Men Need Love Too Podcast❤️

In episode 11, Kat sits down again with Jesse Fraser to explore his journey of becoming what he calls a sovereign island. Following his separation, Jesse shares the reality of being a long-distance parent for 18 months and the emotional weight of being away from his child. He opens up about the hardship, the identity shift, and the process of rediscovering himself during that time. This conversation looks at how challenge can become a turning point, leading to renewed strength, clarity, and purpose. Jesse reflects on what it means to reclaim your life, rebuild from within, and step forward with intention after a period that changes everything.

About the Guest & Contact Info

Biography: Jesse was born on Canada’s East Coast in Nova Scotia. His childhood forged his career in the Health and Safety industry, working as a consultant for over 15 years. Growing up, he watched his father deal with chronic back pain—something that profoundly shaped his early understanding that a person’s body is one of the most valuable assets they will ever own. In fact, it is our hoME.

That awareness carried into his work in the Oil & Gas industry, where he supported the safety and wellbeing of entire crews and built a reputation for genuinely caring about people. During this time, he also held himself to a high physical standard and became an athlete completing 40 marathons.

Over time, Jesse recognized a deeper issue—people weren’t just struggling physically; they were carrying stress, pressure, and unresolved pain beneath the surface. As a husband, father, and man navigating life in his own blended family, he experiences that weight every day.

That’s what led him to step away from safety and into wellness.

Today, Jesse specializes in Core Vitality Alignment Coaching and Non-Surgical Restorative Bodywork, helping people resolve the root of physical pain by addressing what’s happening underneath it—mentally, emotionally, and structurally. It is the relationship with oneself.

Jesse is a Blended Family Dad and recently created this space for men like himself to seek community, a brotherhood, a support network for stepdads everywhere. In 2020, he founded Valiant Wellness—built on a simple standard from his mantra of creating The Valiant Lifestyle: take ownership of your health, get your body right, and lead your life from a place of strength.

Masterclass for Blended Family Dads

I am holding my next Blended Family Dads Masterclass on Thursday, April 23rd 15:00 (3pm MST).

Masterclass Sign up for Men, Fathers, in Blended Families:

JesseFraser.com/Free

Email List for Events, Products and Training:

JesseFraser.com

Website:

⁠thevaliantlifestyle.com⁠

YouTube Channel, The Valiant Lifestyle⁠ www.youtube.com/@thevaliantlifestyle⁠ 

Email:⁠[email protected]⁠

In episode 10, Kat sits down with TS Shikora, a meditation teacher, to explore his journey toward becoming an emotionally intelligent man. Together they unpack the importance of turning inward, learning to sit with discomfort, and building awareness of one’s own emotional world. This conversation highlights how emotional intelligence begins with self-connection and gradually shapes how we show up for others. TS shares how this inner work transforms the way we relate, allowing us to become a grounded and safe presence in our relationships. They also explore the connection between the body and unprocessed experiences, and how the body holds signals that guide us toward deeper understanding and healing.

About the Guest and Contact Info

TS Shikora is a meditation teacher and writer.

He came to meditation not as something abstract, but as a way to be with what’s actually happening — thoughts, sensations, emotions and the patterns that can quietly take over, especially in moments of tension, uncertainty or overwhelm.

Much of his interest comes from lived experience: what it’s like to move through stress, overthinking, and disconnection, as well as moments of clarity, steadiness, joy, and peace.For him, meditation is not about reaching a particular state of consciousness, but about learning how to stay in contact with the present moment — not abandoning yourself in it, and growing through it.

He is interested in emotional intelligence in everyday life: understanding ourselves more clearly, regulating emotions and the nervous system, and exploring how we relate to others and show up in communication with presence, understanding, kindness, and patience.

A phrase he often returns to is: “We are not human doings, we are human beings.”

TS offers 1:1 Intro to Meditation sessions and guided meditations for individuals and groups.

If you feel drawn to connect, reach out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tshikora

In episode 9, Kat sits down with Jesse Fraser, a blended family coach and Core Vitality Alignment practitioner, to explore the layered dynamics that come with bringing families together. Together they unpack some of the most common challenges blended families face, highlighting three key struggles that often shape the experience for parents and children alike. Jesse shares his personal story of growth, commitment, and the responsibility of stepping into the role of a bonus dad, and how that journey has influenced the man he has become. This conversation offers a grounded perspective on the complexity of blended family life while also recognizing the strength, connection, and support that bonus parents, bonus children, and bonus siblings can bring into each other’s lives.

About the Guest & Contact Info

Biography: Jesse was born on Canada’s East Coast in Nova Scotia. His childhood forged his career in the Health and Safety industry, working as a consultant for over 15 years. Growing up, he watched his father deal with chronic back pain—something that profoundly shaped his early understanding that a person’s body is one of the most valuable assets they will ever own. In fact, it is our hoME.

That awareness carried into his work in the Oil & Gas industry, where he supported the safety and wellbeing of entire crews and built a reputation for genuinely caring about people. During this time, he also held himself to a high physical standard and became an athlete completing 40 marathons.

Over time, Jesse recognized a deeper issue—people weren’t just struggling physically; they were carrying stress, pressure, and unresolved pain beneath the surface. As a husband, father, and man navigating life in his own blended family, he experiences that weight every day.

That’s what led him to step away from safety and into wellness.

Today, Jesse specializes in Core Vitality Alignment Coaching and Non-Surgical Restorative Bodywork, helping people resolve the root of physical pain by addressing what’s happening underneath it—mentally, emotionally, and structurally. It is the relationship with oneself.

Jesse is a Blended Family Dad and recently created this space for men like himself to seek community, a brotherhood, a support network for stepdads everywhere. In 2020, he founded Valiant Wellness—built on a simple standard from his mantra of creating The Valiant Lifestyle: take ownership of your health, get your body right, and lead your life from a place of strength.

Masterclass for Blended Family Dads

I am holding my next Blended Family Dads Masterclass on Thursday, April 23rd 15:00 (3pm MST).

Masterclass Sign up for Men, Fathers, in Blended Families:

JesseFraser.com/Free

Email List for Events, Products and Training:

JesseFraser.com

Website:

thevaliantlifestyle.com

YouTube Channel, The Valiant Lifestyle www.youtube.com/@thevaliantlifestyle 

Email:[email protected]

In episode 8, Kat sits down again with Desmond for an honest and reflective conversation about the dating patterns and habits they are actively working to change. Together they explore how self-awareness, accountability, and open communication play a role in recognizing repeated behaviors and making intentional shifts. They share how they challenge each other in real time, calling out patterns as they arise while working to find balance between having their needs met and allowing others the space to show up as themselves. This conversation looks at the importance of safety, communication, and pacing in building healthy connections, along with the personal work required to raise standards without closing off. Kat also opens up about her own resistance to dating and the deeper reasons behind it. This episode invites listeners into a grounded, real-time look at growth, honesty, and the evolving nature of modern relationships.

In episode 7, Kat sits down with David Maywald, author of The Relentless War on Masculinity, to explore the experiences and insights that led him to write the book. Together, they unpack the key ideas and turning points that shaped his perspective, along with the most powerful takeaways from the conversation. They discuss why masculinity needs direction rather than suppression, and how cultural narratives have influenced the way masculine and feminine traits are perceived and valued. This episode also looks at the role of father presence in shaping identity, the importance of men guiding boys into manhood, and what can happen when that guidance is missing. The conversation offers a thoughtful reflection on the irreplaceable role fathers play, the complexity of parental influence, and why this topic continues to shape how boys grow into men.

About the Guest/Links:

David Maywald is father to a son and daughter, husband, board member, volunteer, author, and passionate advocate for boys and men. He worked for two decades as an analyst and Portfolio Manager in the investment management sector, and is qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst. His extensive studies include two degrees, an Honours thesis, and the Boardroom Mastery program with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. David has served as Chair, Treasurer, and committee chair, with governance contributions to twenty organisations during the last three decades. He founded the Awards for Men in Leadership in 2023, and launched Celebrating Masculinity in 2025. His recently released book is called The Relentless War on Masculinity: Does it Ever End?

Here are links:

David Maywald at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaywald/

Personal profile at X: https://x.com/DavidMaywald

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@davidmaywald4173

David Maywald’s book The Relentless War on Masculinity is available from these distributors (and others): https://books2read.com/trwom

Amazon product page for the book: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1764339703

The book has over 100 five-star ratings across Goodreads, Amazon, and other readers: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244119645-the-relentless-war-on-masculinity

Celebrating Masculinity at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CelebratingMasculinity/

Substack for Celebrating Masculinity: https://celebratingmasculinity.substack.com/

TikTok videos: https://www.tiktok.com/@celebratingmasculinity

In episode 6, Kat continues the conversation with Jake Rettenberger to explore the role relationships play in both our deepest wounds and our greatest healing. Together, they discuss how relationships can become the source of pain or the space where real growth and repair take place, and how each person ultimately decides which path they step into. This conversation looks closely at the in-between period after unhealthy relationships, the time spent rebuilding alone, strengthening self-awareness, and becoming a healthier partner from within. They reflect on how this inner work naturally raises standards and prepares us for connections built on mutual respect and emotional stability. This episode highlights the power of meeting someone from a place of wholeness and the opportunity healthy relationships offer to live everything we have learned, where real and lasting healing can unfold.

About the Guest/Links :

Jake Rettenberger is Higher Purpose & Wellness Architect helping people rebuild inner structure beyond life coaching.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/JakeRettenberger

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/high_desert_higher_purpose/

Website: www.highdesertspiritual.org

In epiosode 5, Kat sits down with Jake Rettenberger, and together they explore the experience known as the "Dark night of the soul "and what it truly means to move through a period where everything familiar begins to fall away. This conversation reframes these moments not as destruction, but as profound transformation that breaks us open and reshapes how we see ourselves and the world. Jake shares his personal turning point, the realization that life would never look the same again, and the journey of finding his true self in the middle of chaos. This episode invites listeners to understand these seasons as powerful initiations that many will face more than once, and to see them as a path toward deeper clarity, strength, and purpose.

About the Guest/Links :

Jake Rettenberger is Higher Purpose & Wellness Architect helping people rebuild inner structure beyond life coaching.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/JakeRettenberger

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/high_desert_higher_purpose/

Website: www.highdesertspiritual.org

In episode 4, Kat sits down again with Kyle Miller to break down how gaslighting and manipulation actually begin in relationships. Together, they explore both obvious and subtle tactics toxic partners use to distort perception, shift blame, and quietly erode emotional stability. This conversation challenges the idea that manipulation must follow classic narcissistic patterns to be damaging. The impact is the same when someone repeatedly questions your reality, emotions, and sense of truth. This episode emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, emotional signals, and learning to trust your internal experience when your reality is being consistently challenged.

About the Guest & Links

Kyle Miller is a personal empowerment coach who helps his clients reclaim their independence, live fully, and heal.

Contact /Follow Kyle @

Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/kylemillercoach

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kylemillercoaching/

Website: www.kylemillercoaching.com

In episode 3, Kat sits down with Kyle Miller to unpack the growing confusion around narcissism and online diagnosis culture. Together , they explore the difference between clinical NPD and the way social media labels everyday conflict as narcissistic abuse. This conversation looks at overlapping behavior patterns, why labels can sometimes distract from the real issue, and how focusing on toxic dynamics instead of diagnoses can create clearer awareness. They also break down the number one red flag that signals when a relationship has crossed into unhealthy territory. This episode invites listeners to think critically, stay grounded, and approach relationship healing with clarity rather than fear-based labeling.

About the Guest & Links

Kyle Miller is a personal empowerment coach who helps his clients reclaim their independence, live fully, and heal.

Contact /Follow Kyle @

Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/kylemillercoach

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kylemillercoaching/

Website: www.kylemillercoaching.com

In episode 2, Kat sits down with her friend Graeme Bachiu to explore what ethical storytelling really means in today’s digital world. Together, they examine how content can educate and create awareness or quietly turn human pain into entertainment. This conversation challenges both creators and audiences to become more conscious of what they produce, consume, and share online. It is about responsibility, intention, and choosing integrity over algorithms in a culture driven by attention.