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The mental load of fatherhood can feel heavy—even when you’re doing everything you can for your family. John T. Prather joins The Men’s Collective to explore provider pressure, men’s mental health, and how dads can build strength without hiding their emotions.   Host Travis Goodman and John discuss the hidden weight many men carry: paying the bills, protecting their families, being present fathers, and wondering whether they’re doing enough. They explore healthy masculinity, male friendship, emotional vulnerability, and why finding people you trust can make opening up feel possible.   John shares how fitness and side-by-side conversations can create opportunities for connection and why tackling a “500-pound” emotional issue starts with smaller, manageable steps.   In this episode, we cover: • The mental load men and fathers often carry in silence • Financial stress and the pressure to provide • Understanding your partner’s burden without keeping score • Healthy masculinity, emotional strength, and vulnerability • Becoming a more present dad when you lacked a good example • Building male friendships and finding trusted support • How shared challenges can help men open up • Small habits that support personal growth • The generational impact of how we show up as fathers   If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed as a dad, struggled to ask for help, or wanted stronger connections with the men in your life, this conversation offers a place to start.   What’s one pressure you wish more people understood about being a man or a father? Share what you’re comfortable sharing in the comments.   Subscribe to The Men’s Collective for more conversations about fatherhood, relationships, masculinity, and personal growth. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:                YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com Connect with John:Website: https://johntprather.comInstagram: @JohnTPrather Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Radical acceptance gets misunderstood a lot. In this short episode we start with what it isn't: it isn't approving of what happened, giving up, or staying passive. Then we define what it is and explain why fully accepting reality as it is reduces suffering. You'll also get a simple practice for moving from resistance to wise action, a look at the difference between willingness and willfulness, and a practice to try this week. Chapters:00:00 What Radical Acceptance Is Not00:41 Defining Radical Acceptance and Why It Reduces Suffering01:41 A Simple Practice for Moving From Resistance to Wise Action02:12 Willingness vs. Willfulness02:38 Weekly Practice and Closing Invitation🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:               YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com  Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Do you ever react so fast that your mouth is halfway through the sentence before your brain gets invited to the meeting? That is where the DBT STOP skill can help. STOP is a distress tolerance skill from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, designed to help you slow down when you feel anxious, angry, defensive, overwhelmed, or highly activated. In this video, I break down the four parts of the STOP skill: S: StopT: Take a step backO: ObserveP: Proceed mindfully The goal is not to get rid of your emotions. The goal is to create enough space between what you feel and what you do next so you can choose a more effective response. I also walk through a real-life relationship example where you feel criticized, notice your body getting activated, and use the STOP skill before reacting. A helpful question to ask in the moment:“What action is most effective, and what action best fits my values right now?” Practice one rep this week. Use STOP before you speak, text, or make a decision when you notice yourself getting activated. I’m Travis Goodman, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, mind-body coach, founder of The Men’s Collective, and host of The Men’s Collective Podcast. This video is also available through The Men’s Collective Podcast as part of a practical skills series focused on DBT, nervous system regulation, relationships, emotional health, and everyday tools you can actually use. Educational content only. This is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:               YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

What happens when your emotions say one thing and logic says another?   In this video, I break down Wise Mind, one of the core mindfulness skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT. Wise Mind helps you move beyond reacting purely from emotion or relying only on logic so you can make more grounded decisions.   To make it simple, I use a Star Trek analogy.   Think of Spock as Reasonable Mind. He focuses on facts, logic, analysis, and what makes sense.   Think of Captain Kirk as Emotion Mind. He is more likely to lead from instinct, passion, urgency, and what feels important in the moment.   Wise Mind brings both together.   Rather than asking emotion or logic to win, Wise Mind asks:  What am I feeling? What are the facts? What action fits my values?  In this video, you'll learn what Wise Mind is, the difference between Emotion Mind and Reasonable Mind, why both have value, and how to access Wise Mind when you feel anxious, angry, overwhelmed, defensive, or triggered.  T his skill can be especially useful during conflict, relationship stress, parenting, difficult decisions, and moments when you notice yourself reacting quickly.   I'm Travis Goodman, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, founder of The Men's Collective, and host of The Men's Collective Podcast.   This episode is part of my practical skills series, where I break down tools from DBT, nervous system regulation, parts work, and therapy into simple practices you can use in everyday life.   This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:               YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com Follow Quentin: Instagram: @quentin.g.decamp Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman sits down with Quentin Decamp to explore what it really means for a man to become secure. This conversation goes deep into attachment, masculinity, codependency, the nice guy pattern, womanizing, self-betrayal, emotional validation, and how men can begin to move from approval-seeking into values-led living. Quentin shares parts of his own story, including how he moved from being the “good boy,” the nice guy, and the womanizer into deeper self-awareness, secure attachment, and a more grounded masculine identity. We talk about how men often confuse performance with confidence, avoidance with freedom, and emotional suppression with strength. We also explore how early family dynamics, enmeshment, neglect, and unresolved emotional wounds can shape the way men relate to women, intimacy, fatherhood, and themselves. Quentin describes how men can begin to identify the false self, break old patterns, and stop trying to earn love through performance, pleasing, chasing, or proving. In this episode, we cover: Why men perform masculinity instead of feeling secure The attachment wound behind the nice guy pattern How codependency shows up in men Why womanizing can be a form of avoidance The difference between worth and value Why men chase validation in relationships How self-betrayal keeps men stuck What secure masculinity can look like How men can become more emotionally grounded without oversharing or collapsing Why men need other men, mentors, and community How values help men stop living from approvalThis episode is for men who want to stop repeating old relationship patterns, build healthier intimacy, become more secure, and live with more integrity in their relationships, family, and inner life. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:              YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.comFollow Quentin: Instagram: @quentin.g.decamp Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Why can so many successful men stay calm, focused, and capable at work, but become reactive, shut down, or emotionally disconnected at home? In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman sits down with Jessica Gold to explore why high-performing men often feel confident professionally but lost relationally. Jessica shares how men can become highly skilled at solving problems, performing under pressure, and staying productive, while still struggling with emotional availability, nervous system regulation, intimacy, and communication in marriage or long-term relationships. This conversation looks at why problem-solving often does not work when your partner wants to feel heard, why emotional closeness can trigger stress or defensiveness, and how performance-based identity can keep men stuck in doing mode instead of presence. We also explore Jessica’s “relationship chemistry” framework, including inner chemistry, relational chemistry, nervous system awareness, window of tolerance, emotional attunement, and the importance of learning relationships as a real skill. In this episode, we cover: Why men can perform well at work but shut down at home Why problem-solving can make your partner feel unseen How nervous system activation impacts marriage and relationships Why men often feel pressure to always know the answer The role of shame, fear, and performance-based identity How to move from fixing to presence Why emotional awareness is a skill men can learn How men’s groups can help reduce shame and build connection How systems thinking and relationship chemistry can help couples change This episode is for men who look successful on the outside but feel disconnected from themselves, their partner, or the people closest to them. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:             YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com  Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

What if the goal of parenting is not to control your kids, but to become the parent they call when life gets messy? In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, I sit down with Wendy and Terry Snyder from Fresh Start Family to talk about connection-based discipline, strong fatherhood, nervous system awareness, and how dads can lead their homes with both firmness and warmth. We talk about why so many fathers default to fixing, controlling, threatening, yelling, or shutting down when their kids have big emotions. Wendy and Terry share how “connection before correction” helps parents build trust, reduce power struggles, and raise strong, emotionally resilient kids without relying on fear-based parenting. This conversation is especially for dads who want to stop repeating old parenting patterns, repair faster after conflict, and build a relationship where their kids feel safe, respected, and deeply loved. In this episode, we cover: Why dads often try to fix big emotions too quickly What children actually need during stressful moments Why discipline means teaching, not punishment How to set firm boundaries without fear, shame, or control Why repair matters more than getting parenting perfect How to stop using threats and bribes as parenting tools The difference between true strength and force How nervous system awareness changes the way dads respond Why strong kids need connection, not domination How to become the parent your child calls when life gets hard Learn more about Fresh Start Family: freshstartfamilyonline.com   🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:            YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com www.freshstartfamilyonline.com www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/book www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/secrets www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/show Music by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Most men are not actually confused about what matters to them. They are afraid. In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman, LMFT explores how fear quietly shapes men’s lives, relationships, nervous systems, identity, and decisions. Using themes from The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, this episode breaks down why so many men stay emotionally guarded, disconnected, overworked, numb, and stuck in survival mode. This is not a book review. It’s a conversation about fear, purpose, masculinity, emotional health, nervous system regulation, and the internal battle many men face between comfort and growth. Topics covered:• Why men confuse safety with peace• Fear and the male nervous system• Why fear gets louder before growth• Hypervigilance, performance, and emotional avoidance• The connection between fear and masculine identity• Why unfamiliarity feels dangerous• Faith, uncertainty, and personal growth• Men’s mental health and emotional resilience• Polyvagal Theory and fear responses• How men can become more grounded under pressure If you’ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, or afraid to take the next step in life, relationships, or purpose, this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:           YouTube: Travis GoodmanInstagram: @travis.goodman.lmftWeb: TravisGoodmanLMFT.comMusic by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman sits down with Pat Barber to talk about fatherhood as a mirror, coaching as self-awareness, and what it means to become the kind of man your kids actually need. Pat shares how decades of coaching movement, developing coaches, and raising four boys have forced him to look honestly at himself, grow through discomfort, and rethink what real leadership looks like.   This conversation explores how fatherhood can bring out both your best and your worst, why good coaching and good parenting require flexibility, and why so many men struggle with not having it all figured out. Travis and Pat also talk about raising good adults instead of just obedient kids, creating emotional safety in the parent-child relationship, and the importance of helping men know they are unconditionally loved.   In this episode: Pat Barber on fatherhood as a mirror How coaching others exposed Pat’s own blind spots Why good coaches and good dads adapt to the individual The difference between raising good kids and raising good adults Why men struggle with shame, failure, and not knowing The role of unconditional love in male growth and emotional health   If you are a father, coach, husband, or man trying to grow with more intention, this episode will challenge and encourage you. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:           YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.comMusic by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Why do so many men feel like their value has to be earned, proven, and constantly defended? In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman sits down with writer and researcher Jim Chastain to unpack the deeper fear underneath the manosphere. Drawing from Jim’s article “Turns Out ‘Manosphere’ Might Be Misspelled. It should probably be Manosfear.” and Louis Theroux’s Into the Manosphere, this conversation explores why so many men organize their lives around performance, control, money, status, and attention instead of connection, honesty, and grounded strength. Together, Travis and Jim explore how fear of weakness, fear of rejection, and fear of “not being enough” can drive men to chase worth through achievement, image, and domination. They talk about why the manosphere is so appealing to younger men, how control and clout can become substitutes for real self-worth, and why the promise of “living for yourself” often hides a deeper avoidance of vulnerability and responsibility. This episode covers:  Why men often feel they must prove their worth Why young men are drawn to manosphere content How fear of weakness shapes male behavior The connection between shame, control, and conditional worth Why revealing weakness can actually become strength What healthier masculinity looks like in real life If you are interested in masculinity, men’s mental health, shame, self-worth, male loneliness, emotional resilience, or how to raise healthier boys and men, this episode will give you a deeper lens into what is really going on beneath the bravado. If you want deeper coaching or therapy, visit travisgoodmanlmft.com.       [Life in Silico] by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com  JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:          YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com

Grief doesn’t just affect your heart. It impacts your mind, your body, your energy, your relationships, your faith, and your sense of direction. In this deeply personal episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman shares about the sudden loss of his close friend and co-founder Pierre Azzam, and what has been helping him navigate grief in real time. This episode explores how grief is not something to fix or solve, but something to move through. Travis shares three practical things that have been helping him carry loss with more honesty and steadiness: walking more, connecting intentionally with friends and family, and creating space to feel without trying to force closure. He also shares several grief books that have helped over the years, including When Bad Things Happen to Good People, On Death and Dying, A Grief Observed, It’s OK That You’re Not OK, and The Grieving Brain. If you are grieving the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, a job, a community, or a season of life, this episode offers a grounded, compassionate conversation about grief, loss, emotional healing, nervous system awareness, and what it means to carry sorrow without carrying it alone. In this episode:• How grief affects the body, mind, and nervous system• Why walking and movement can help with grief• How connection and co-regulation support healing• Why creating space to feel matters• Books on grief, loss, death, and emotional resilienceThis is for anyone navigating grief, mourning, sorrow, sudden loss, emotional pain, or major life transitions.If you want deeper coaching or therapy, visit travisgoodmanlmft.com.  For more men’s mental health tools and community, check out The Men’s Collective Podcast.  [Life in Silico] by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au   🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube  🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:        YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com

When stress hits, your nervous system runs the show. In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, Travis Goodman, LMFT & Mind-Body coach, teaches the 3N practice, adapted from Dr. Les Aria’s work: Notice, Name, Nourish. This is a practical polyvagal-informed tool to help men shift out of fight-or-flight (sympathetic activation) or shutdown (dorsal vagal) and move toward calm, connection, and clarity (ventral vagal). You’ll learn how to:Use body-based awareness to catch your state in real timeLabel what’s happening to reduce overwhelm and regain perspectiveChoose simple “nourish” actions that help your nervous system reset (long exhale breathing, orienting, pressure through palms, sensory temperature shifts, movement, and co-regulation) Use this before hard conversations, after a stressful workday, during workouts when self-criticism spikes, or at night when your mind won’t shut off. This is not about “thinking positive.” It’s about building reps that create real emotional regulation, better relationships, and more grounded leadership as a man and father. If you liked the previous episodes on polyvagal theory, neuroception, hierarchy, and co-regulation, this is the next step. Subscribe for nervous system tools that fit real life.If you want deeper coaching or therapy, visit travisgoodmanlmft.com. For more men’s mental health tools and community, check out The Men’s Collective Podcast.  [Life in Silico] by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au  🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:       YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com

Struggling to settle after stress? In this episode, licensed therapist and Mind+Body coach Travis Goodman teaches three polyvagal-informed practices to reset your nervous system quickly and safely. You’ll learn how to orient to safety cues, ground through the senses, and use lengthened exhale breathing to activate the vagal brake. These simple, science-backed techniques help you move from fight/flight or shutdown back to calm connection. Perfect for busy men, dads, and leaders who need a fast, reliable way to self-regulate without white-knuckling it. What you’ll learn:• Polyvagal exercises to regulate your nervous system fast• How to orient and scan your environment for safety• 3-sense grounding to exit rumination and return to the present• Lengthened-exhale breathing to stimulate the vagus nerve and settle your heart rate• Why “reset first, solve second” prevents reactivity and burnout If you want deeper coaching or therapy, visit travisgoodmanlmft.com. For more men’s mental health tools and community, check out The Men’s Collective Podcast.[Life in Silico] by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.com JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:      YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com

What if your body—not your mind—was deciding how safe, calm, or stressed you feel? In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, therapist and Mind-Body Coach Travis Goodman, LMFT, breaks down the three organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory—a science-backed model by Dr. Stephen Porges that explains how your nervous system runs your daily life. You’ll learn how to recognize your body’s automatic states—ventral (safe and connected), sympathetic (mobilized and stressed), and dorsal (shutdown and numb)—and how to move toward regulation, calm, and connection. In this episode: What Hierarchy teaches us about emotional states and the “autonomic ladder” How Neuroception constantly scans for safety or threat without you realizing it Why Co-Regulation (connection) is the secret to true calm and healing A real-life example of how reaching out to safe relationships resets your nervous system Practical ways to notice, name, and navigate your stateIf you’ve ever wondered why you can’t just “think” your way out of stress, this episode will help you finally understand the biology of safety—and how to work with it. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube🌐 Learn more at menscollective.co or travisgoodmanlmft.comJOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:     YouTube: Travis Goodman Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com

Feeling anxious, tense, or shut down for no reason?In this episode of The Men’s Collective Podcast, therapist and Mind + Body coach Travis Goodman, LMFT breaks down Polyvagal Theory in simple, practical language so you can finally understand your stress responses — and stop fighting your own body. Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory explains how your nervous system constantly scans for cues of safety or threat and shifts between three primary states: Ventral Vagal: calm, connected, grounded Sympathetic: fight / flight / mobilized energy Dorsal Vagal: shutdown, numbness, disconnectionTravis explores how these automatic shifts shape your mood, focus, relationships, and resilience — and why men often mistake these states for weakness, anger, or burnout instead of recognizing them as survival responses. You’ll learn: ✅ What Polyvagal Theory is — in real-world terms ✅ How to identify your current nervous-system state ✅ Why awareness is the first step toward regulation ✅ How to work with your body, not against it ✅ A simple reflection practice to regain calm & connection This episode is for men who want to feel more grounded, adaptable, and emotionally aware, and for anyone curious about the link between nervous system health and mental health. 🎧 Subscribe for weekly insights on men’s mental health, resilience, and purpose at menscollective.co JOIN THE COLLECTIVE:   JOIN THE MEN'S COLLECTIVE: CLICK HERE JOIN THE MAILING LIST & GET INVOLVED!   CLICK HERE: MAILING LIST INSTAGRAM:  MENSCOLLECTIVE.CO WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  WATCH HERE Connect and Support Travis:    YouTube: Travis Goodman  Instagram: @travis.goodman.lmft  Web: TravisGoodmanLMFT.com