We are raised to think that we should be able to solve our own problems or that it is a sign of weakness to ask for help. So how does it work to seek out counseling for something going on in your life that you need help with?

Almost all the men I have worked with have struggled with the idea that showing vulnerability is a good thing.

Ted Lasso is a hit show for the right reasons. It is honest, well-acted and tells a great story.

Hollywood and filmmakers often portray a person suffering from trauma inaccurately. Often, they show trauma as something that is easily put behind the protagonist and forgotten.

n excellent book on the topic is Bessel Van Der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score. In it he explores how the body needs to feel safe so that the person feels safe.

A men’s group is a safe place where there is no judgement, discrimination, harassment or fear of emotional or physical harm. The participants get to work on anything they choose including their relationships at home and at work

There are many challenges to being the best husband you can be to your spouse. For one thing, most men are not raised to be focused on the important relationships in their lives.

As we continue the Hero’s Journey and completing the cycle of John Mosher’s Healing Circle model we come to the fourth and final ritual. The Rite of Continuity.

After having gone through an ordeal leading to a Rite of Transformation where the Hero’s embraces new beliefs, new ideas and wisdom the next rituals are Rites of Incorporation.

The next step in the Hero’s Journey after Separation from their “childish ways” is to experience a breaking apart. Breaking up of the belief system they were given in their families and to take some kind of “leap of faith, into the unknown.”

The movie Hustle stars Adam Sandler as a talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team. It is a story of redemption as he shows us an example of being a generative male archetype. He embodies a part of the self that helps others become their best and enriches their lives.

The Coen brother’s film O Brother Where Art Thou, released in 2000, is in some ways a retelling of the Odyssey by Homer. That book tells the story of the king, Ulysses, who undertakes a ten-year journey to return to his home. He finds his way blocked by sirens, a cyclops and other obstacles.

David Richo’s book, How to Be an Adult is a rich handbook for understanding what healthy adult thoughts, behaviors and feelings are.

As we anticipate mask mandates lifting shortly it is a good time to reflect on the last two years. We have, collectively, been through a traumatic experience with long lasting impacts.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” was not well liked or well-regarded when released in 1946. America was seeking lighthearted distraction from the sacrifice and struggle of the recently ended Second World War. It was a dark film with flashes of brightness and hope at the end.

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a commonly occurring disorder (over three million cases in the United States each year) that occurs the farther north or south you are from the equator. It is also called “winter depression.” It can start in younger people and can increase with age.

The Disney animated film Up is a delightful film that takes on an adventure with a crusty old man and his unwelcomed companion. It is also a deeper film addressing loss and the need to find purpose after life has given us a separation we do not welcome.

As we slowly move back into reopening and employees return to the workplace we are confronted with the traumatic effects of the pandemic. Naturally, we want to reclaim the lives we were living almost a year and a half ago. And yet, things have changed, and we have changed.

We are moving towards a “new normal” with Covid. It seems like a million years ago we freely interacted, mask less, with others. We went to church and sporting events without any concerns for our health. We are not out of the woods yet but there is hope for some normalcy with many people getting vaccinated and death rates dropping.

As anyone who is a pet owner can tell you their animals help them in many ways. They offer unending doses of companionship, unconditional love and a sense of connection to the natural world.