Men Talking Mindfulness: Mental, Physical, & Emotional Fitness to Elevate Performance and Resilience for Leaders and Teams Un

Jon Macaskill & Will Schneider

Men Talking Mindfulness is dedicated to empowering men to embrace their true selves with bravery and authenticity. Our mission is to guide them on a journey of continual learning, developing self-love, and meaningful living. We work to inspire men to lead lives that they can look back on with pride and to create legacies that align with their deepest values. We are committed to cultivating a space where vulnerability is strength, being yourself is the norm, and where every man can unleash their potential to live a life of exceptional impact and fulfillment. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  1. Dr. Varpas de Sa Pereira on Warrior Withdrawal: why leaving the military feels like going cold turkey  (An MTM AI Short)

    1d ago ·  Bonus

    Dr. Varpas de Sa Pereira on Warrior Withdrawal: why leaving the military feels like going cold turkey (An MTM AI Short)

    Dr. Varpas de Sa Pereira, US Marine veteran, former USASOC Special Operator, and clinical psychologist at the VA, joins Jon Macaskill to break down warrior withdrawal syndrome and why traditional diagnoses like PTSD and adjustment disorder miss the mark for so many veterans. Dr. Varpas uses a substance abuse model to explain why military service functions like a drug and why separation produces real withdrawal symptoms, even in veterans who never deployed to combat. He covers why basic training alone is enough to create the warrior identity, how infinite choice after the military breeds anxiety the same way zero agency breeds depression, and the PLEASE acronym (physical health, limit screen time, eat right, avoid mood-altering substances, sleep, exercise) as both a skill set and a scoreboard.  Jon and Dr. Varpas also dig into sleep as the foundational fix, the grenade analogy for interpersonal conflict and why mindfulness extends the fuse, marksmanship as active mindfulness, and why that critical first six months after separation is when most major negative life events happen. Full episode: pod.fo/e/2ebcc0 Full video hereFree A2A Awareness assessment, free Focus app, and limited free access to the full A2A course: text MTM to 33777 GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    9 min
  2. How Community and Discipline Rebuilt Hal Hughes Life While recovering from TBI and Addiction

    5d ago

    How Community and Discipline Rebuilt Hal Hughes Life While recovering from TBI and Addiction

    What does a man do when no one is coming to save him? Hal Hughes is a registered psychotherapist, former police officer, and federal corrections officer who survived two traumatic brain injuries, a bipolar and PTSD diagnosis, and an opiate addiction that nearly killed him. At his lowest, he was on eight psychiatric medications and undergoing electroconvulsive shock therapy. Today, Hal runs Hughes Counseling in Smiths Falls, Ontario, specializing in first responders, military personnel, and anyone navigating the wreckage of a life that got away from them. In this episode, Hal joins Jon and Will to break down the philosophy, the structure, and the daily discipline that actually gets a man through the hard stuff — not the kind you read about, but the kind he earned the hard way. IN THIS EPISODE: 1.  Two TBIs, bipolar, PTSD, and opiate addiction — Hal’s full story 2.  The sharp instrument: why the human mind cuts us when we’re untrained 3.  The rat park experiment and why addiction only gets fixed in community 4.  The healing circle that led to forgiveness — and where “more love, less judgment” was born 5.  Get the vehicle right first: the body-mind framework that makes everything else possible More about Hal Hughes: 1.  Website: https://www.halhughes.com GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    1h 12m
  3. The Power of Forgiveness: A Father's Day Special

    Jun 19 ·  Bonus

    The Power of Forgiveness: A Father's Day Special

    Father's Day is almost here, so Jon and Will sat down to talk about what fatherhood actually asks of us. Not the highlight-reel version. The real one. This episode is about forgiveness. The kind you give your kids, the kind you give your own father, and the kind you eventually have to give yourself. We get into how holding onto resentment quietly wrecks the connection you say you want, and what changes when you finally put it down. We talked as dads. We also talked as sons, because you can't really separate the two. Some of this got personal. That felt right for the topic. If you're a father, or you're still working through things with your own, this one's worth your time. What we cover: Why Father's Day is a good excuse to look honestly at how we show up as dadsForgiveness as a real tool, not a soft one, for repairing the father-child bondHow resentment blocks the peace and clarity most of us are chasingWhat we've learned sitting on both sides of the relationship... as fathers and as sonsWhere forgiveness actually starts the healing, and where it just papers over thingsMost of this work starts with one skill, paying attention to what's actually going on inside you before you react. That's the whole premise of our Awareness to Action course. If you want to build that skill on purpose, you can check it out here: https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course And if you're not sure where you stand right now, start with our free Awareness Self Assessment. It takes a few minutes and gives you a real read on where your attention is going: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page Time stamps: (00:01)Forgiveness and Fatherhood: An Advanced Human Skill(10:16) Forgiveness and Fatherhood(12:39) "Understanding and Forgiving Our Fathers Across Generations"(15:09) Forgiving and Accepting Parents for Who They Are(17:45) The Neuroscience and Psychological Benefits of Forgiveness(19:04) "Parental Influence on Adult Behavior: A Study on Forgiveness and Vengeance"(20:45) "The Interconnection of Forgiveness, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion"(24:33) "Understanding Emotional Differences and Healing Relationships with Fathers"(26:25) Forgiveness and Self-Compassion: Healing Relationships and Moving Forward with Integrity(28:08) "Transformative Power of Awareness and Forgiveness"(29:53) Modeling Forgiveness for Our Children(31:42) The Power of Empathy and Forgiveness in Personal Growth(37:22) "Understanding and Forgiveness: Transforming Relationships"(44:41) "Discussing 'The Living Years' Lyrics"(45:21) The Importance of Forgiveness in Relationships(48:49) "Podcast Sign-Off and Father's Day Wishes" GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    49 min
  4. Dr. Lisa Larkin: what every man needs to know about menopause (and why it matters for your relationship)

    Jun 17 ·  Bonus

    Dr. Lisa Larkin: what every man needs to know about menopause (and why it matters for your relationship)

    Dr. Lisa Larkin, doctor of internal medicine and 35-year women's health specialist, joins Jon and Will to explain what men need to know about menopause and perimenopause. She covers why women age completely differently than men (fits and starts vs. gradual decline), the biological reasons behind declining libido, sleep disruption, mood changes, and body changes in women's 40s and 50s, and why communication is the single most important thing couples can do during this transition. She also breaks down breast cancer risk assessment (25% of women are high risk and don't know it), the history of hormone therapy from the 2002 Women's Health Initiative scare to where the science stands now, why she opposes high-dose testosterone pellets for women, and why lifestyle beats supplements every time. Dr. Larkin is a breast cancer survivor herself and past president of the Menopause Society. Full episode: https://podfollow.com/mentalkingmindfulness/episode/03387a9002dca750859496876727425e576ad645/viewFull video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gSueDpfWYFree A2A course access: use code FREE at https://men-talking-mindfulness-a2a.circle.so/checkout/free-accessFree Awareness assessment and Focus app: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/linkinbio or text MTM to 33777 GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    9 min
  5. One Practice That Changes All Your Relationships w/Jimmy Wightman

    Jun 15

    One Practice That Changes All Your Relationships w/Jimmy Wightman

    The longest relationship you'll ever have is the one inside your own mind. Most men have never been formally introduced. Jimmy Wightman — former London DJ turned global meditation teacher — joins Jon and Will for an honest conversation about what a consistent medit3IN THIS EPISODE: How Jimmy's Meditation practice saved his relationship in real timeConcentration, sensory clarity, and equanimity are the three components that rewire behaviorEquanimity: the magical third option between reacting and suppressingHow people-pleasing is a nervous system pattern mindfulness exposes and rewiresWhat Jon, Will, and Jimmy still get triggered by — and what they do about itHow to choose a meditation style: interest, opportunity, necessityRELATED EPISODES: Ep. 120 — Creating Emotional Stability with Jay FieldsEp. 111 — Accessing Inner Harmony: Mind-Body Integration with Luke IorioEp. 138 — Curiosity Is Key to Breaking Men Free from Judgment and RuminationMore about JIMMY WIGHTMAN: Instagram: @that_meditation_guyWebsite & Courses: delvedeep.com GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    1h 10m
  6. Navy SEAL Jocko Willink on discipline, ownership, and the freedom on the other side (an MTM Short)

    Jun 12 ·  Bonus

    Navy SEAL Jocko Willink on discipline, ownership, and the freedom on the other side (an MTM Short)

    Retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink joins Jon and Will to break down what "discipline equals freedom" actually looks like in daily life. They cover getting up early and imposing your will on the day, recognizing over-training before it wrecks you, extreme ownership as a leadership tool and a life tool, the detachment story that changed how Jocko leads, humility as the single most important trait in a leader, default aggressive (and knowing when to override it), and applying battlefield leadership principles to parenting and family. Jocko also shares what it was like to lose Mark Lee, Ryan Job, and Mikey Monsoor in Ramadi, and how that loss fuels his gratitude for every single day. Jon opens up about his own survivor's guilt from Operation Red Wings and how it led him to mindfulness. The episode closes with Jocko's first on-air one-minute meditation. Full episode: pod.fo/e/2d9003 Full video: youtu.be/_FmnCrniCq4 Take the free A2A Awareness self-assessment or check out the full A2A course: text MTM to 33777 or click here for more info: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/linkinbio GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    9 min
  7. The Power of Showing Up, Building Community, and Doing Challenging Things with Your Brothers Featuring David Valadez

    Jun 8

    The Power of Showing Up, Building Community, and Doing Challenging Things with Your Brothers Featuring David Valadez

    What happens when you stop doing things virtually and actually show up for each other? Jon, Will, and returning MTM guest David Valadez reflect on a weekend in Colorado Springs that started with an excruciating Spartan 10K — 7 miles of mud, hills, barbed wire, and shared struggle — and ended with something harder to measure. Every wall and climb was a reminder that we are stronger together than we will ever be alone. Outside the race, the moments kept coming: Jon's Family embracing the gang for dinner, and a visit to Dan Carcillo's plant medicine retreat center in Golden. This is a short episode about the one thing that accelerates everything else — real, in-person community between men. It's one of the core tenets of Men Talking Mindfulness: we are stronger together, and this weekend proved it. MORE ABOUT DAVID VALADEZ:Business advisor to the show, investor, partner, and advisor across multiple business ventures and startups. In 2018 he walked away from a corporate operations career — including senior roles at Convergint, a global systems integrator in security and building automation — to focus on investing in and advising growth-stage companies. He also brings a background in youth sports performance leadership as former VP of Operations at Dedicated Athletes and Legerity Sports Performance. David is a Partner at Kitsap Olhava Management and one of the men behind the scenes at MTM. Check out his past ep:Men's Journey Through and Healing After Divorce IN THIS EPISODE: -Why shared struggle creates a depth of connection no Zoom call can replicate -How co-regulation works — and what Jon's wife saw in him after just one weekend -The visit to Dan Carcillo and Experience Onward — what happened in that room -Why doing something hard together is different from just hanging out -The first step if you've been isolating — and how to take it -A direct invitation to join MTM community and future in-person events Tired of just listening and want to become more mindful?Take our Awareness to Action COURSE (A2A) 12 modules structured curriculum on attention, presence, practices & performance — plus an inspiring community built in for connection. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course → This episode is a living example of what A2A is building — community as the foundation of growth GET MORE FROM MTM: Join our free weekly Substack newsletter → Click HERE Check out our MTM Website to see what else we are up too!mentalkingmindfulness.com GET FOCUSED!! (Corporate Trainings)Does your company need help, or would you like to reduce safety incidents?? Head over to focusnowtraining.com - we have you covered! Produced by Robert Lopez cratesaudio.com Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information. GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    23 min
  8. Green Beret Chris Lee on Meditation as a Superpower: Match Your Pace to Your Breath

    Jun 5

    Green Beret Chris Lee on Meditation as a Superpower: Match Your Pace to Your Breath

    What does a dedicated meditation practice look like off the cushion and in the real world? On this episode of Men Talking Mindfulness, hosts Jon Macaskill and Will Schneider sit down with Chris Lee... former Green Beret, 18 Delta medic, author of Beyond the Battlefield, and newly signed president of Machine Mentality alongside Nick Lavery. Chris came on to talk about why meditation is the quiet superpower that most men keep putting off, and what actually changed when he stopped treating it like a checkbox. Chris shares his walking meditation practice (72 steps per lap in his backyard, nearly killed the grass), the moment he realized he'd been matching his breath to his pace instead of his pace to his breath, and why flipping that became a metaphor for his whole life. He talks about the shift from knife-handing his daughters to being present during driving lessons, the self-talk change that cracked everything open, and a psychedelic-assisted therapy session where he heard: stop striving for peace, just be peace. Jon shares his own meditation gap... learning the practice in 2015, dropping off, and coming back in 2017 when his newborn daughter's nighttime feedings forced him to rediscover the tool. Will talks about teaching non-doing meditation to high performers in New York and why you'll never out-clever your own mind. The episode gets practical with the five-minute rule, the gym analogy for beginners (start with 45 seconds, not an hour), and two responses to common meditation pushback that are worth remembering: "I can't quiet my mind" is like saying "I'm too dirty to take a shower," and the deadlift analogy for people who think sitting still is a waste of time. Chris closes by guiding a liquid light body scan meditation. What you'll hear in this episode: Chris's walking meditation practice and matching pace to breath as a life metaphor The self-talk shift: being gentle when your mind wanders How meditation changed Chris's parenting with two daughters Jon's nighttime feeding story and rediscovering the tool The five-minute rule and why 45 seconds is a great place to start "I can't quiet my mind" = "I'm too dirty to take a shower" The deadlift analogy for meditation skeptics Non-doing meditation and why fighting your mind gives it control Peace as a reservoir, not a mountaintop Sleep, alcohol, the Brick device, and variables that affect your practice Community and accountability for sustaining a meditation habit Guided liquid light body scan meditation Chris's book: Beyond the Battlefield (available now) Chris's upcoming book: Beyond the Serpent (early 2026) Chris on Instagram/TikTok: @coach_chris.lee Machine Mentality with Nick Lavery Full episode: https://pod.fo/e/34fabf Text MTM to 33777 for updates on new episodes, the A2A course, and resources from Focus Now Training. Jon's book, DIAL in Your Leadership: 4 Non-negotiables for Leading with Clarity, Trust, and Purpose, is available now on Amazon. https://a.co/d/0hYwI2Sz Follow Men Talking Mindfulness, Jon Macaskill, and Will Schneider for more. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information. GET MORE FROM MTM: Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter Subscribe & Episodes: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/ FREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/ FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-page A2A COURSE: 12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness. https://focusnowtraining.com/a2a-course BRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM: Custom training for your organization. In-person or online. https://focusnowtraining.com/contact-us Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    8 min
5
out of 5
112 Ratings

About

Men Talking Mindfulness is dedicated to empowering men to embrace their true selves with bravery and authenticity. Our mission is to guide them on a journey of continual learning, developing self-love, and meaningful living. We work to inspire men to lead lives that they can look back on with pride and to create legacies that align with their deepest values. We are committed to cultivating a space where vulnerability is strength, being yourself is the norm, and where every man can unleash their potential to live a life of exceptional impact and fulfillment. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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