While there are men who have loving and strong ties with their fathers, many men experience these relationships in the wounds carried in their bodies and souls that their fathers inflicted. Yet, despite these wounds, there is a strong desire for the love of our fathers as well as for closeness and intimacy with other men.

Our Western culture puts up many barriers to intimacy with our fathers and other males. . We are taught from boyhood on to be self-sufficient, detached, and stoic, which only intensifies loneliness and other feelings of deprivation. It does not have to be that way.

This gathering will focus on “Fathers and Sons: Sharing our Stories.”  While it will begin with examining the father-son relationship, it will encourage men to learn new ways of viewing their own needs and desires for male affection, support, and friendship. The module we will use will help us reframe issues that frequently plague men, such as relationships with fathers, trust of other men, fear of being inadequate, the need to prove yourself to obtain validity, and others.