I had an incredible conversation on Shift Talking with Davina Hayne, diving into what actually happens when men come together to do the real work. We covered a lot of ground, from the emotional loneliness so many men are experiencing to what it looks like when guys finally find a space where they can be fully themselves.
One thing that stood out to me in this conversation was talking about how women partners can struggle when men actually start opening up. I see this all the time. A woman spends years asking her partner to be more vulnerable, more present, more emotional. And then when he finally does it, there's this discomfort that shows up. It's not about blame at all. It's about recognizing that we all carry conditioning around what masculinity is supposed to look like, and when a man steps outside those old stories, it can shake up the whole dynamic.
We also got into the physical piece of men's work, why in-person groups matter so much, and how skin-to-skin contact and embodied presence create the kind of safety that men rarely experience anywhere else. This isn't about sitting around in a circle sharing feelings for the sake of it. It's about nervous system regulation, learning how to be with uncomfortable emotion, and building the capacity to show up differently in relationships.
The conversation touched on sex and intimacy too, how many men use sex as their only access point for connection and vulnerability. When that's the case, everything gets channeled through sexuality, and it loses its actual purpose. Learning to access emotional intimacy outside of sex changes everything.
If you're a man feeling isolated, stuck, or like something's missing, this conversation might resonate. If you love a man who's struggling, this might help you understand what he needs that you can't give him, no matter how much you want to.
Men's groups are open for enrollment now. You can learn more at evolutionarymen.com.
