The Authentic Man Podcast with David Chambers: Dating, Relationship, Masculinity & Intimacy Guidance For Men

Men's mental health is in crisis — and most men won't go to therapy until it's too late. In this episode of The Authentic Man Podcast, I sit down with Roy Graff — psychotherapist, relationship coach, and men's emotional health expert — to talk about why men avoid therapy, what that avoidance is actually costing them, and what getting help really looks like for men who want more from their relationships and themselves. Roy works at the intersection of masculinity, emotional suppression, intimacy, and authentic connection — and this conversation goes deep. Roy Graff is a psychotherapist, relationship coach, and educator focused on men's emotional health, intimacy, consent, polyamory, and authentic connection. His work explores how masculinity, emotional suppression, and relationship patterns affect mental health and human connection. He is also known for facilitating workshops on consent, play fighting, embodiment, and relational skills, helping people build deeper self-awareness, empathy, and healthier relationships. Key Topics: ⭐ Why Men Avoid Therapy ⭐ The Hidden Cost Of Performative Masculinity ⭐ How The Manosphere Exploits Male Insecurity ⭐ Therapy As A Tool For Self-Discovery ⭐ Why Patriarchy Hurts Men Too ⭐ Authentic Connection vs Transactional Relationships ⭐ Consent, Empathy & Emotional Intelligence ⭐ Why Men Struggle With Vulnerability ⭐ Pleasure, Presence & Emotional Repression ⭐ How Therapy Can Change Fatherhood & Future Generations Connect With David - The Authentic Man: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ Website: https://www.theauthenticman.net/ For Coaching: [email protected] Newsletter: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe Connect With Roy Graff: Roy's instagram : https://www.instagram.com/openrelating/ https://www.instagram.com/playfightinguk

Most men think their relationship problems come from choosing the wrong partner. So they tell themselves: "I just need someone easier." "She was too emotional." "We just weren't compatible." But eventually the same patterns return. The shutdown. The anxiety. The urge to pull away when intimacy gets real. In this episode, David sits down with Son to unpack the hidden patterns that were quietly sabotaging his relationships for years. From sexual performance anxiety… to conflict avoidance… to ending an engagement six months before the wedding… Son shares how he constantly found himself trapped between craving connection and wanting escape. Arguments felt threatening. Closeness felt overwhelming. So instead of communicating honestly, he became the "nice guy" — avoiding discomfort, people-pleasing, and slowly disconnecting emotionally. What makes this conversation powerful is the honesty behind it. How he blamed himself. How he secretly tried to "fix" relationships alone. How years of self-work still never touched the deeper emotional patterns underneath. David and Son explore: avoidant attachment in men conflict avoidance and emotional shutdown sexual shame and performance anxiety "nice guy" behaviour fear of intimacy why men pull away in relationships learning to communicate honestly This isn't about becoming perfect in relationships. It's about understanding the patterns that keep sabotaging connection — and learning how to stay present instead of escaping when love becomes vulnerable. _______ RELATE: 👉🏽 Where modern men reclaim depth, direction, and relational leadership. Join Relate: https://forms.gle/7zt4LRYopWeRLVfZ9 ____________________ ____________________ What To Do Next: 1️⃣ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ 2️⃣ Work with me? Free 30 minute call: https://calendly.com/the-authentic-man/30-min-free-introductory-coaching-session?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast 3️⃣ Get specialised relationship and dating advice: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe 4️⃣Go bag one of the resources below ____________________ ____________________ 🧨 RESOURCES 🧨 ✅ Modern dating feels impossible? It doesn't have to stay that way. The Men's Dating Accelerator, master the most important skills: https://www.theauthenticman.net/mda-landing-page-direct-update-v2 Check out these FREE resources: 👉🏽 5 mistakes in embodying healthy masculinity: https://mailchi.mp/theauthenticman/masculinity-mistakes-in-dating-giveaway 👉🏽 The Hidden Mistakes Men Make in Dating & Relationships: https://mailchi.mp/faaf98ceedd8/hiddenmistakes 👉🏽 30 Dating App Conversation Starters: https://www.theauthenticman.net/app-openers-landing-page 👉🏽 Why You Keep Pulling Away: https://www.theauthenticman.net/why-you-keep-pulling-away-page ____________________ Loving the podcast? Leave us a review… 📱Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-authentic-man-podcast-with-david-chambers/id1447910686?action=write-review Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64n26CAX3FIhJj7aMR2CO6 LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching 👍 #relationship #men #masculinity

With a unique ability to think like a man and feel like a woman, Elizabeth Anneka's on a mission to help men connect deeply and meaningfully with women. As a touch connoisseur, she translates the subtle, subjective, and seemingly ever-changing desires of women into a tangible, specific system for men to follow. Elizabeth helps her clients look for specific cues in a woman's body, teaching them how to truly understand and respond to their partner's needs. Elizabeth empowers men to become incredible lovers and reach Sex God Status within 6 months, leading to happier, healthier relationships…and a lot of happy ladies! ;) With 1:1 packages and group programs available, visit www.howtotouchwomen.com to dive into a world of exceptional intimacy today. Key Topics: ⭐ Touch, Flirtation, And Intimacy As Learnable Arts ⭐ "The Bullseye Of The Body" And Why Men Rush The Center ⭐ Anticipation Versus Certainty In Sexual Dynamics ⭐ Reading A Woman's Breath As A Compass For Turn-On ⭐ Why Women Close When Men Move Too Fast ⭐ Flirting As "A Pamphlet" Of Your Energy And Life Force ⭐ Confidence Built Through Courage, Risk, And Self-Regard ⭐ The Difference Between Embodied Flirting And "Game" ⭐ Men Living In Their Heads Instead Of Their Bodies ⭐ Emotional Attunement As The Missing Layer Of Seduction ⭐ "A Woman Who Opens Herself To Sex" Versus Sex Alone ⭐ Presence, Playfulness, And The Power Of Responsive Touch Connect With David - The Authentic Man: ➡️ Join the Waitlist — Relate https://forms.gle/2AXhmyNweasETaso7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ Website: https://www.theauthenticman.net/ For Coaching: [email protected] Newsletter: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe Connect with Elizabeth Anneka: Website: https://www.howtotouchwomen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingsoftouch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethanneka8 ____________ RELATE: 👉🏽 Where modern men reclaim depth, direction, and relational leadership. Join Relate: https://forms.gle/7zt4LRYopWeRLVfZ9 ____________________ ____________________ What To Do Next: 1️⃣ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ 2️⃣ Work with me? Free 30 minute call: https://calendly.com/the-authentic-man/30-min-free-introductory-coaching-session?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast 3️⃣ Get specialised relationship and dating advice: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe 4️⃣Go bag one of the resources below ____________________ ____________________ 🧨 RESOURCES 🧨 ✅ Modern dating feels impossible? It doesn't have to stay that way. The Men's Dating Accelerator, master the most important skills: https://www.theauthenticman.net/mda-landing-page-direct-update-v2 Check out these FREE resources: 👉🏽 5 mistakes in embodying healthy masculinity: https://mailchi.mp/theauthenticman/masculinity-mistakes-in-dating-giveaway 👉🏽 The Hidden Mistakes Men Make in Dating & Relationships: https://mailchi.mp/faaf98ceedd8/hiddenmistakes 👉🏽 30 Dating App Conversation Starters: https://www.theauthenticman.net/app-openers-landing-page 👉🏽 Why You Keep Pulling Away: https://www.theauthenticman.net/why-you-keep-pulling-away-page ____________________ Loving the podcast? Leave us a review… 📱Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-authentic-man-podcast-with-david-chambers/id1447910686?action=write-review Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64n26CAX3FIhJj7aMR2CO6 LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching 👍 #relationship #men #masculinity

Most men think they keep sabotaging relationships because they're afraid of commitment. So they tell themselves: "I just haven't met the right person." "I'm better on my own." "I'm just not built for relationships." But deep down, something never fully settles. Because every time intimacy deepens… every time someone truly gets close… something inside them starts pulling away. Not because they don't care. But because closeness starts to feel emotionally overwhelming. In this episode, David sits down with Reuben Christian to unpack the deeper reality behind avoidant attachment, emotional withdrawal, and the painful cycle so many men silently repeat in relationships. Reuben shares how he spent years believing he was "broken" when it came to love. On the surface, he looked confident, social, successful, and deeply connected to people. But inside intimate relationships… he constantly felt trapped between wanting love and wanting escape. He explains how emotional intensity would trigger panic, overthinking, distancing, fault-finding, and eventually withdrawal—even in relationships that were loving and healthy. And the hardest part? He didn't understand why it kept happening. So like many men, he tried to think his way out of it. Books. Podcasts. Therapy. Relationship advice. But nothing fully changed the deeper pattern underneath. Because what looked like "commitment issues"… was actually a nervous system trying to protect him from emotional pain. In this conversation, David and Reuben explore how avoidant attachment develops, why men disconnect when relationships become emotionally real, and what actually begins to shift when men stop seeing themselves as broken. This isn't a conversation about becoming perfect in relationships. It's about learning how to stay present instead of disappearing when love becomes vulnerable. 📌 Topics Covered ✅ Why avoidant men pull away in relationships ✅ The hidden fear underneath "commitment issues" ✅ Why emotional closeness can feel unsafe ✅ The shame cycle many men secretly carry ✅ How overthinking sabotages intimacy ✅ Why conflict feels like proof the relationship is wrong ✅ The emotional disconnection behind casual dating patterns ✅ Why many men feel "broken" in love ✅ The nervous system patterns behind avoidance ✅ How men abandon themselves inside relationships ✅ Why self-protection can look like emotional withdrawal ✅ The deeper loneliness beneath avoidant attachment ✅ Why intellectual understanding alone doesn't heal avoidance ✅ How emotional safety changes relationship patterns ✅ What secure attachment actually looks like in real life ✅ The identity shift that changes everything for avoidant men If you've ever pulled away from someone you loved, struggled to stay emotionally present in relationships, or secretly wondered whether you're capable of real intimacy—this episode may help you understand what's actually happening beneath the surface. ______________ RELATE: 👉🏽 Where modern men reclaim depth, direction, and relational leadership. Join Relate: https://forms.gle/7zt4LRYopWeRLVfZ9 ____________________ ____________________ What To Do Next: 1️⃣ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ 2️⃣ Work with me? Free 30 minute call: https://calendly.com/the-authentic-man/30-min-free-introductory-coaching-session?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast 3️⃣ Get specialised relationship and dating advice: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe 4️⃣Go bag one of the resources below ____________________ ____________________ 🧨 RESOURCES 🧨 ✅ Modern dating feels impossible? It doesn't have to stay that way. The Men's Dating Accelerator, master the most important skills: https://www.theauthenticman.net/mda-landing-page-direct-update-v2 Check out these FREE resources: 👉🏽 5 mistakes in embodying healthy masculinity: https://mailchi.mp/theauthenticman/masculinity-mistakes-in-dating-giveaway 👉🏽 The Hidden Mistakes Men Make in Dating & Relationships: https://mailchi.mp/faaf98ceedd8/hiddenmistakes 👉🏽 30 Dating App Conversation Starters: https://www.theauthenticman.net/app-openers-landing-page 👉🏽 Why You Keep Pulling Away: https://www.theauthenticman.net/why-you-keep-pulling-away-page ____________________ Loving the podcast? Leave us a review… 📱Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-authentic-man-podcast-with-david-chambers/id1447910686?action=write-review Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64n26CAX3FIhJj7aMR2CO6 LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching 👍 #relationship #men #masculinity

Alessandro Frosali is a men's coach dedicated to helping men grow out of boy-like behaviours and step into mature masculinity. His work focuses on the everyday struggles men face in relationships, especially the cycle of criticism and defensiveness that slowly erodes respect between partners. Through coaching, retreats, and his Better Husband Academy, Alessandro teaches men how to take responsibility, handle emotional conflict, and become the kind of partner their wife can trust and respect. His approach blends practical psychology, rites of passage concepts, and honest conversations about what modern men were never taught about relationships. Alessandro believes many men want to be great husbands but were never shown how. His mission is to give men the tools, structure, and accountability to become the husbands, fathers, and leaders their families need. Key Topics: ⭐ The "Boy Behavior" Versus Manhood In Relationships ⭐ Why Men Blame Instead Of Taking Responsibility ⭐ Confusing Identity ("I Am A Man") With Behavior ⭐ Seeing Your Partner As A Mirror, Not The Enemy ⭐ Defensiveness As Protection From Shame And "Not Enough" ⭐ Why Women Lose Attraction When They Have To Mother You ⭐ Sex As Release vs Sex As Emotional Connection ⭐ How Avoiding Hard Conversations Kills Intimacy ⭐ Women Calling Men Forward (And Why It Feels Like Attack) ⭐ Listening To What's Under The Words ("The Thing Beneath The Thing") Connect With David - The Authentic Man: ➡️ Join the Waitlist — Relate https://forms.gle/2AXhmyNweasETaso7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ Website: https://www.theauthenticman.net/ For Coaching: [email protected] Newsletter: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe Connect with Alessandro Frosali Website: www.alessandrofrosali.com ___________ RELATE: 👉🏽 Where modern men reclaim depth, direction, and relational leadership. Join Relate: https://forms.gle/7zt4LRYopWeRLVfZ9 ____________________ ____________________ What To Do Next: 1️⃣ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticman_/ 2️⃣ Work with me? Free 30 minute call: https://calendly.com/the-authentic-man/30-min-free-introductory-coaching-session?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast 3️⃣ Get specialised relationship and dating advice: https://www.theauthenticman.net/home-subscribe 4️⃣Go bag one of the resources below ____________________ ____________________ 🧨 RESOURCES 🧨 ✅ Modern dating feels impossible? It doesn't have to stay that way. The Men's Dating Accelerator, master the most important skills: https://www.theauthenticman.net/mda-landing-page-direct-update-v2 Check out these FREE resources: 👉🏽 5 mistakes in embodying healthy masculinity: https://mailchi.mp/theauthenticman/masculinity-mistakes-in-dating-giveaway 👉🏽 The Hidden Mistakes Men Make in Dating & Relationships: https://mailchi.mp/faaf98ceedd8/hiddenmistakes 👉🏽 30 Dating App Conversation Starters: https://www.theauthenticman.net/app-openers-landing-page 👉🏽 Why You Keep Pulling Away: https://www.theauthenticman.net/why-you-keep-pulling-away-page ____________________ Loving the podcast? Leave us a review… 📱Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-authentic-man-podcast-with-david-chambers/id1447910686?action=write-review Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64n26CAX3FIhJj7aMR2CO6 LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching 👍 #relationship #men #masculinity