What does it mean to live with resilience in a world full of chaos and uncertainty? In this episode of The New Masculine, Travis Stock talks with Wayne Forrest, a motivational speaker, certified coach, and TEDx presenter from New Zealand whose recovery after a life-changing rugby accident redefines strength and masculinity. Wayne shares how his paralysis became a catalyst for discovering deeper truths about being human — that we are all creation, abundance, and unconditional love. Together, Travis and Wayne explore how men can move from power over others to power with others — standing beside the feminine, embracing vulnerability, and creating from within rather than reacting to chaos. If you’ve ever questioned what it means to be “enough,” or how to find your footing when life changes everything, this conversation offers powerful wisdom and grounded hope.

Divorce is never easy. It can shake your sense of identity, your relationships, and even your belief in yourself. In this episode of The New Masculine, Travis sits down with Chris Stuart — certified divorce coach, father, and entrepreneur — to talk about his own difficult divorce and the work he now does to guide others through this life-changing transition. We explore: - How divorce impacts men differently and why it’s often left unspoken - Chris’s journey from heartbreak to helping others as a divorce coach - Parenting sons and daughters with presence, communication, and resilience - The role of competition in men’s lives — and how to redefine it in healthier ways - Why believing in yourself is the most important step in moving forward Chris shares not just the pain of his experience, but also the hope and clarity he’s found on the other side. Whether you’ve faced divorce, know someone who has, or simply want to better understand men at this crossroads, this conversation is full of insights about masculinity, fatherhood, and recovery.

Pete Armstrong’s story is one of shame, struggle, and ultimately, healing. Growing up in a home where anger and criticism shaped his sense of self, Pete often felt like he didn’t belong. Coping through alcohol, addiction, and relationships, he faced anxiety and depression until therapy opened the door to deeper healing. In this episode of The New Masculine, Pete shares how fatherhood shaped his journey, how he learned to empathize with himself, and why emotional awareness is essential for men. Today, as a trauma-informed coach, Pete uses his experience to help others navigate healing and growth. A conversation about shame, belonging, resilience, and the importance of men reclaiming their emotional lives.

In this episode of The New Masculine, Travis sits down with Steve, a participant in the 2024 Men’s Gathering, to explore the healing power of animals, community, and vulnerability. Steve shares how his therapy dog, Hope, and later, an experience with horses through Equine-Assisted Coaching, supported his emotional growth and helped him navigate challenges at work and in life. Together, they discuss what it means to be a man in today’s ever-changing world, how men can support each other through fear and uncertainty, and why leadership grounded in empathy and humility matters more than ever. From learning through failure to finding reassurance in community, Steve offers a heartfelt perspective on growth, caution, and courage. 🟢 Topics include: Healing with therapy animals and horses The challenge of modern masculinity Men’s retreats and emotional safety Servant leadership and conscious growth Why community matters on the inner journey

In this episode of our ongoing series, Travis reconnects with Scott Pearse, who participated in The New Masculine’s 2024 Men’s Retreat and shares his powerful journey with Equus Coaching and men’s personal growth. Scott opens up about his experience of vulnerability, emotional healing, and transformation through working with horses and connecting with other men in a supportive men’s community. We explore important topics such as: * How men support each other in creating emotional safety and trust * Horses as intuitive mirrors reflecting our inner emotional state * The horse’s unique ability to sense when we’re out of alignment (incongruence) * How working with horses helped Scott improve communication and relationships at work * Scott’s initial hesitation about attending a men’s retreat and the positive impact it had on his life * The power of doing personal growth and healing work within a men’s community

This episode continues a series where Travis reconnects with some of the men he's coached utilizing the Equus Coaching experience. Returning guest, Craig Temple (Ep. 4), was a participant in The New Masculine's first Men's Retreat in 2024. He's here to share what it was like to attend his first men's group. Topics discussed include: - What drew him to this men's retreat. - The barriers many men experience to personal development work. - The different (and sometimes distorted) ideas about men's work. - How horses teach empathy. - Shared vulnerability - The power of witnessing each other. - What a man can learn from the feedback of a horse. - Why he thinks men should sign up for the next one.

This episode kicks off a series where Travis reconnects with some of the men he's coached utilizing the Equus Coaching experience. Doug Wubben was a participant in a professional development retreat back in November 2023, and he's here to unpack the profound experience he had with the horses. Topics discussed include: - Childhood bullying - How men size each other up - The council of men in every man's head - Seeking humanity even in conflict - Cultural norms and their impact on psychological safety - The freeze response - The many different responses to confronting the unknown

On this episode, Travis talks with motivational speaker, resilience advocate, and author of Unbroken: Turning Pain into Purpose, Juan Espinoza. Through his book, Juan hopes to help others develop more resilience and transform the pains of life into a sense of purpose that fuels your way forward. Topics discussed include: - Transforming one's pain into a sense of purpose. - The lesson he learned about family: Family is about actions, not blood. - How his Hispanic culture shaped his masculinity. - His deployments to Afghanistan and how he's dealt with combat trauma. - Where he failed as a father and husband. - Resilience

On this episode, Travis talks with coach and therapist David Jurasek. David specializes in working with men whose relationships are struggling and at a breaking point. A primary focus of his work is to help men unpack their shame and find a more right relationship with themselves. He is also the founder of Powerful and Loving - a community of good men becoming powerful leaders who cultivate thriving relationships. Topics Discussed: - His immigrant story and his family seeking asylum in Canada - The impact of unprocessed grief - Unpacking shame - The gap between intention and impact - His experience as a bisexual man - Relationships at a critical juncture - Why men need each other

On this episode, Travis talks with men's transformational coach, Soleiman Bolour, about guiding men toward more emotional intelligence, purposeful living, and a deeper understanding of their own needs. With over two decades of experience integrating many healing modalities, Soleiman recommends the importance of men being in community rather seeking personal growth in isolation. Topics discussed include: - The 4 uncles who modeled different elements of masculinity (family, community, work, and spirituality) - The limits of a money-based mindset - Coming to terms with his bisexual identity - How self-rejection gets projected onto the outer world - The skills of emotional intelligence - How queer identities influence men's work - How to live a life with purpose

On this episode, Travis talks with community psychologist, Dominick Shattuck, PhD, whose work focuses on global public health topics including reproductive health, COVID-19, masculinities and men’s health. Together, they discuss and encourage men to take a more active role in family planning and reproductive health. His expertise is needed now more than ever as women's reproductive healthcare options are being limited (even removed in some cases) post the US Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. Topics discussed include: - Growing beyond the struggles of your parents. - The uncles who helped shape his own masculinity. - Seeking inroads into relationships. - The lessons from his time doing HIV prevention and family planning work in Africa. - How the current approach to reproductive health puts most of the burden on women AND limits men's engagement in intimate conversations. - Men's role in family planning and reproductive health. - Men's birth control options.

On this episode, Travis talks with educator, leader, and scholar, Keith Edwards, whose work focuses on authentic masculinity, sexual violence prevention, allyship and equity, learning beyond the classroom, and leadership and coaching. In his new book Unmasking: Toward Authentic Masculinity, he illuminates the 3 phases of men's identity development: masking, unmasking, and becoming. He also offers strategies to engage the men in our lives with more empathy and compassion, while using accountability and encouragement to help them become the men they aspire to be. Topics discussed: - Masking and unmasking - How authenticity isn't always appropriate. - What to do if we notice that we are out of integrity. - Seeing privilege and/or oppression as about the way the world is organized rather than about the individual. - The difference between healthy masculinity and authentic masculinity.

On this episode, Travis talks with comedy entrepreneur, Jacob Clancy Parks. As someone who is in deep transition, retiring from the law firm he founded, navigating a divorce, and exploring what's next, Jacob's life is in that "in between" space where a lot of unknown exists. While the liminal spaces of life can make most of us really uncomfortable - verging on total fear - there are gifts that can only come from stepping into the unknown. Topics discussed: - Navigating change as a child. - Being with the transitional phases of life. - His journey of staring a law firm and retiring early from it. - His time in the Exodus (ex-gay) Movement. - Leaning into excellence as a coping mechanism. - Humor that is a mask vs. humor that is freeing. - Being a conduit for life-enhancing change.

On this episode, Travis talks with creator and founder of Take 2 Minutes, Marc Fussell. Inspired by his own actions supporting his son through a challenging time, Marc created this non-profit organization and platform to enhance mental wellbeing through positive psychology and technology. His belief is that mental health practices are even effective when we break them down into small, doable chunks that take as little as 2 minutes of our day. Topics discussed include: - Managing emotions in a media world that uses emotions to draw more attention. - Allowing mistakes as a parent. - Finding agreement in conflict. - Parenting through your child's mental health challenges. - Helping your kids build resilience. - Positive Psychology (the benefits of and dispelling rumors about it). - Priming your brain for positivity. - Exercises for managing anxiety.

On this episode, Travis talks with artist and author, Matthew Sloane about his new book, Hiding Inside a Man: Finding Strength in Self Compassion (available for pre-order on Kickstarter September 13, 2024). Through words and illustrations about his own journey, Matthew suggests that self-compassion is the first step in having a more heartfelt approach to being with yourself. Topics discussed include: - The challenges of being under-socialized as a child. - How parenting made him confront his own inner work. - Repair work as a parent. - Finding safe expressions of "fight" energy and honoring the full cycle of anger. - Self-compassion. - What good facilitation looks like in a men's group. - Emotional Freedom Techniques

On this episode, Travis talks with individual and couples therapist, Eric FitzMedrud Ph.D. He's the author of a book titled, The Better Man: A Guide to Consent, Stronger Relationships, and Hotter Sex, where he empowers men to embrace their sexuality, manage their emotions, and understand concepts like consent and entitlement. One of the most important values Eric imbues into his work is the desire to remove shame from the self-reflective process that allows men to improve the way they relate to others. He does this by acknowledging his own missteps and failures as a man, while also sharing new approaches men can incorporate into their relationships. Topics discussed include: - His own journey toward acceptance of his bisexual identity. - The importance of diverse voices in men's work. - The traumatic fear we must confront when expanding our notions of manhood. - Consent mistakes and learning to correct these mistakes. - Consent in long-term relationships. -Challenges to masculinity that show up in sexuality. -Romantic and sexual myths taught by our culture.

On this episode, Travis talks with cast member of The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Danny Roberts. Danny shares what it was like coming out on national television, being the poster child for the gay community, and being in a relationship that exposed the world to the impacts of the US military's policy at the time - Don't Ask Don't Tell. Beyond the "accidental" advocacy his presence and storyline on the show had for the LGBTQ Community, he has now fully embraced the role of advocate through his work at History UnErased, a non-profit focused on ensuring LGBTQ history isn’t erased from K-12 school curriculums. Listen in as Travis and Danny discuss: - Growing up in the evangelical South. - Defense mechanisms - How the show shaped the trajectory of his life. - The challenges of missing out on normal developmental stages. - Navigating the projections of others. - Why teaching LGBTQ history is so important. - His take on why kids shouldn't be shielded from conversations about LGBTQ people.

On this episode, Travis talks with certified motivation and mindset coach, Steve Dinga. Through a lifetime of navigating his own life-challenges, sobriety, and self-acceptance, Steve has landed in a place where he advocates for finding peace with life on life's terms. In his new book, Living the Spirit to Play, he offers men a 10-step process to becoming more aware of the present moment and clear the path for a more positive mindset that creates freedom from self-limiting beliefs. Other topics discussed include: - The difference between self-reliance and isolation. - His friendship with alcohol and journey to sobriety. - His long journey to overcoming fear and coming out. - The traumatic experience that pushed him out of the corporate world. - Working on your mindset before seeking an external solution to a challenge. - What to do when authenticity sacrifices physical safety.

On this episode, Travis talks with executive and life coach, Charles Sue-Wah-Sing. Charles is the founder For Men of Color - a peer coaching program for men of Black, Brown, mixed race, or of African, Caribbean or Asian ancestry. This community was created understanding the importance of being in spaces where others look like you and/or have shared lived experiences. In doing so, Charles seeks to create safety for each participants whole-self and to remove the internal debate many men feel about what is safe and not safe to talk about with others. Topics discussed include: - Life lessons he learned as an immigrant and as a man of color. - Growing up in a multi-generational home. - The poverties of our culture (beyond financial). - The difference between acceptance and neutrality. - His coaching community: For Men of Color. - The importance of community. - Identity as a doorway to deeper work. - Expanding our capacity for love.

On this episode, Travis talks with executive and mindfulness coach, Michael O'Brien. Due to a life-threatening accident on his bicycle, Michael learned that it wasn't just his body that needed to heal. It was also his mind. This transformative journey touched all aspects of his life and redefined his mindset, actions, and purpose. Michael is also the creator of the Pause Breathe Reflect app which supports the user with mindfulness, meditation, and gratitude. Topics discussed include: following a life-script that isn't really yours, living a life that looks like success even when it doesn't feel so, his near life-ending accident, why he calls the day of his accident his "last bad day", seeing life as neutral, exploring our own inconsistencies, the importance of pausing, breathing, and reflecting on how we want to navigate forward, and like-hearted people.