Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys

Boys are growing up in a world that will define manhood for them if we don’t. What happens when a father decides to build a legacy on purpose — instead of by accident? 🎙 In This Episode A powerful conversation about responsibility, redemption, and what it means to become the father you didn’t have. In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys , I sit down with father-child relat...

Boys are growing up in a world where sexuality is instant, private, and unfiltered. What happens when curiosity meets secrecy before it ever meets guidance? 🎙 In This Episode A grounded conversation about pornography, shame, and connection. In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys , I sit down with Licensed Professional Counselor Patrick Eilers for a thoughtful and nuanced c...

Boys are drowning in information and starving for steadiness. What happens when a man chooses regulation over reaction… rhythm over chaos… responsibility over performance? 🎙 In This Episode In this episode of Unlocking The Parenting Code: All About Boys, I sit down with Casey Muze to explore how grounded men are formed — and what parents can do right now to model that steadiness. Casey shares his...

In this episode, I sat down with Antonio Sosa for a conversation about masculinity, emotional development, identity, and relationships. Antonio shares his personal journey growing up in a traditional Mexican family, navigating cultural displacement, emotional numbness, and rigid expectations of manhood. Together, they explore how boys learn to survive emotionally, how those survival strategies can...

In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Swick, a young man whose life story begins in Guatemala and unfolds in Wisconsin. Jeremy was adopted as an infant after spending his first six months in an overcrowded orphanage during Guatemala’s civil war. What I didn’t fully understand going into this conversation was just how fragile and uncertain his start to life had been—and how deeply those early exp...

In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys , Kathy sits down with Keanu Mendoza, a warm, reflective, and deeply thoughtful young man whose early life could have easily led him down a familiar path of drugs, gangs, and incarceration. Raised without his parents present, Keanu spent his early childhood with his grandmother before her passing, and later with an aunt and uncle who...

In this episode, Kathy sits down with Joey Stoneburgh , — a corrections officer, husband, father, and podcast host — for an honest look at childhood, masculinity, mental health, and the reality of working inside Canada’s largest jail. Joey opens up about growing up between two homes, the feeling of not fully belonging, the decisions that could have taken his life in a different direction, and the...

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Kathy sits down with Pat Barber —father of four boys, longtime CrossFit leader, and thoughtful voice on masculinity, parenting, and personal growth. Pat opens up about the evolution of his core values, his marriage, and the lessons he brings into raising boys today. Together, they explore conflict, communication, risk-taking, digital safety, sexual...

In this first solo episode of Season 3, Kathy reflects on what she has learned from 21 in-depth conversations with young men, dads, and experts on male mental health and masculinity. With November marking Men’s Mental Health Month, she explores why it’s so important that parents, caregivers, and communities pay closer, more consistent attention to the emotional well-being of boys and young men. Ka...

When fatherhood meets entrepreneurship, life can feel like a balancing act — one that tests patience, priorities, and purpose. In this warm, honest conversation, Kathy talks with Thomas Buttino , a dad of three (including twin toddlers!) who’s learning how to build both a thriving business and a deeply connected family life. Together, they talk about the real stuff — curiosity, boundaries, mistake...

 My conversation with Yenson She was filled with quiet insight and genuine reflection on what it means to be a young father in Hong Kong today. Though he grew up during the years when the city was transitioning from British to Chinese rule, Yenson described his childhood as simply that — an ordinary boyhood untouched by politics or change. Now a father and host of the podcast Ordinary But Uni...

From the rush of a semi-professional motorcycle career to the quiet reckoning of divorce and fatherhood, Corey Baum has lived the full spectrum of what it means to chase control — and what it costs to find connection. People described him as “always at a five” — never too high, never too low — steady on the outside, but disconnected within. Behind the image of the capable man was someone using ach...

Sagi Ayalon is a man who has had to start over. His story spans continents, careers, and deep inner transformations. Born in Israel and now living in New York, Sagi’s life has taken him from the army to entrepreneurship, from marriage and fatherhood to heartbreak and profound spiritual renewal. After losing not only his marriage but also connection with his two young sons, Sagi turned to his Buddh...

In this episode Stefanos Koutsoumpis shares how his childhood shaped a lifetime of chasing success; but happiness always eluded him. Raised as the third of four boys in a crowded household, and a strained relationship with his father, Stefanos grew up learning routine, duty, and a message that “finding a job, a wife and kids” was enough. Emotional expression — especially anger or conflict — was di...

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Mitchell, the creator and host of the hit podcast Autism Rocks and Rolls . Sam shares his journey of growing up on the autism spectrum — from the challenges of school and social life to the strength he found through family, self-advocacy, and eventually, his podcasting platform. Sam opens up about what he wishes more parents of boys understood, how gender roles...

What does it mean to grow up fast, find role models in unexpected places, and carry those lessons into some of the most high-stakes environments imaginable? In this episode, I sit down with Ryan MacDougall — podcaster, storyteller, and Correctional Peace Officer — to explore the intersections of masculinity, resilience, and mental health inside and outside prison walls. Ryan shares candidly about...

In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys! , Kathy sits down with Prof. Maurizio Rosini —international trainer, men’s coach, and founder of MyMasterMan , a movement dedicated to redefining modern masculinity. After years of success in the corporate and fashion worlds, Maurizio realized that achievement without meaning leaves men empty. Today, he guides men to drop the masks o...

In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys! , Kathy sits down with Dr. Will Dobud—researcher, educator, outdoor therapist, and co-author of Kids These Days: Understanding and Supporting Youth Mental Health . Together, they explore the complex realities facing boys and young men today, from the challenges of the education system to the importance of play, risk-taking, and authe...

Welcome back to Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys ! In this episode, host Kathy sits down with Scott Taylor Peek , a former private investigator and business owner who has reinvented himself as a Mental Health Coach. Scott is a staunch advocate for men’s mental health, focusing on resilience, healing, and reinvention. Scott shares his personal journey — from privilege to loss, burnout,...

Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicide and mental health struggles.  At just 33, Craig has lived more life than most. Through deep pain, confusion, and two suicide attempts, he rebuilt himself into a better human, father, and husband. By speaking openly about his struggles, Craig offers a hopeful road map for others: it’s possible to come through, do the hard inner work, and use that...

In this rich and grounded conversation, Kathy sits down with Teddy Stripling , a school counselor, therapist, and host of the Talking Emotions podcast, to explore the emotional lives of boys through the lens of Gestalt therapy, fatherhood, and years of experience in both schools and private practice. Teddy brings over a decade of experience working with children and teens, and shares how his journ...

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, we explore the science of sports injury, recovery, and brain health with Paige Roberts —sports psychology consultant, brain optimization expert, and founder of Performance Neuro Training. Paige explains how both physical and emotional trauma—such as concussions, chronic stress, and performance pressure—impact the brain, and how specific therapies can help...

In this episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys , Kathy sits down with Samir Aweidah—a deeply thoughtful, nuanced thinker whose life journey spans cultures, questions, and real conversations about what it means to grow into manhood today. From growing up with young parents in the Middle East to navigating identity, masculinity, and mental health in Canada, Samir shares insight into...

Many young men, like Jack, grow up carrying the weight of a challenging childhood, stepping into adulthood with a fragile or diminished sense of self. Jack’s voice gives shape to what has been called the Silent Crisis—a growing mental health concern among men—and offers a vivid, personal glimpse into what it means to be one of the many boys who feel lost. Listening to this conversation opens a doo...

This episode has the power to transform how we see neurodiversity. Nova’s passion mirrors my own: awareness, understanding, and perspective are the essential ingredients for creating a more compassionate world for anyone who doesn’t fit society’s mold. By viewing neurodiversity through a new lens, parents and children alike can recognize that there’s nothing “wrong” with them—they simply communica...