel...

Talking points: stuckness, energy, trauma Back in May, this anonymous guest came to me trying to solve what’s blocking him from making important decisions and taking action. We uncovered a traumatic event that started this, but that’s just the start of the process. Here are the next steps in understanding and healing this man’s trauma and helping him move forward. Strongly encourage you to check o...

Talking points: routines, mindset I’m serious when I say this changed my life—and that’s coming from someone that hated mornings in general. It took a long time to turn into a habit, but it was absolutely worth it. Listen in. (00:00:00) - Intro and first step: actually get out of bed. Early. Here’s how to make it easier (00:05:57) - Drink a LOT of water right when you get up, and get the double S:...

Talking points: PTSD, trauma, intimacy, relationships It's hard sometimes to know where to begin when it comes to traumatic experiences. Even harder when they're PTSD-level, or secretly impact your relationships/intimacy/work life. Which is exactly why I'm grateful folks like Dr. Frank, who live at the intersection of cutting-edge research, lived experience, and calm strength. We dive right into W...

Talking points: monogamy, relationships, culture Well, can they? This started with me wondering why certain men who are notorious for sleeping around are suddenly hopping on the monogamy train, and ended with me hitting the record button and getting curious. And honestly, this is way more complicated than a binary "men must/can or must not/can't be faithful partners". Listen in and let me know you...

Talking points: sex, technique, communication, relationships From the foundational ideas to simple practices you can start literally right now, this episode has it all. Deeply appreciate the wildly intelligent insight and practical advice here, courtesy of intimacy and relationship coach Caitlin V Neal. She says the V stands for Victorious; listen to this and I'm pretty sure you'll be feeling vict...

Talking points: mental health, mindset, diet, Whether you're just starting out with "the work" or you've snapped up a thousand books and podcasts, it pays to go back to the high-level now again again. This is a bird's-eye view of my framework on mental health, plus straightforward tactics that have been proven time and again by science, history, and my own personal experience. Dig in. (00:00:00) -...

Talking points: neurology, biology, trauma, mindset This was one of the most informative episodes I've ever recorded. As expected of Mastin Kipp, an old friend and incredible coach. We covered everything nervous system—and how there may be what you might call a "unified theory of trauma". Wildly grateful for this one! Note: we had some audio trouble for the first bit, but it cleans up after minute...

Talking points: fatherhood, mindset, perfectionism To many of you, I'm still pretty new to the dad game, but it's honestly boggled my mind how much being one has changed my life and perspective on things. These are just a few of the things I've learned—or you could say my son has taught me. 00:00:00) - Intro, and number one: masculinity is modeled (00:07:51) - “I would die for my kids, but I won’t...

Talking points: transitioning, parents, resistance Sometimes in life, we feel stuck, and that can happen even after you've done "the work" and developed a deeper understanding of how your past shaped your present. My anon guest this week (like many of us) has trouble feeling feelings. Together, we dig a little into where that comes from and why. (00:00:00) - Intro and what it was like growing up (...

Talking points: truth, social media, relationships, men, culture Phew! Mark and I covered about a million things this episode, but that's what happens when you've been friends for over a decade. There's an overarching theme though: getting caught up in narratives, and how that actually fractures our ability to stay relational and kind to people. Dig in for this very wide-ranging conversation. Edit...

Talking points: mindset, social media, sex Out of everything I've done, this is one of the simplest and most effective. To be clear, it's not about going abstinence-only or becoming a prude. It's about freeing mental bandwidth and take, taking ownership of my desires, and creating direction in my life. Dig in. (00:00:00) - Intro, and why this isn’t about being a prude (00:02:14) - The DBC: Digital...

Talking points: trauma This was an honor. The word trauma gets thrown around a lot these days, so it's important to get back to basics and really sink into what's going on and why. After all, this is humanity we're talking about, and we're nothing if not complex. Peter is a legend in therapy circles for his groundbreaking work in somatic education and trauma work, so we dug into many of the differ...

Talking points: mindset, relationships, sex, culture Mildly spicy title, serious thoughts within. All joking aside, there are a number of things that most of us men do that undercut or diminish our sense of inner leadership, authority, and trust. These are the top 10 that I've seen in my work and in myself. (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:28) - Stop making excuses for not working out regularly, and sto...

Talking points: relationships, sex I've worked with a LOT of men and a TON of couples in relationships, situation-ships, and what have you. When it comes to what YOU as a man can do to craft a thriving partnership, there are 3 sort of "rules" that have come up again and again. They're also what changed the game for me and led to the wildly wonderful marriage I have now. Listen in. (00:00:00) - Int...

Talking point: relationships, communication, boundaries I am so honored to be talking to Nedra this week, whose work and words have helped untold numbers of people. Her work on boundaries balances firmness with kindness in a way that I find inspiring. If you're wondering how to be more assertive and have deeper communication in all your relationships, this is gonna be your episode. (00:00:00) - In...

Talking points: social media, masculinity, culture, the manosphere You know the type. The conflict-focused, disrespectful bastions of non-matured masculinity. All loudly promising—if only you follow their framework—the secret to making millions and having your own harem. I get a lot of asks to weigh on this. Specifically, what makes these guys so popular. Here are my thoughts. (00:00:00) - Intro a...

Talking points: relationships, sex Thrilled to have Dr. Laurie return! This time, we go deep on sexual attachment. How it shows up, how it's a little different than the attachment styles you might know of, and what might be blocking it in your relationship. There is TONS of good info and insight here, team, so listen closely. (00:00:00) - What is the “sexual attachment cycle”? (00:05:59) - Where d...

Talking points: anxiety, relationships You asked, I answer! The latest Man's Guide, specifically for folks dating someone with anxious attachment or just general anxiousness. I've had a ton of couples come to be asking how to tackle this, so here are the important things to ask yourself, and six points you can work on right away. (00:00:00) - Intro and one of the most important elements to shiftin...

Talking points: masculinity, culture, relationships What is it men are actually looking for? We know how media tends to define "masculinity", but what is it men are wanting to define? I sat down with MELD founder and fellow coach Owen Marcus to dig into some of this, because we've both found that what men really want and what mainstream narratives say they want are often two different things. Dig...