Outline

A conversation about masculinity

1. Introduction to the men’s program and its benefits

Purpose

Create a welcoming environment, establish trust, and set the tone for the course. Meet your coach and other men in the program so that you can become familiar with and begin your personal journey.

Topics

  • Course overview and expectations.
  • Why intrapersonal growth and interpersonal development are essential learnings for men from all cultural and spiritual communities.

Activities

  • Icebreaker: Share one strength and one goal participants want to develop.
  • Personal reflection: “What brought me here today?”

2. What is a man? What do you say about men? What do you say about being a man?

Purpose

Explore and redefine masculinity through a cultural and personal lens.

Topics

  • Traditional roles of men in Indigenous cultures vs. societal stereotypes.
  • Personal definitions of masculinity and manhood.

Activities

  • Group discussion: “What does being a man mean to you?”
  • Reflective writing: “Who taught me about being a man, and what did I learn?”

Key question

How do traditional teachings align with or challenge modern ideas about men?

3. Focusing so that you can access your emotional memories

Purpose

Develop self-awareness and begin processing past experiences.

Topics

  • The importance of emotional awareness in personal healing.
  • Mindfulness techniques to explore emotional memories.

Activities

  • Guided visualization to connect with a significant emotional memory.
  • Journaling: “What emotions have shaped who I am today?”

4. Strategies for mapping your emotional world

Purpose

Learn practical tools to identify, organize, and navigate your emotions.

Topics

  • The spectrum of emotions: Understanding feelings beyond “good” or “bad.”
  • Using emotional mapping tools (e.g., emotion wheels, diagrams).

Activities

  • Create a personal “emotional map.”
  • Group exercise: Share and normalize emotions like vulnerability or sadness.

5. Empathic listening so that you can shift from competition to collaboration

Purpose

Foster communication skills that emphasize understanding and connection.

Topics

  • What is empathic listening? What is ethical listening?
  • Barriers to collaboration, including toxic competitiveness.

Activities

  • Role-play scenarios to practice active and empathic listening.
  • Pair exercise: “Tell me about a time you felt heard.”

6. Mastering the four major challenges of being in relationship

Purpose

Build healthy relationship skills rooted in mutual respect and emotional intelligence.

Topics

  • Communication, trust, boundaries, and accountability.
  • Applying the language of Love and Virtue in relationships.

Activities

  • Group discussion: “What challenges have you faced in relationships?”
  • Workshop: Role-playing healthy boundary-setting conversations.

7. Understanding Emotional Suppression and Aggression

Purpose

Examine how suppressing emotions can lead to destructive behaviours.

Topics

  • Cultural and societal causes of emotional suppression.
  • Links between suppressed emotions and aggression.

Activities

  • Reflective journaling: “What emotions do I find hardest to express?”
  • Group discussion: “What are healthier ways to process anger or frustration?”

8. The consequences of conforming to traditional masculinity

Purpose

Challenge harmful behaviours and beliefs that result from traditional masculinity.

Topics

  • Identifying masculinity traits.
  • The impact on individuals, families, and communities.

Activities

  • Case study: Examples of traditional vs. healthy masculinity.
  • Create a personal statement of “What kind of man I want to be.”

9. The failure to seek help from the company of healthy men

Purpose

Encourage support networks and mentorship among men.

Topics

  • The stigma around asking for help.
  • Building a circle of trust and healthy male relationships.

Activities

  • Group exercise: Share a challenge you’ve faced and ask for advice.
  • Create a “support system map” to identify healthy role models.

10. Integrating all that you have learned and bridging to the future

Purpose

Reflect on progress and commit to ongoing growth.

Topics

  • Reviewing the course teachings and their applications to your life.
  • Setting personal goals for the future.

Activities

  • Group sharing: “What have I learned, and what will I take forward?”
  • Ceremony: A closing ritual to honor personal and group growth.