The Evolving Man Podcast

Brad Leslie was one of the founders of The Young Men's Adventure Weekend , an event that takes teens through a series of challenging adventures designed to draw out the qualities he will need as a man. The creation of the YMAW program was informed by numerous rites of passage from around the world, incorporating long-standing traditions in to a palatable journey for the young men of this era and c...

Robin Clements is a facilitator of an advanced transformational breath technique he calls The Breath Wave . This technique creates altered states of consciousness that can be as powerful and impactful as psychedelics like Ayahuasca and Psilocybin without many of the side effects. Robin has been studying and practicing with the human body for over two decades, and after receiving certifications in...

Hamilton Souther is a traditionally trained Ayahuasca and Tobacco Shaman who was born and raised in the United States. He received formal training in plant medicine work and now operates a retreat centre in Peru called Blue Morpho that offers healing retreats. In is episode we explore Hamilton's wild story and we explore the details of how plant medicines heal ailments like trauma, addiction, and...

Sheleana Aiyana, founder of RisingWoman.com joins me for a conversation about codependency in relationships, as well as a Q & A about relationships where we answer questions from fans about our own realtionship. Codependency is a word that comes up in conversations about healthy/unhealthy relationships. It is a pattern that is prevalent in the relationships all around you, and perhaps in your...

Mike Muscari joins me for a discussion about purpose. We talk about how to cut a path in your life that is aligned with your heart’s desire and your mission in the world. In a world of infinite choice and many voices telling us what we should do, it is all too common to feel lost and directionless in our pursuit of purpose. The process of peeling away the “Shoulds” that have been...

Its time to talk about purpose and fulfillment on the Evolving Man podcast.  Jordan Gray - a sex and relationship coach who has written 10 books - joins me for an in-depth talk about how to find your unique gift and fullfill your dreams. We all face these big questoins in our lives:  "What am I here to do?" "How can I do that thing I'm passionate about?" "When should I make the move? " W...

Robert Kandell, host of the Tuff Love podcast joins me for a conversation about how to have authentic relationships in business, social, and with romantic partners.  Bringing "tough love" and having tough conversations is not easy, and often uncomfortable, but the payoffs for the quality of your relationships is huge.  Robert has a new book our called unHIDDEN: A Book for Men and Those C...

One of my favorite mentors, Phil Teertha Mistlberger joins me on the show to illuminate and discuss "the dark side of the masculine".  In a time where Toxic Masculinity is a common concept - and the outright rejection of that term being equally as prevalent - we need to have a productive conversation that helps us find our way to the other side.  Phil guides us in the direction of seeing...

Mark Groves is a relationship and communication coach. We've previously discussed How To Be A Man  , and wanted to dive in to the concept of "Holding Space". This is often regarded as something that is done in romantic relationships, where one partner sits with another while they are having an emotional process. We outline the long definition of holding space, and the steps you can take to le...

Dr. Joe Tafur has a unique story. While in medical school, in the midst of a low-point in his emotional life, he encountered the world of plant medicines through Peyote (and subsequently Ayahuasca) and found a whole other world-view of healing. After finishing medical school, he split his time between studying plant medicines in the jungle of Peru and practicing medicine in the United States. He i...

"How do I help my sister/uncle/friend with his/her addiction? How can I support them without 'enabling' them?" I get this question all the time, and the answer isn't simple, so I did a solocast to give this subject the long answer it deserves. This podcast is for those of you who have a loved-one or a close friend who is struggling with an addiction.  On this episode I cover: How to assess ho...

Mark Groves, The Human Connection Specialist, joins me for another conversation about masculinity, relationships, and healing our wounds as a group.  Mark provides no BS relationship advice to men and women, drawing on his many years of experience and studies of relationships. He brings his blunt, funny, and outspoken style to our conversation.  On this episode, we discuss: Intro - Mark'...

Gerald Thomas is a researcher and policy maker at the British Colubia Ministry of Health . He is the director of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and gambling policy for the region. Despite working on government policy, he is not an average government worker. He has sat in ceremony with Ayahuasca and was also the head of the first observational study on Ayahuasca in the country which had quantitative an...

Geoff MacKenzie is a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga instructor at MysoreBc. On this episode, we discuss the importance of having a disciplined practice in your life, a practice that challenges your mind, and your body. We also talk about the top 3 things that have shaped Geoff's life.  Geoff is on a mission to raise money for a good cause - stopping human trafficking. He is riding his motorcyle...

Sheleana Aiyana is a writer and group facilitator in Vancouver, BC and she joins me to discuss the implications and importance of doing whats called "Deep Work" - looking inward to explore our consciousness in order to reclaim some of the territory usually dominated by the unconsciouss.  In this episode we discuss the growing movement of women's and men's groups that are involved with deep wo...

Dr. Aaron VanGaver is a Naturopathic Doctor working with addicted people in downtown Vancouver, BC. He treats many of the people that we would classify as "classic addicts", but Aaron himself is also a living breathing example that addiction affects every population, even doctors.  Aaron has his own story of losing connection with himself, finding drugs as a solution, and then finding recover...

Sam Platts is a certified Sex Addiction Therapist practicing in Alberta, Canada. He knows the world of addiction inside and out. In this episode he candidly shares his story of growing up in a troubled home, and finding addictive patterns early in his life. On his journey, he ended up in some very scary places.  Sam has emerged on the other side of his struggles and is now giving back to peop...

In this episode, my friend Jordan Gray joins me for a conversation about addiction, recovery, and healing the wounds that bind us. Jordan's wealth of experience and knowledge comes clear in this engaging conversation about whataddiction really is, and how some people are able to treat it and recover.  Jordan is a sex and relationship coach who helps his clients zero in on whats holding them b...

What does it take to create lasting change? What are the elements that help a man succeed at building the life he wants?  In this episode, Nick Solaczek and I distill the key factors that help a man rise to his highest potential.  We discuss: - VISION - Hard Work - knowing your WHY - doing DEEP WORK - finding support from COMMUNITY.  - The seductive trap of booze, women, games, and...

Will black is a wilderness guide who takes young men out in to the mountains of Alberta as a treatment for addiction. He works for a treatment camp called Shunda Creek, which is a 90 day government funded program for men aged 18-25. The program uses curated experiences combined with intention to carve new pathways in the brain. Will has a wealth of experience in activating change mechanisms in his...

Steve and I discuss the classic "burnout then recover" pattern that many men fall in to. We talk about "the dopamine train" and how many of us get caught spending 99% of our time chasing small dopamine hits. This kind of behavior can be unconscious and harmful to a man achieving his goals. We discuss ways of breaking out of the patterns that hold us back.  Topics covered in this episode: Free...

Jason Marr is a Naturopath doctor in Vancouver, BC. His practice - Evoke Medicine - addresses the holistic health of the individual, with a tailored approach to medicine. He strives for "Integrative Health" with each of his patients, drawing on the best of various healing modalities.  In this episode we talk about: -The caffeine gene -Diet and Nutrition, and the difference between them -...

Matthew Stillman has been doing men's work since he was a young man. He has worked directly with influential figures such as Robert Bly, David Deita, and Mantak Chia. In his years of experience, Matthew has gained wisdom in traditions that are uncommon for the average man.  Join us as we discuss Matthew's latest men's group which contains some novel structures that breathe life in to the grou...

Andy and Mike Zaremba hosted me at the Vancouver Real for a collaborative episode released on Evolving Man and Vancouver Real. I tell my personal story and talk about my past with addiction, and my long road of recovery.  We discuss: -Addiction and its origins -Trauma and birth trauma -Drug rehab -AA and the 12 steps -Spiritual experience -Psychedelics: Psilocybin Mushrooms and Ayahuasca -Saf...

In this episode, Sheleana drops the download everyone needs to hear about birth and menstruation; two topics many men avoid. She shatters cultural assumptions and leads us back towards a more natural, integrated, and empowered path. Sheleana is a writer, a birth doula, and a coach. She is deeply engaged in women's work, facilitating women's circles and workshops with the Rising Woman Sisterhood. S...