Episode 33: Men, Relationships, and The Necessary Inner Journey, A Conversation with Jack Lafleur
It's Men's Mental Health Month so let's focus in on men's experiences in relationship. Jack Lafleur has spent the last few decades doing impactful work with men in his private practice...helping them on the journey of self-discovery, expanding their hearts, and learning to be relational. It's no secret that patriarchy has written some pretty rigid narratives about what it is to be a "man". Today, we debunk many of the myths we hear as clinicians and coaches about why men are they way they are, and the systemic changes we are working towards to create a generation of men with open hearts and intentional skills to be in healthy relationships.
EPISODE NOTES:
Though men are not conditioned in society to be equipped for relationships, they can absolutely learn to be more relational.
If you learn something, you can unlearn it.
Males are conditioned to be disconnected from themselves and everyone else.
Being in a healthy, egalitarian relationship promotes longevity and actually helps humans live longer.
The ‘not good enough’ experience for men is that many men have grown up with shame. If this isn’t healed or corrected, men will bring that into their adulthood, which in turn prevents them from wanting or desiring connection at all.
Toxic masculinity is real and it does exist.
A lot of people will overcompensate for things they’re lacking and what they feel they are missing on a deeper level.
All human problems can be boiled down to one thing: a problem of self-worth.
In our culture, there is a huge fear for men to be seen or known as anything other than masculine.
To best show up in your life, in your relationships, and as yourself, it takes integrating those parts of you that you learned to disown and getting them back.
We need to untangle from the notions that hold us back relationally.
It is inherent within all humans to look inward, realize, and develop.
Resources:
Reach Jack by email at jacklaf@magma.ca
Check out Jack’s Facebook page.
This podcast is not a substitute for therapy with a licensed provider.
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