Mantalks Podcast: Purpose | Legacy | Relationships | Self Mastery | Business

I’ve been running ManTalks for almost a decade and I’ve met a ton of amazing people who can speak truthfully and bluntly. But no one speaks carries their truth as authentically as Stephen Jenkinson. I find a lot of what Stephen says is medicinal: you might not think it tastes great, but damn if it isn’t what you need to hear. This is a deep dive into why things are the way they are. Fear of submission, love of consumption, death-phobia, the commodification of trauma, endings, what the pandemic tried to tell us, and so much more. This is from a series I produced recently called The Wisdom of Elders, featuring experts on elderhood and culture to discuss what an “elder” actually is, where we are as a species, how we got here, and where we’re headed. Basically, what the f*** happened? Culture activist, teacher, and author, Stephen Jenkinson teaches internationally and is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, co-founded with Nathalie Roy in 2010, convening semi-annually in Ontario, and

Regret itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but how we deal with regret has deep effects on how we deal with who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few months ago I had the privilege of interviewing this incredible man over Zoom, and it's with a lot of thankfulness that I share that conversation with you now. James' experience working with elders and mentors across multiple continents and cultures, his life growing up on the streets of Chicago, and his work with inmates at Folsom Prison, all of it has given him an unparalleled understanding of what men need to grow, change, lead, build, endure, and most of all, help themselves and the world around them. James is a deeply experienced wisdom holder and expert facilitator whose leadership has been a critical force driving the growth and success of programs at both Folsom State Prison and San Quentin State Prison. He is the executive producer of the documentary, THE WORK, detailing Inside Circle’s program in Folsom Prison. He brings deep expertise in group process work and its application in varied settings. As a member of the Elder Council, James guides our vision for incarcerated and released men. Connec

Men: your ability to navigate uncertainty has a direct effect on your overall confidence, and who doesn't want a little more of that? In this mini-episode, three straightforward ways to better your relationship to uncertainty. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I work with a man who’s been married for 42 years. He wants to be more assertive and provide more direction in his relationship, but is struggling with long-held feelings of low self-worth, fear of failure, and more. What’s behind all of it? Listen through to the end. Every so often, I bring on an anonymous guest for a completely free shadow work session. I make this part of the podcast to help destigmatize mental health work and give back to my community. If you or someone you know would be interested in being an anonymous guest, DM me @mantalks on Instagram, or send an email to info@mantalks.ca. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Allianc

Open social media, confrontation. Open your browser, confrontation. Look out the window, probably some more confrontation. You're not going to get away from conflict, so it's time to learn how to repair your relationship with it, whether you're caught in the trap of avoiding it or the trap of being way too into it. Dig in. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat

In this episode, Francis and I discuss the role of community in processing grief, the cult of specialness, our addiction to progress, using beauty and ritual to stay mentally healthy, and how obsession with individualism has crippled our ability to feel like we belong. That’s just the tip of the iceberg with a man like Francis, and it’s a great honor to hear him speak with such depth and clarity on these complex subjects. Francis Weller, MFT, is a psychotherapist, writer, and soul activist. He is a master of synthesizing diverse streams of thought from psychology, anthropology, mythology, alchemy, indigenous cultures, and poetic traditions. Author of The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief, The Threshold Between Loss and Revelation, (with Rashani Réa), and In the Absence of the Ordinary: Essays in a Time of Uncertainty, he has introduced the healing work of ritual to thousands of people. He founded and directs WisdomBridge, an organization that offers educational programs that

One of the most popular questions I get from both men and women revolves around intimidation. Women ask me why men perceive them as intimidating, and men ask me how to handle an intimidating woman. If you want to know what to do, start by reading the title of this episode, and listen in. We’ve got a lot to talk about: the responsibilities, the challenges, and what might be underneath it all. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mix

It often feels like there is a massive gap between where we are and where we want to be. What’s more, we can spend so much time working to GET somewhere that we lose sight of what we’ve gained along the way. This is what organizational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy and I dove into this episode. I loved this conversation, and I’m thrilled to share it with you, so don’t forget to spread it around. Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author of Willpower Doesn’t Work, Personality Isn't Permanent, and most recently, The Gap And The Gain. He is a prolific blog writer, and his work has been read by over 100 million people, and featured on Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Cheddar, and others. He is a regular contributor to Inc. and Psychology Today, and from 2015-2018, he was the #1 writer in the world on Medium.com.  He and his wife Lauren adopted three children through the foster system in February 2018 and, one month later, Lauren became pregnant wi

Ugh. Self-sabotage. Something I'm sure everyone is familiar with. How does it show up? Why does it happen? Where does it come from? This is what we're diving into this week, with some clear tips on how to end it. And as always, I'd love to hear from you. If you've got followup questions on self-sabotage, the unconscious, or anything else, DM me @mantalks on Instagram. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSe

From your nervous system's view, our culture is swimming in dopamine. Porn, binging junk food, video games, "retail therapy"—things from the innocent to the insidious light our brains up with dopamine, and we often wind up with more than one addiction. But how does it all work, and how do we detox? Addiction to anything is never easy to unpack, so I sat down with the amazing Dr. Anna Lembke for a deep dive into dopakine; how our brain balances pleasure and pain, how it relates to trauma, and how we need to acknowledge the fact that we living in a "drugified" world. Anna Lembke is professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. A clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, keeps

I try not to wrestle too much with political topics on the show, but there have been a number of men—many of them former military—who asked me to at least say something about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the extreme range of reactions to what happened. So here is what came up. If you (or someone you know) served, is struggling, and needs support, please DM me @mantalks on Instagram. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mi

Creating a healthy relationship as an adult requires a fine balance of intimacy and sovereignty. This can be really tough for men who grew up with maternal enmeshment issues—they've got to untangle a maladaptive relationship with their mother. Dr. Kenneth Adams is an expert on helping people do exactly this. We dive deep into what enmeshment looks like, the kinds of confusion and chaos it creates in relationships, and how to break free. Dr. Kenneth M. Adams began his professional career in 1981 treating children, adolescents, and their families. In 1985 he began private practice with the Children of Alcoholic Parents program, an outpatient program for the treatment of adults who had grown up in alcoholic families. It was there that he began to notice that many of these clients had addictions and enmeshment issues, two of his primary specialties today. He wrote his first professional article in 1987 on covert incest and sex addiction in alcoholic families and has since written three books and numerous peer-rev

In this mini-episode, I unpack how there's a kind of resilience and reliability that only shows up when you face what you're afraid of. When you don't, you're unconsciously learning you can't rely on you when things get difficult. Thanks to those of you on Instagram who asked me to clarify this, and don't forget to share this mini-episode with someone you feel will benefit. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The

What is real power? Where does yours come from, and what does it serve? Gary and talk about his latest book, his early life as Green Beret, how to create authentic power and alignment, and expanding your emotional awareness to impact yourself and the world around you. He's been in this space for a very long time, and I'm excited to share his wisdom with you. Gary is the author of four consecutive New York Times bestsellers, including the legendary #1 New York Times bestseller The Seat of the Soul. This book led the way to seeing the alignment of the personality and the soul as the fulfillment of life, and captured the imagination of millions. He is also the author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics, which plumbed the depths of quantum physics and relativity, winning The American Book Award for Science. His books have sold six million copies and are published in thirty-two languages. Over and over, he challenges us to see the depth of our potential in the world, and act on that awaren

I've been asked about this a lot, and I think it's time to answer: how did I move from a high-paying job with one of the biggest companies ever to starting a business helping men be better men? Also, why? Here's what happened.  Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a long-awaited reunion! Jason has been a guiding light and inspiration to multitudes of boys and men, and it's an honor to reconnect with him. We talk about the struggles men face in silence, the culture of "grind", intergenerational trauma, and the need for men to develop a comprehensive masculinity. Jason Wilson is the founder and CEO of the Yunion (pronounced union), a non-profit youth development organization in Detroit Michigan. Since 2003, the Yunion has effectively reached more than 15,000 youth and young adults through innovative prevention programming, trauma-informed care, parental engagement, and counseling. In 2008, Mr. Wilson’s heart for fatherless and misguided black boys inspired him to create and direct the Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy (CATTA).As an expert in Emotional Stability Training®, Wilson’s leadership has garnered the CATTA numerous acknowledgments and awards for his work teaching males how to introspectively confront and conquer their negative emotions wit

Accountability is a bit of a buzzword right now, and I’ve been getting a ton of questions on how men can become more accountable to themselves and to others. As someone who used to suck at accountability, here’s what I’ve learned on how it ties into self-esteem, confidence, confrontation, boundaries, and the path to betterment. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf

The role and power of art in self-healing, initiation, and actualization is (putting it lightly) huge. To that end, I sat down with the incredibly skilled Balazs Bercsényi and his colleague-in-healing, belief coach Kjartan Rumpsfeld. We get into the two bridge art and healing in the form of ritualistic “tattoo retreats”, how Balazs and Kjartan met, the artistic process, and how to change the transactional nature of modern art.   Balazs Bercsényi is a multidimensional tattoo artist from Pécs, Hungary, with a distinct, identifiable, and meticulous style. His artistic work is heavily influenced by ancestral practices and ritual, spirituality, sacred geometry, the occult, and sculpture. He leads the industry as an expert in single needle and fine line black and grey talisman tattoos, which have become his trademark signature for independent art projects. Informed by an apprenticeship and subsequent artistic residency in London, England, at the age of 20 and subsequent international artistic study, his work receiv

As a man, your reputation is a vital piece of the development puzzle. Full stop. In this mini-ep, I dig into why reputation is important, my own experiences in repairing a reputation as a lazy man, Conor McGregor, and what you can do to start examining and repairing your own notoriety. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    Editing & Mixing by: Aaron The TechSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices.