<p>What does it actually take to feel grounded, confident, and present as a dad when anxiety is rising, expectations are shifting, and the world feels louder than ever?</p><p>AJ Rich is a licensed marriage and family therapist, practice owner, and doctoral candidate who works almost exclusively with men. After nearly 20 years in corporate leadership, AJ transitioned into clinical work and now helps dads navigate identity, emotional intelligence, anxiety, and growth without losing themselves or their families in the process.</p><p>In this conversation, AJ shares how men can move beyond coping and toward real psychological wellbeing, even while juggling work pressure, parenting, and constant change.</p><p>You will hear AJ break down how to:</p><p> • Understand anxiety as a signal, not a failure</p><p> • Build emotional intelligence without losing strength or credibility</p><p> • Develop the language to describe what you are actually feeling</p><p> • Shift from survival mode into sustainable growth</p><p> • Redefine success beyond titles, income, or external validation</p><p> • Identify what is holding you back when you feel stuck</p><p><strong>Dig Deeper</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://feelingswheel.com/">Feelings wheel</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://brenebrown.com/">Brené Brown</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.hbomax.com/shows/brene-brown-atlas-of-the-heart/dfad262e-b764-4b92-ae63-72886f8a0d81">Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart on HBO Max</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://amzn.to/48VuP1b">Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown (book)</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/learn-more/perma-theory-well-being-and-perma-workshops">PERMA Theory of Well-Being</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://disneynow.com/show/4b10dfb6-0545-4d2f-9342-bdc9ad1766a9">Doc McStuffins</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://disneynow.com/show/0300df0e-abd0-4cc6-9a68-1ffad0f3f5c6">Sofia the First</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mysubwaycareer.com/careers-us-en">Subway Sandwich Artist</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thetakeout.com/1851859/what-happened-target-food-courts/">Food Avenue in Target</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/kNAZa-ORLIU?si=bP-w9n5ZymmkS9Ve">This is How We Do It by Montell Jordan</a></p><p><strong>Follow AJ</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ajrichtherapy.com">AJ Family Therapy, Inc.</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">Email AJ</a></p><p><strong>Follow Gap to Gig</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/gaptogig">On Instagram</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@gaptogig">On TikTok</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.x.com/gaptogig">On X</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.threads.com/@gaptogig">On Threads</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@gaptogig-gtg">On YouTube</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://rss.com/podcasts/gaptogig/">On your podcast player of choice</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.gaptogig.com">Sign up for the Gap to Gig newsletter</a></p><p>Follow Michael</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/themichaeljacobs/">On LinkedIn</a></p>