What happens when a rational man surrenders to the unknown and discovers a deeper version of masculinity?
In this potent episode of Medicine With The Medals, Expanded States Guide Michael Tierno shares how plant medicine and sacred container work transformed his relationship with emotional repression, leadership, and identity.
This conversation uncovers what true integration looks like for men, and why rewriting internal stories may be the most powerful medicine of all.
What You’ll Learn:
How early masculine conditioning blocks emotional access and creates “provider fatigue”
Why integration is the unsung hero of healing journeys
What happens in a Men of Integrity retreat and why it’s more than a “men’s circle”
How language, metaphor, and ceremony intersect for embodied transformation
The neuroscience behind personalized storytelling and expanded states
Episode Highlights:
04:11 – Michael’s first journey to Peru and the unmaking of his worldview
11:03 – “We’ll be eating fruit in four hours”: trusting the process of surrender
18:19 – Understanding the nervous system’s role in emotional shutdown
25:06 – Inside the Men of Integrity retreat: from resistance to reclamation
30:44 – The power of 1:1 recorded ceremonies for narrative re-authoring
38:05 – Why men need containment, not control
43:52 – “The ceremony begins when the ceremony ends”: making integration real
Meet the Guest:
Michael Tierno is the founder of Men of Integrity and co-lead of Heart Sanctuary in Peru. He blends systems thinking with ceremony, somatic language, and story structure to help men heal from trauma, reclaim their voice, and embody emotional integrity.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
Expanded States Integration
Three-Phase Retreat Model: Preparation, Ceremony, and Integration
Narrative Re-Authoring through recorded sessions
Containment vs. Control model for relational clarity
Somatic Language + Emotion Mapping
Closing Insight:
“If you're making exceptions for yourself just to live with yourself, you're not in integrity.” – Michael Tierno
This episode is a blueprint for what happens when men return to themselves, not as warriors, but as integrated leaders rooted in truth, softness, and clarity.
For the best in microdosing products and education, visit http://mamadose.com
Connec t with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-tierno-663a62299/
Website: https://www.michaeltiernoguide.com/
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVph0k0GQ79tkki0uI1bHAA
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/medicinewiththemedals
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medicine_with_the_medals/
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theplantmedicinepath/