Ready to trade small talk for truth? We sat down with Matt to explore how real brotherhood forms when men risk honesty, name their emotions, and build trust inside safe containers. His story spans bullying, isolation, a costly legal spiral, and federal prison—including long stretches in solitary—then pivots to the practices that rebuilt his life: men’s groups, reflective listening, and the discipline of speaking only from lived experience.
Matt explains why therapy felt one-way and how circles that ask for reciprocity changed everything. We unpack “I” statements versus “we/you” shortcuts, and why that language shift protects ownership and honors different lived realities. You’ll hear how retreats intentionally reduce control—no phones, structured silence, clear agreements—to surface patterns and catalyze change. As Matt moved from participant to staff, serving others sharpened his attention and deepened his growth. We also get practical: emotional check-ins with one or two true feelings, reflective listening in two sentences, advice only when requested, and journaling to integrate breakthroughs.
Identity and belonging sit at the heart of the conversation. Matt brings his full self—autism, faith, sexuality—and draws a boundary against containers that demand erasure to belong. We talk about congruence between words and actions, why kind confrontation matters, and how friendships form in layers—from surface contact to fully open bonds that can hold hard truths. Along the way, we revisit his book, Bully Behind Bars, and the hard-won insight that many of us live in prisons of the mind, even without bars.
If you’re hungry for deeper connection, practical tools, and a path out of isolation, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs real talk, and leave a review to help more men find the work. Then, when you’re ready, step into the circle and bring one honest sentence to start.

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