Men And Love

What happens when we stop making our partner responsible for our happiness?

In this episode of Men and Love, I sit down with Galina Singer to explore the realities of long term love, marriage, emotional responsibility, and the many chapters a relationship moves through.

Galina has been married for more than 35 years. She speaks honestly about the expectations she once placed on her husband, the resentment that developed when life and parenthood became more demanding, and the difficult realization that her emotional experience and satisfaction with life were ultimately her responsibility.

We explore how marriage changes under pressure, including children, work, financial stress, grief, illness, aging, and personal growth. These moments can expose the wounds, patterns, and unspoken expectations that may have been present all along.

Together, we discuss:

• Why your partner cannot be responsible for your happiness
• The difference between reacting from an inner child wound and responding as an adult
• How anger can reveal unmet needs, broken expectations, and crossed boundaries
• Why suppressing difficult emotions often creates resentment
• The pursuit and withdrawal dynamic during conflict
• How nervous system awareness can create space for repair
• The importance of noticing what your partner is already doing well
• Why one chapter of a marriage ending does not always mean the relationship must end
• The freedom that can exist inside commitment
• How to inspire change without forcing, shaming, or controlling your partner

Galina offers a grounded and compassionate perspective on what it means to love another imperfect human while remaining connected to yourself.

Her work focuses on somatics, nervous system awareness, self responsibility, self compassion, and learning to reparent the wounded parts of ourselves that often take over inside relationships.

You can follow Galina on Instagram @GalinaSinger.

Or check out her links HERE

You can also subscribe to her Substack and weekly newsletter, Learning to Love with Galina Singer, where she shares reflections from her own relationship and explores how those lessons apply to love, partnership, and the wider human experience. Galina shared that the easiest way to access her newsletter, Substack, and other offerings is through the link in her Instagram bio.

For the Men listening

When your relationship becomes difficult, it is easy to focus entirely on what your partner is doing wrong.

Powerful Partner helps men develop the awareness, emotional steadiness, communication skills, and relational leadership needed to navigate conflict without collapsing, attacking, fixing, or disappearing.

This is not about controlling your partner or becoming a performance machine trying to keep her happy.

It is about staying connected to yourself, understanding the patterns operating between you, and taking responsibility for the man and partner you choose to be.

Learn more by reaching out to me on instagram @thatguymarkwell or at thepowerfulpartner.com

In this episode of Men and Love, I sit down with Dr. Wade Anderson, a psychoanalyst who has spent decades helping people understand themselves while also doing the work in his own life.

I met Wade and his wife, Leslie, in line at a festival in Costa Rica, and there was something about the two of them that caught my attention. They had been together for decades, they were still playful, still connected, still curious, and still very much alive in their love. I wanted to know what made that possible.

Wade has been with Leslie for nearly forty years and married for thirty-one. In this conversation, we explore the arc of marriage, the seasons of fatherhood, what happens when children begin to leave your orbit, and what it really takes to keep choosing each other through rupture, repair, old wounds, and the patterns that love inevitably brings to the surface.

As a psychoanalyst, Wade brings a unique perspective to the conversation, blending decades of clinical experience with the humility of someone who continues to do his own inner work. We talk about plant medicine, meditation, self awareness, generational trauma, partnership as a place of healing, and why the hardest moments in relationship are often not signs that something is wrong, but invitations into deeper truth.

This episode is for the man who is in the thick of marriage, parenting, conflict, transition, or repair and wondering if the work is worth it.

Wade's message is simple and powerful: dig deep, don't run, and keep choosing the work that makes love stronger.

In this episode of Men and Love, I sit down with my brother Chris Delos Reyes for a conversation about self-love, masculinity, fatherhood, commitment, receiving, sexual integrity, and the ways partnership can reveal both the wounded boy and the grown man inside us.

Chris is a husband, father, healer, clinic owner, Registered Massage Therapist, acupuncture provider, and founder of Holistic Connection in downtown Toronto. His work blends physical, emotional, and energetic healing, and in this conversation he brings that same depth into the topic of love.

We talk about what it means for a man to love himself in the moments he is not proud of how he showed up. We explore the younger parts of us that still come alive in conflict, the importance of rupture and repair, and how fatherhood and partnership invite men into deeper ownership.

One of the strongest themes in this episode is the way a man can learn about himself through the mirror of a woman. Not because it is her job to raise him, but because real love reveals what is still hidden, defended, immature, or waiting to be met.

Chris shares beautifully about his wife April, what she has taught him about receiving, and how being truly seen by her helped him touch one of the deepest truths a man can come to know:

“I am worthy of love.”

We also get into commitment, sexual energy, integrity, and what it means for a man to keep his energy directed toward his wife rather than leaking it into distraction, fantasy, or old patterns.

This conversation is brotherhood, challenge, laughter, honesty, and a reminder that men do not need to figure this out alone.

Join The Powerful Partner Community:
https://www.skool.com/menswork-by-markwell-4945/about

Connect with Chris and Holistic Connection:
Website: https://www.holisticconnection.ca/

In this episode of Men and Love, I’m sharing the opening call from the June Sexual Sovereignty Challenge inside The Powerful Partner Community.

This conversation is an invitation for men to explore their relationship with sexual energy, pornography, desire, integrity, and self leadership. This is not about shame, perfection, repression, or proving how disciplined you are. It is about awareness. It is about learning how to be with the intensity of your energy without being ruled by it.

Inside this call, I share why I’m personally entering a month of deeper sexual sovereignty, how this practice has impacted my marriage, my leadership, my creativity, and my sense of courage, and why brotherhood matters when men are working with patterns they’ve often carried alone.

We explore the core question of the challenge.

What choice would bring me into deeper integrity with this energy?

This episode is for the man who knows there is more available in his life, his partnership, and his purpose when he stops leaking his energy unconsciously and starts relating to it with presence, ownership, and intention.

The invitation is simple.

You decide.

You decide how you relate to your desire.
You decide what you are reclaiming.
You decide what kind of man you are practicing becoming.

Join The Powerful Partner Community here:
https://www.skool.com/menswork-by-markwell-4945/about

We are back at it reigniting these conversations starting off season 2 in a big way!

I update you a bit on where I've been, what to expect in the future and also invite you into a challenge that is very personal to me. Let's walk side by side brothers towards a more Powerful experiences of love and Partnership.

Join the Powerful Partner Community here

https://www.skool.com/menswork-by-markwell-4945/about

In this episode, we delve into the themes of semen retention and intention, exploring the emotional and relational dynamics that arise from these practices.

After holding my life force energy for 5 weeks these are our reflections and observations.

We discuss the importance of vulnerability, trust, and communication in intimate relationships, as well as the unexpected benefits of engaging in semen intention.

The conversation highlights personal and relational growth, the journey of self-discovery, and the celebration of connection and intimacy between partners.

This is the real life grounded experience of this practice within out marriage.

In this episode, the hosts delve into the themes of semen retention and intention, exploring the emotional and relational dynamics that arise from these practices. They discuss the importance of vulnerability, trust, and communication in intimate relationships, as well as the unexpected benefits of engaging in semen intention. The conversation highlights personal growth, the journey of self-discovery, and the celebration of connection and intimacy between partners.

My apologies for the quality of the recording. I did my best.

This is Part 3 of the 3 Part mini-series where I extract the gold out of my one on one coaching contianers, helping men stand more powerfully inside them selves and their partnerships.

This conversation explores the complexities of self-awareness, communication, and the dynamics of relationships. It emphasizes the importance of understanding oneself and others, navigating confrontation with empathy, and redefining safety in relationships to foster mutual care and respect. The discussion highlights the significance of presence and awareness in interactions, and how these elements contribute to healthier relationships.

Love brings us together, how we navigate conflict and confrontation is what keeps us together!

In Part 1, we explored how to care for our inner landscape, our foundation and alignment that shapes our presence. In this episode, we shift into how we engage with those around us. We dive into the dynamics of communication in relationships, focusing on understanding, connection, and emotional intelligence.

We’ll look at how to navigate difficult conversations, the importance of safety and mutual respect, and the shift from expressing needs to making empowered requests. I’ll also highlight the dance of masculine and feminine energies in co-creation, and how trust is built through conscious communication.

Follow me on Instagram @ThatguyMarkwell

Part 1 of 3 Tending the Inner Landscape

In this episode, I, That Guy Markwell, dive into the heart of masculine love and the power of self-awareness in relationships.

Drawing from the gold found in my coaching containers, I share insights that support men in standing more powerfully and clearly inside their partnerships, whether they're in a 911 situation with their backs against the wall, or simply striving to become the best partner they can be.

This is the first installment in a 3-part series, and it’s all directed inward. Before we can truly meet our partners, we must tend to our own inner landscape.

I explore the practice of conscious confrontation, the importance of integrity, and how honoring our own alignment builds trust. We break down the difference between needs and wants, and how this simple shift can deepen connection and intimacy. I speak to the courage required to face our shadows, the necessity of having a clear relational vision, and the ongoing call to surround ourselves with supportive brotherhood.

This episode also invites you to shift from complaint to creation, to stop waiting for something to change and start becoming the change itself.

In Part 2, we’ll build on this foundation and explore how to engage with the “other” from a place of clarity, presence, and strength.

Summary

In this episode of Men and Love, hosts That Guy Markwell and Adam Jackson explore the complexities of relationships, particularly focusing on the dynamics of love, family, and personal growth. They discuss the importance of honesty, vulnerability, and presence in navigating conflicts and the cycles of rupture and repair that occur in long-term partnerships. The conversation emphasizes the need for men to take responsibility in relationships, the significance of commitment and loyalty, and the transformative power of ceremony and faith in fostering deeper connections. Adam shares personal anecdotes about his family life and the lessons learned through challenges, highlighting the journey of becoming a better partner and father.

Take Home Points

• Relationships are the most sustaining aspects of life.
• Navigating family dynamics requires growth and self-awareness.
• Cycles of rupture and repair are natural in long-term partnerships.
• Conflict can be an invitation for deeper connection.
• Consistency in showing up for your partner is crucial.
• Responsibility often falls on men in relationships.
• Honesty and vulnerability are key to resolving conflicts.
• Presence allows for deeper understanding in relationships.
• Training and practice are essential for relational skills.
• The concept of 'The One' involves being whole within oneself first.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Men and Love

02:06 The Importance of Relationships

05:41 Navigating Family Dynamics

09:26 Cycles of Rupture and Repair

14:13 Consistency and Commitment in Relationships

17:25 The Burden of Responsibility

21:07 Conflict vs. Confrontation

25:10 The Role of Presence

31:17 Training for Relational Success

38:58 Becoming the One for Yourself

40:51 The Painful Path to Change

43:32 The Impermanence of Relationships

46:42 Faith and Ritual in Relationships

50:19 Curiosity and Humility as Superpowers

55:50 The Role of Surrender and Service

01:00:52 Honesty as the Foundation of Integrity

01:06:41 The Power of Seeing Your Partner

01:15:34 Invitation to Transformation

Come join us in person

Convergence X – Canada (for Men)

📍 Gambier Island, BC
📅 July 17–20, 2025

Join other men on a sacred island for four days of deep ceremonial work, embodiment practices, and brotherhood. Hosted at Camp Artaban, a site with over a century of history, this gathering is designed to forge authentic connections and awaken the warrior within. It's more than an event, it's a rite of passage into empowered masculinity.

Register : https://www.sacredsons.com/product/convergence-x-canada/ref/markwell/

Remembrance II: Seeds of Change (Co-Ed)
📍 Brinnon, Washington
📅 September 4–7, 2025
This co-ed retreat invites you to reconnect with your embodied truth and the sacred fire within. Over four days, participants will engage in transformative practices aimed at fostering deep personal and relational growth. Whether attending solo or with a partner, this experience is a ceremony of self-leadership and remembrance.

Register : https://www.sacredsons.com/product/remembrance-ii/ref/markwell/