The Restorative Man Podcast

Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is stop producing. In this conversation, Jesse French and Cody Buriff talk about what it means to let parts of our lives “lay fallow” —to rest, to pause, and to trust that unseen work is still happening beneath the surface. They explore why rest isn’t laziness, but wisdom, and how our constant drive to achieve can actually rob us of long-term health. Tog...

Sometimes the most important work isn’t in the harvesting but in the sorting that follows. Cody and Jesse talk about what it means to “thresh” our stories—to separate what’s real and life-giving from what’s just been protecting us. They explore how our masks and old ways of coping can hide the truer parts of who we are. Together they wonder what it looks like to name both the pain and the glory of...

It’s fall, and Jesse and Cody are leaning into what this season has to teach us about our own lives. Harvest is more than gathering crops; it’s about looking back and naming what’s been growing in us over the past year. Maybe some things thrived, maybe others didn’t—but either way, this is a time to take stock without shame. They talk about how reflection helps us see what’s been formed in our hea...

Sometimes growth feels invisible and you wonder if anything is really happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Cody, Jesse, and Alison Buriff explore the surprising wisdom of the garden and what it teaches us about patience, tending, and transformation. From soil health to the slow process of rooting, they connect the hidden work of plants with the hidden work of our own lives. You will hea...

Cody and Jesse sit down to talk about the beauty and ache of raising daughters. From the first time you hold them to the teenage years that stretch you in new ways, the journey brings both joy and grief. They share stories of tenderness, protection, and the surprising wisdom their daughters have offered back to them. This isn’t just about parenting skills, but about how fathering changes a man fro...

Jesse and Jeremy kick off this episode laughing and teasing each other, but pretty quickly the conversation turns to something deeper. They play a clip from Jeremy’s interview with John Tyson that names a truth many men have never heard clearly enough: you are needed. Not when you get everything figured out, not when you feel strong enough, but right now as you are. Together they talk about how ea...

It’s easy to spend years playing a role and lose touch with who you really are. We all create masks and false selves to survive disconnection or to chase the love we longed for but didn’t know how to receive. In this episode, Chris and Jesse explore the reality that every man wrestles with a false persona, and every man is invited to risk laying it down. They unpack what it means to return to your...

Parenting has a way of exposing just how quickly we can lose our cool. In this episode of The Restorative Man Podcast , Chris Bruno and Jesse French talk about the practice of non-anxious curiosity, a simple but powerful way to stop yelling at your kids and become a calm dad. Sparked by a conversation with Mark Batterson on the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit, they explore how choosing curiosit...

 So many men grow up cutting off parts of themselves just to fit expectations. In this episode, Cody Buriff and Jesse French share a teaser from Jesse's interview with Taylor Calmus, aka "Dude Dad", featured in the upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Summit. Taylor talks about chasing creativity, rediscovering childhood passions, and why refusing to box yourself in can actually lead to a more aut...

In this episode, Jesse French and Greg Ehlert share a heartfelt conversation sparked by Greg’s interview with John Ortberg on spiritual disciplines. They unpack how practices meant to bring us closer to God can easily slip into performance and self-evaluation, leaving us striving instead of resting in grace. With insights from Dallas Willard and vivid metaphors like sailing and surfing, they refle...

Cathy Loerzel says the world needs men in their most redeemed form—men who don’t apologize for their manhood but offer it as strength, not power. In this teaser for her interview in the upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Summit, Chris and Cody unpack the tension so many men feel between being “too much” and “not enough,” and how those messages often start in childhood. They share how fear of hur...

Ever feel like life didn’t turn out the way you hoped, and you’re left holding the pieces of what you thought would be? In this episode, Cody and Jesse sit down to talk about disillusionment—how it shows up in our faith, families, and even our own growth, and why it might not be the enemy we think it is. With a powerful snippet from Dan Allender (part of our upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Su...

 In this episode, Jesse French and Cody Buriff explore what truly defines adventure—not just epic outdoor experiences, but everyday moments that challenge and shape us. They identify four essential aspects of adventure: wilderness (the unknown), risk (the possibility of loss), struggle (both internal and external), and glory (the beauty or transformation that follows). Through stories ranging from...

What do a plague of locusts and our inner world have in common? In this vivid and surprisingly relatable conversation, Cody and Jesse unpack how a scarcity mindset can transform us—just like grasshoppers turning into swarming locusts when the environment shifts. Through stories from childhood, garden failures, and even reality TV survival shows, they explore how fear of “not enough” can quietly di...

Summer’s in full swing, but what if now is the perfect time to look ahead? In this episode, Chris and Jesse invite us to lift our eyes from the daily grind and glimpse something on the horizon—The Grove. They share the heart behind this unique gathering of men, where connection and equipping go hand in hand. From its humble beginnings in a Wyoming basement to a movement rooted in the metaphor of t...

Summer can feel like a juggling act, between work, kids, house projects, and the pressure to make every moment Instagram-worthy. In this episode, Chris and Jesse reflect on how they’re navigating two very different family rhythms during the summer months. They explore the myth of summer being a “slower” season for adults and challenge the idea that it has to be filled with big plans to be meaningf...

A quick drive to a summer basketball camp turns into an unexpected heart-stirring moment for Jesse when he runs into the coaches who once shaped his teenage years. In this episode, he and Chris unpack how affirmation, especially from people who matter, can echo across decades and still touch something deep inside. They talk about the difference between being affirmed for your performance versus be...

What do fish and chips, flying french fries, and a rowdy Scottish pub have to do with becoming a Sage? In this episode, Chris and Jesse reflect on their recent trip to Scotland with a group of men exploring what it means to step into midlife with intention. From the tremors of transition to questions of identity, legacy, and regret, they share the kinds of conversations that shape a man’s decades...

What does it really mean to launch your kids well? In this episode, Chris and Jesse unpack the transition from fathering children to walking alongside them as young adults—with all the joy, grief, and humility it requires. They share powerful moments from Trek: Kenya, a father-teen expedition that invites dads into raw conversations and real growth. From the weight of past mistakes to the wonder o...

Jesse sits down in person with longtime friend and retired firefighter Kevin Lyon for a raw, thoughtful conversation about vocation, transition, and identity. From the unexpected pivot out of pastoral ministry to crawling through tight fire academy pipes (literally)Kevin shares how his journey has been shaped by fear, purpose, and presence. He reflects on what it meant to be an “undercover pastor”...

Chris is back from a three-month sabbatical, and in this episode, he and Jesse dive into what that time really held. Hint: it wasn’t just naps and novels on the beach. They explore the difference between being tired and being truly weary, and why the latter can’t be fixed with just a vacation. Chris opens up about the hard and beautiful work of processing grief, naming loss, and discovering what g...

Whether you’re a die-hard fan or someone who’s never cared about sports, this episode has something for you. Jesse and Michael Krommendyk explore how sports can be both a bonding force and a barrier for men trying to connect meaningfully. They reflect on childhood memories, emotional investments in games, and the pressure to find belonging through shared interests. But they also make space for men...

Sometimes the most defining moments in our lives don’t come with clarity—they come with exhaustion, heartbreak, and longing. In Part 2 of his story, Ike Dolby shares what it meant to be in the thick of disappointment and disconnection, craving his father’s presence and learning to reach for community. He tells of how light broke through in the form of phone calls, honest friends, and even laughter...

Jesse and Cody catch up with their old friend Ike Dolby , whose story isn’t clean or easy—but it’s real. Ike opens up about his marriage falling apart, the quiet loneliness of trying to hold it all together, and the gut-punch of discovering layers of betrayal. For years, he believed if he just tried harder, prayed harder, and sacrificed more, things would work out. But it didn’t—and instead of res...

In this episode, Jesse French and Cody Buriff dive into the surprising depth of fly fishing—not just as a hobby, but as a gateway to connection, healing, and invitation. From Jesse’s first cast in Montana to Cody’s unexpected beginner’s luck, the conversation explores how small moments outdoors can uncover big truths about story, identity, and desire. They reflect on what it means to be invited in...