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.com
Instagram: @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 Not
00:41 Defining Radical Acceptance and Why It Reduces Suffering
01:41 A Simple Practice for Moving From Resistance to Wise Action
02:12 Willingness vs. Willfulness
02:38 Weekly Practice and Closing Invitation

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: Stop
T: Take a step back
O: Observe
P: 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