Mind Over Masculinity
Let’s stop asking men to ”man up” and start asking how we can lift them up. After all, mental health is not just a women’s issue or a men’s issue—it’s a human issue.Take the first step today. Talk, listen, and advocate. Together, we can make a difference.
Masculinity, Conditioning and Equality: Norbert Heuser on Free Choice
Most men never chose the rules they live by. Do not cry. Do not apologise. Always be right. If you have ever wondered where those rules came from, this conversation is for you.
On Mind Over Masculinity, host Sreemedha talks with Norbert Heuser about masculinity as something taught, not inherited, and why he believes men and women thrive in harmony, not hierarchy. You will leave with one simple question to test your everyday choices.
About the Guest:
Norbert Heuser is German and now lives in the United States. He has travelled to 39 countries...
Redefining Strength and Healthy Masculinity: Todd Krause on Flexibility
We were all sold one version of strength: never flinch, never ask for help. If that armour has started to feel heavy, this conversation is for you.
On Mind Over Masculinity, host Ria talks with Todd Krause about the lone hero myth, why rigid things break, and how masculine and feminine qualities are meant to work together. It is an honest exchange, including moments where host and guest see things differently.
About the Guest:
Todd Krause runs Silversun Consulting, where he teaches business owners to build companies that can function without them. He...
Men’s Mental Health and Silent Strength: Josie Warren on Masculinity
A note from Healthy Mind by Avik™:
This conversation includes the guest’s personal views on health, therapy, and relationships between men and women. They are her opinions alone and are not shared as medical or professional guidance. If you are living with depression, anxiety, or a long-term health condition, please keep working with a qualified professional and do not stop any treatment or medication on the strength of a podcast. Mental health is a necessity, and support in every form, including therapy, has a place in healing.Many men grow up believing strength means never struggling out...
Men’s Identity Beyond the Job Title: Jon Ostenson on the Provider Role
A lot of men can tell you what they do. Far fewer can say who they are once the title is gone. If your worth has ever felt tied to your work, this conversation is for you.
On Mind Over Masculinity, host Sana sits down with Jon Ostenson to explore the provider role, the quiet pressure to keep climbing, and what it takes to leave a secure corporate seat for business ownership. Expect honest reflections on money, support, and staying grounded on hard days.
About the Guest:
Jon Ostenson is the founder and...
Maybe Men Aren’t Silent. Maybe We Don’t Give Them Time to Speak. | Robin Quinn Keehn
We often assume that when a man goes quiet, he doesn't want to talk. But what if silence sometimes means he hasn't been given enough time, safety or space to find the words?
In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, Swati welcomes Robin Quinn Keehn for a thoughtful conversation about emotional armor, vulnerability and the outdated definitions of strength that can keep people disconnected from themselves and others.
Robin shares an experience from facilitating a business mastermind that changed how she thought about listening. After asking one participant a question, she resisted filling the silence...
Redefining Masculinity: Emotional Strength Beyond Traditional Roles with Russell Cohn
Be strong. Do not cry. Provide. Protect. What happens when those old rules stop helping and start weighing you down? This episode is for any man tired of performing a role.
On Mind Over Masculinity, Russell Cohn shares an honest look at emotional strength, authenticity and being present. You will hear why feeling is not weakness, and how joy can come from within instead of from circumstances.
About the Guest:
Russell Cohn is the creator of Gateway Spiritualism and a free 30-day experiment in connecting with what he calls the subconscious spirit. After...
Redefining Strength for Men: Positive Aging with Dr. James Beckwith
Do you wait for a health problem to fix itself rather than ask for help? On Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati and optometrist Dr. James Beckwith explore redefining strength beyond old scripts, from men's health habits to positive aging.
You will hear why acting on small sparks matters, how play keeps the mind young, and how to reframe setbacks as lessons.
About the Guest:
Dr. James Beckwith is an optometrist in Las Vegas, Nevada, with 38 years in practice. He wrote Positively Not Old, a book on how attitude shapes the way we age.<...
Redefining Male Strength Beyond Ego and Traditional Roles with Peter Gunn
Is the strength you have been chasing really yours, or was it handed to you? On Mind Over Masculinity, Peter Gunn explores redefining male strength beyond traditional roles, ego and the need to always win.
You will hear why failure teaches more than winning, how gratitude keeps competition healthy, and how small acts of selflessness build real strength.
About the Guest:
Peter Gunn is a US-based writer and musician whose near-death experience at age seven shaped his outlook. He teaches about the map of consciousness and has a philosophical book on suffering, growth...
Redefining Men's Strength Beyond Stoicism with Richard Leirer
Were you raised to believe a strong man handles everything alone? On Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati and Tai Chi teacher Richard Leirer question the stoic ideals many men absorb without ever choosing them.
You will learn why real strength is soft and supple, how old beliefs live in the body, and how breath, meaning and self-worth help men respond differently.
About the Guest:
Richard Leirer is a Tai Chi and Qigong instructor and Chinese medicine provider in Taos, New Mexico. At 72, he still does daily push-ups as relaxed as he can, and...
Redefining Strength: Why Weight Loss Isn't About Willpower with Dr. Delali Hevi
What if the "no pain, no gain" mindset is quietly working against you? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for anyone who has tried to muscle through change and wondered why willpower alone never seems to be enough.
Physician Dr. Delali Hevi explores how childhood conditioning shapes both our ideas of masculinity and our eating habits, and why lasting change comes from understanding the mind, not fighting it.
About the Guest:
Dr. Delali Hevi is a physician originally from Ghana, now based in Arizona, who specializes in weight loss and weight maintenance...
Why Stoicism Is Not Strength: Men, Trauma and Asking for Help with Willie Handler
What if the armor you wear to protect yourself is the very thing holding you back? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for any man who has learned to push through alone and wonders whether it's actually working.
Author Willie Handler shares how writing his family's history brought buried trauma to the surface, why he nearly quit therapy several times, and how opening up changed his marriage.
About the Guest:
Willie Handler is an author of fiction and non-fiction. Writing a memoir about his family's history surfaced long-buried trauma, and getting professional...
Why Stoicism Is Not Strength: Men, Trauma and Asking for Help with Willie Handler
What if the armor you wear to protect yourself is the very thing holding you back? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for any man who has learned to push through alone and wonders whether it's actually working.
Author Willie Handler shares how writing his family's history brought buried trauma to the surface, why he nearly quit therapy several times, and how opening up changed his marriage.
About the Guest:
Willie Handler is an author of fiction and non-fiction. Writing a memoir about his family's history surfaced long-buried trauma, and getting professional...
Redefining Strength Beyond the Mask: Vulnerability and Overcoming Fear with David Fiala
What happens when the mask of strength gets too heavy to hold? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for any man who has learned to keep his emotions locked away and is starting to feel the cost.
Author David Fiala explains why real strength means opening your heart, how childhood lessons teach us it isn't safe to be seen, and how to stop letting fear make your decisions.
About the Guest:
David Fiala guides men through the gap between who they were told to be and who they really are. His book...
Beyond Provider and Protector: Masculinity and Partnership in Relationships with Dr. Eric Williams
Why does the armor men were taught to wear so often push away the people they love? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for men who feel distant from their partner, short with their kids, or tired in a way sleep doesn't fix.
Relationship counselor Dr. Eric Williams unpacks where our scripts about manhood come from, why "provider and protector" needs a third P, and how asking "does this work for us?" beats arguing about who's right.
About the Guest:
Dr. Eric Williams is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based relationship coach and counselor...
Redefining Strength Beyond Old Scripts: Tango, Vulnerability and Balance with Linda Sutton
What if the strength you were taught is the very thing keeping you from connection? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for anyone holding onto an old script of strength that no longer fits.
Linda Sutton uses lessons from Argentine tango to show why old identities are hard to release, how your body speaks before your words, and why owning your vulnerable places makes you the strongest person in the room.
About the Guest:
Linda Sutton is the Texas-based founder of the 22Tango training framework, which uses Argentine tango to help professionals...
Vulnerability, Somatic Work and Connection with Duncan Rich
Why does admitting you're struggling still feel like failing as a man? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for any man who looks successful on paper yet feels tense, reactive, or quietly unfulfilled.
Somatic men's coach Duncan Rich explains how old patterns live in the body, why a small trigger can feel huge, and how nervous system work helps men respond with agency instead of reacting.
About the Guest:
Duncan Rich is a somatic men's coach and co-founder of MELD, which offers courses, retreats, and coach training in nervous system regulation for...
Vulnerability and Balance with Veronique Ory
What if real strength means knowing when to soften? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for anyone questioning the scripts they were handed about being strong, in control, and never needing help.
Yoga teacher and author Veronique Ory explores masculine and feminine energy as fire and water, where our gender scripts come from, and why always appearing strong is often perfectionism in disguise.
About the Guest:
Veronique Ory is a registered yoga teacher, author of Shine On & Off the Mat, and creator of Shine, offering retreats and private guidance. Originally from Canada...
Bode Swanson on Aristotle, Courage and Strength
What if real masculinity isn't a rejection of strength, but a return to ancient virtue? Bode Swanson, author of Great Souled Men, joins Mind Over Masculinity to explore what Aristotle's twelve virtues can teach modern men and women.
Bode shares how writing for his own sons led him to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and why he believes real strength means serving your community, not chasing fame or fortune.
About the Guest:
Bode Swanson is the author of Great Souled Men, built on Aristotle's twelve virtues. A father of four in California, he wrote it...
Redefining Masculinity Through Community and Emotional Freedom with Maria Van Der Maaten
What if traditional masculinity isn't really about gender, but about a system that never lets anyone rest? Maria Van Der Maaten, a sociologist and community development practitioner, joins Mind Over Masculinity to explore how rebuilding real social circles helps men reclaim their full humanity.
Drawing on her work with subsistence farmers in Latin America and her own parenting, Maria shares why the first step out of old patterns is often the simplest one.
About the Guest:
Maria Van Der Maaten is a sociologist and community development practitioner who has worked with subsistence farmers...
Shaun Dawson on Raising Emotionally Strong Men
What if the same armor that protects men is also what keeps them isolated? Shaun Dawson, host of the Raising Men podcast, joins Mind Over Masculinity to unpack why performative strength quietly hurts the people it's supposed to protect.
Shaun shares the castle metaphor that reshaped how he thinks about masculinity, and why building a wider, safer space for the people around you matters more than building higher walls.
About the Guest:
Shaun Dawson is the host of Raising Men, a podcast about parenting, masculinity and raising boys with courage and character. He...
Robert Gourlay on Courage, Nature and Raising Healthy Boys
What if the "man up" script we hand boys is actually working against them? Robert Gourlay, an environmental research scientist who grew up on a farm with six brothers and later served as an army officer, joins Mind Over Masculinity to unpack where toxic masculinity comes from and what real courage looks like.
Robert shares how nature, sleep and unstructured play built his sense of self as a boy, and why today's constant technology may be quietly taking away the imagination and critical thinking young men need most.
About the Guest:
Robert Gourlay...
Alan Gillanders on Vulnerability, Strength, and Inner Truth
Why does asking for help still feel like failure for so many men? On Mind Over Masculinity, host Sreemedha sits with author Alan Gillanders to unpack where the pressure to "have it all together" really comes from, and what it costs us to keep performing it.
Alan shares why talking to a trusted friend, not toughing it out alone, is often the real starting point. Expect an honest look at masculinity, vulnerability, and finding strength in speaking up instead of staying silent.
About the Guest:
Alan Gillanders is an author based in Australia...
Redefining Strength Beyond the Armor: Ann Mattingly-Lowe on Mind Over Masculinity
What if asking for help was the strong thing to do all along? Host Swati talks with Ann Mattingly-Lowe, founder of Generations Skincare, about a men's skincare line tied to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Ann shares her father's story as a decorated WWII veteran who lived with undiagnosed PTSD, why emotional guardedness in men often comes from feeling insecure rather than actually being tough, and why failure is simply progress rather than proof that something is wrong with you.
About the Guest:
Ann Mattingly-Lowe is the founder of Generations Skincare, launching...
Redefining Strength Beyond Traditional Roles: Elisabeth Villiger Toufexis on Mind Over Masculinity
What if asking for help was never a sign of weakness at all? Host Swati talks with life coach Elisabeth Villiger Toufexis about redefining masculine strength beyond traditional roles.
Elisabeth shares how a difficult childhood pushed her toward independence early, why living by a script you never chose can quietly make you sick, and why leaving your comfort zone works better one small step at a time.
About the Guest:
Elisabeth Villiger Toufexis is a life coach, hypnotherapist, and author of The Soul Kit and One Suitcase, A Thousand Stories. She spent 11 years...
Redefining Strength Beyond Stoicism: Steve Barton on Mind Over Masculinity
What if calm and controlled isn't the same thing as actually strong? Host Swati talks with coach Steve Barton about the difference between stoicism and real strength, and why he didn't even recognize he had emotions until he was 36.
Steve shares why masculine and feminine energy show up in every relationship regardless of gender, a simple two-question technique for actually listening instead of jumping to fix things, and why independence isn't the goal, interdependence is.
About the Guest:
Steve Barton is a coach who works with men navigating masculinity and personal growth. He...
Redefining Strength Beyond Stereotypes: Stephanie McAlister on Mind Over Masculinity
What if the walls we build to look strong are the same walls keeping people out? Host Swati talks with counselor Stephanie McAlister about the misconception that masculine strength means hiding emotion, and why vulnerability is actually a form of strength.
Stephanie shares a simple visual for how new habits form over time, why getting curious instead of judgmental helps break old patterns, and why occasionally slipping back into an old way of being doesn't mean the change failed.
About the Guest"
Stephanie McAlister is the owner and founder of Virtual Connect Counseling...
Redefining Strength Beyond the Armor: Boad Swanson on Mind Over Masculinity
What if strength was never about muscle at all, but about character? Host Naba talks with author Boad Swanson about why so many men confuse physical toughness with real strength, and what Aristotle's virtues can teach us about becoming whole.
Boad shares why society still celebrates looks and power over character, why women and men genuinely make each other better, and why reading widely, slowly, and consistently is one of the most reliable paths to real growth.
About the Guest:
Boad Swanson is an entrepreneur, husband, and father of four, based in Laguna...
Redefining Strength Beyond Stereotypes: Dr. Sean Altman on Mind Over Masculinity
What if asking for help was never a sign of weakness, but a way to grow? Host Niharika talks with Dr. Sean Altman about the cultural script that teaches men to push through pain alone.
Sean shares how untreated stress often shows up as poor diet, alcohol, or avoidance, why vulnerability builds self-awareness rather than weakening it, and one simple way to make a long list of goals feel less overwhelming.
About the Guest:
Dr. Sean Altman is a functional medicine doctor specializing in orthopedic and regenerative medicine, treating chronic pain by working...
Healthy Boundaries and a United Front: Pesa Shayo on Mind Over Masculinity
What if setting a boundary with your family doesn't have to mean dishonoring them? Host Sana talks with author Pesa Shayo about healthy boundaries in cross-cultural marriage, and why so many men carry pressure between their parents and their spouse.
Pesa shares a framework for sorting family decisions into three buckets, why remembering you're friends first matters more than winning an argument, and why protecting your marriage doesn't mean disrespecting your family of origin.
About the Guest:
Pesa Shayo is an author and co-founder of Live Your Best Marriage, and creator of The...
Dennis Henson on Masculinity and Mentorship
What if masculinity has less to do with being unshakable and more to do with responsibility and integrity? Host Swati talks with author and entrepreneur Dennis Henson about redefining strength beyond old stereotypes.
Dennis shares how mentors shaped his own path, why gratitude changes how you experience daily life, and why asking for help is a compliment to the person you're asking.
About the Guest:
Dennis Henson has run businesses in Arlington, Texas for over 50 years. He is an author, hosts a radio program, and now runs a health-focused business built around habits...
The Father Wound: Dr. David Marcus on Redefining Strength and Resilience
What if the strength you learned from your father was never really strength? Host Swati talks with clinical psychologist Dr. David Marcus about the father wound, and why real strength starts with connection, not isolation.
David explains what he calls a soothing presence, how children learn resilience by watching their parents handle stress, and why punishment and real discipline are not the same thing.
About the Guest:
Dr. David Marcus is a clinical psychologist who has spent 40 years working with families under stress, including as an expert witness in high conflict custody cases...
Redefining Strength Beyond Performance: Alan Bodnar on Real Masculinity
If you've ever measured your worth by how much you can carry without breaking, this episode is for you. Host Swati talks with author Alan Bodnar about redefining strength beyond performance, and why real strength has little to do with never showing emotion.
Alan shares the neuroscience behind these patterns, why vulnerability is not weakness, and one simple breathing practice to take back the wheel from old responses.
About the Guest:
Alan Bodnar has spent over a decade studying neuroscience and mindfulness to understand how the brain wires automatic patterns. He is the...
Unpacking "Toxic Masculinity": What the Buzzword Actually Means | Arky Jones on Mind Over Masculinity
A man sits alone with a feeling he was taught not to name, maybe fear, maybe tenderness, maybe pure exhaustion from holding it together. In that moment there's a choice: keep the mask on, or let it slip enough to see what's underneath.
In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati talks with Arky Jones, founder of the personality tool Personality Peek, about why the phrase toxic masculinity tends to shut conversations down before they start, where "boys don't cry" actually comes from historically, and why falling back into an old pattern isn't proof that change...
Redefining Masculine Strength: Why Surrender Beats Control, with David Hoskins
There's a question that sits quietly in the back of a lot of men's minds: what does it actually mean to be strong? Not the kind measured in a gym or at work, but the kind that holds you together when things fall apart.
In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati talks with David Hoskins, founder of Sanctuary Clinics, about where the pressure to never show weakness actually comes from, why admitting a mistake tends to earn more respect than hiding one, and why he sees surrender, rather than control, as the real foundation of...
Redefining Masculinity Through Introspection, Not the Old Stoic Mask | Eric Hoffman
We grew up hearing that strength means standing alone, that asking for help is weakness, and that real men don't flinch. But what if the armor built to prove all of that is exactly what keeps a person from real connection?
In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati talks with Eric Hoffman, a former trial attorney who left law to found an AI company after years of feeling boxed in by routine, about why the modern definition of masculinity has less to do with cold showers and more to do with knowing yourself well enough...
Redefining Strength Beyond the Armor: The Twelve Lessons Every Man Learns, with Branch Isole
There is a moment that comes for many men, sometimes in their twenties, sometimes much later, when the armor they built to protect themselves starts to feel more like a cage. The question that follows is simple and hard: who am I when I'm not performing strength?
In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, host Swati talks with author and thought leader Branch Isole about the twelve lessons every person works through in life, why men are conditioned to master half of them and neglect the rest, and what it actually takes to stay committed to change...
Oliver Glozik on Vulnerability, Masks and Making Peace with the Past
There's a moment a lot of men know too well: something heavy, and a voice, ours or someone else's, saying toughen up.
Oliver Glozik, founder of a retreat center in Colombia, joins the show to talk about overthinking, the masks men wear, and why making peace with our parents might be the deepest work of all.
About the Guest:
Oliver Glozik is the founder of Harmonica Retreat, a plant medicine retreat center in Colombia that has guided many people through personal transformation. Before this, he built a corporate career in Germany, which is...
Redefining Strength: Heléna Kate on Vulnerability, Masculine Energy and Real Change
We tell boys not to cry, then wonder why men struggle to ask for help. This episode asks what happens when we stop performing strength and start living it honestly.
Dr. Heléna Kate joins the show to unpack where masculine energy shows up in daily life, how mirroring helps us name what we feel, and why real strength looks like vulnerability.
About the Guest:
Heléna Kate, PhD, has spent decades working in healing, psychology and spiritual inquiry, helping people understand themselves and move through what they're experiencing. She hosts the Roar of...
Redefining Masculinity: Andrew Scheim on Trauma, the Body and Letting Go of the Armor
Many of us were taught that strength means hiding what's underneath. This episode asks what that armor has quietly been costing us.
Bodyworker and trauma specialist Andrew Scheim joins the show to talk about toxic masculinity, why labels can be dangerous, and how the body itself holds the key to releasing old, inherited patterns.
About the Guest:
Andrew Scheim is a bodyworker who has spent decades doing deep trauma work with people who are chronically ill. He was a professional musician before moving into holistic medicine, and now works with clients using body-based...
Redefining Masculinity: Liz Coleman on Vulnerability, Strength and Letting Go of the Armor
We're taught strength means staying silent and carrying it alone. This episode asks what that costs us.
Life coach Liz Coleman joins the show to explore where that idea of masculinity comes from, how to reset a triggered nervous system, and what real strength looks like once we put the armor down.
About the Guest:
Liz Coleman is a Life Coach in New York State who helps people close the gap between who they think they should be and who they actually are, using nervous system tools and a method she calls mind...
