Shared Experiences

Young men today are becoming heavier. Sedentary lifestyles, characterized by increased screen time, less physical activity, and limited outdoor play, contribute to reduced calorie expenditure. Additionally, the proliferation of easily accessible, high-calorie, and processed foods has led to poor dietary habits and overconsumption. Of course, Josh and Casey touch a lot on stress and mental health issues and how they play a role. Lastly, we have societal changes, such as decreased social stigma around larger body sizes and changing cultural norms potentially contributing to a less significant concern about weight.

To start, Josh and Casey get into some of their best guesses on why the obesity epidemic has gotten so bad before sharing some of their own struggles with staying in shape. Next, Casey shares some statistics on the differences in obesity statistics worldwide before Josh discusses his European eating experience. Moving forward, the guys discuss the obesity/income relationship as well as how obesity can hurt your mental health. Continuing on the guys discuss potential ways to cure societal obesity before going over some statistics on the obesity/mental health relationship in adults and kids. Ending with solutions Josh and Casey go through their list of keys including getting your mental health in order, avoiding fad diets, starting small, and group fitness.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - Preliminary reasons for the obesity epidemic
4:57 - Our experiences with food
8:40 - Obesity statistics worldwide
15:30 - Diet improvements in Europe
18:35 - Obesity & income relation
19:40 - Why obesity hurts mental health
21:48 - Curing societal obesity
25:56 - Statistics on obesity & mental health
28:29 - Job difficulties for obese people
29:15 - Statistics on obesity & mental health in kids
31:05 - Solutions - eating right
31:54 - Solutions - get your mental health in order
34:24 - Solutions - beating your cravings
35:44 - Solutions - avoiding bad diets
38:11 - Solutions - group fitness
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

Josh's Instagram: @joshsbkr ( CLI

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Modern dating apps are digital platforms that connect people seeking romantic relationships or casual encounters. They have become immensely popular due to their convenience, accessibility, and a vast pool of potential matches. However, they can be challenging for young men for several reasons. The apps often foster a competitive environment, where men may struggle to stand out among numerous other profiles, leading to fewer matches and responses.

Additionally, some apps tend to prioritize superficial factors, making it harder for young men to showcase their genuine personalities and interests. Finally, the prevalence of ghosting and casual attitudes towards dating can leave many young men feeling frustrated and disheartened.

On today's episode, Josh and Casey go deep on the subject. They discuss their own personal experiences while providing advice and insight on how they have found success on the apps and beyond. To start, the guys talk about how much time and money you actually need to invest in order to get results on the apps before talking about if the standards on the apps have moved into real life. Next, the guys share some of their experiences such as if dating has gotten more difficult and ghosting. Moving on Casey asks where dating app culture will lead to before asking Josh if his experience has been that women have gotten more mature age. Next, Josh brings up some dating app statistics before discussing the benefits of dating apps and the differences in the apps here vs. abroad.  To conclude, the guys discuss how to properly prepare your dating app profile, send messages, and act on the first date in order to have success.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:38 - The investment needed
4:30 - Do dating standards move into real life?
7:00 - Sharing our experiences on the apps
13:00 - Has dating gotten more difficult?
17:24 - Ghosting
20:18 - Where does dating app culture lead?
25:15 - Funny message examples
28:58 - Does dating maturity change with age?
34:29 - Dating app statistics
35:38 - Benefits of dating apps
38:04 - Differences in dating apps internationally
40:58 - How to improve your profile - pictures
43:55 - How to improve your profile - bio
49:00 - Sending the right messages
51:50 - Benefits of premium service
56:10 - Best first-date tips
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps),

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

The Barbie and Oppenheimer movie openings mark a significant moment in the film industry, as they delve into two distinct yet interconnected themes that resonate deeply with audiences. "Barbie" challenges traditional gender norms, portraying the iconic doll as a symbol of empowerment and self-discovery for young girls worldwide (maybe a little too much). On the other hand, "Oppenheimer" is a biographical drama shedding light on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant physicist behind the Manhattan Project. This film explores the psychological toll of scientific brilliance and the weight of responsibility on Oppenheimer's shoulders.

Both movies provide an opportunity to address men's mental health issues, as they depict the internal struggles faced by their male protagonists (some more than others, wink wink). By portraying vulnerability, the films encourage conversations about the importance of mental well-being and challenge the stereotype of stoic masculinity. This cinematic duo paves the way for an inclusive dialogue on mental health and promoting understanding for young men. Josh and Casey waste no time sharing their opinions on both films, messages they send to viewers, and what can be concluded regarding young men's mental health.

To start the guys give their first reactions to Barbie before breaking down a few key scenes in the movie that showed harmful stereotypes such as catcalling and total gender dominance. This sparks a conversation on how movies can influence people especially kids before Casey brings up the movie's obession with the patriarchy. Moving on the guys discuss the ending conflict and how it shows girls ways of manipulating men before talking about how political messaging has gone too far in movies today. Switching gears to Oppenheimer the guys talk about their first reactions as well as if the movie had any men's mental health undertones. To wrap up they discuss the lessons men can learn from the movie, the harms of the old school male movie character stereotypes, and Casey shares his rewrite of the Barbie movie.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:18 - First reactions to Barbie
3:47 - Quick recap of each movie
7:25 - Female dominance in barbie world
9:53 - Catcalling scene - male stereotype
15:17 - How movies influence
17:50 - The patriarchy overload
21:00 - Teaching relational manipulation
22:59 - Too much messaging in movies
23:55 - First reactions to Oppenheimer
25:50 - Men's mental health undertones
28:29 - Influence of communism
29:40 - Lessons for men from Oppenheimer
33:09 - Harms of old school male stereotypes
35:12 - Casey's rewrite of Barbie 
__________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This

Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt is a Sport Psychologist and Professor at Indiana University. His research interests center on the intersection of multicultural psychology, sport psychology, the psychological study of men/masculinities, and social justice issues. Primarily, my research focuses on the psychosocial development of student-athletes, which includes investigations of gender role socialization, racial and athletic identity, and psychological well-being (e.g., adjustment, body esteem, help-seeking).

A sports psychologist is a professional who specializes in the mental and emotional aspects of sports performance. They help athletes enhance their mental skills, cope with pressure, and optimize their performance. They provide athletes with strategies to manage stress, improve focus, build confidence, and develop a winning mindset, ultimately contributing to their overall success and well-being in sports.

To start Dr. Steinfeldt goes through his background before Casey asks if men's tendency to suppress emotion can get taken out of sports. This sparks a conversation on masculinity in sports where the guys go through what pressures are applied to boys, what age those pressure start at, and the future harms it may cause down the line. Moving on Casey asks how to properly manage your emotions in sports before Josh asks if the physicality of the sport correlates to the amount of masculine pressure and if CTE is a factor. Next, the guys talk about the pros and cons of sports including if the lack of sports participation is contributing to loneliness today and if some sports are better for you than others. Switching gears Casey asks what kind of harm overbearing parents are causing their kids in sports before asking about the effect of participation trophies. Next, Josh asks how the mental health landscape has changed in pro sports before discussing how mental health can affect performance and how to properly deal with pressure. To conclude the guys ask if confidence is genetic or not and ask Dr. Steinfeldt about the field of sports psychology including its potential impact on kids and daily life.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:04 - Dr. Steinfeldt's background
4:35 - Translation of emotion in sports to life
7:40 - When do masculine pressures in sports start?
9:35 - Future harms of masculine expectations
11:09 - Managing emotions in sports
12:23 - Does physicality/masculinity correlate?
14:15 - Is CTE a factor in emotional management?
16:05 - Will football go away?
18:31 - Do the pros outweigh the cons of sports?
20:27 - Lack of sports and loneliness
23:17 - Are certain sports better than others?
25:30 - Parental influence/performance pressure
29:35 - Indicators of sports talent
30:41 - Participation trophies
33:21 - Mental health change in pro sports
36:42 - Mental health and performance
39:04 - Dealing with pressure
41:16 - Is confiden

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Dr. Ronald Levant earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Public Practice from Harvard University. He was on the faculty of Boston University, where he directed the nationally prominent Fatherhood Project, Rutgers University, Harvard Medical School at The Cambridge Hospital, and the Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, where he also served as Dean. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Psychology, The University of Akron, where he was Dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Psychology, and Core Faculty in the Counseling Psycholgy Program. Dr. Levant was the 2005 President of APA, and served as the Editor of the Psychology of Men and Masculinity from 2007-2015.

To start the conversation, Dr. Levant goes through his background and some of the research he has participated in. Next, Josh asks him to define the term he coined - Normative Male Alexithymia - meaning the consistent inability of men to convey their emotions. This causes Casey to askswhat the causes are, including any societal factors before Josh asks about its long-term effects and how it gets diagnosed/treated.

Switching topics, Casey brings up Dr. Levant's book "The Tough Standard", where he asks why it is easier for women to display their emotions. Next, the guys discuss the long-term effects of having the wrong ideas about masculinity including poor health and violence specifically toward women. Moving forward, Josh asks how we can combine the best parts of new/old masculinity before Casey wraps things up by asking where boys learn masculinity from.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:02 - Dr. Levant's background
1:42 - Defining normative male alexithymia
13:08 - Societal factors of alexithymia
15:40 - Effects on men long-term
21:10 - Diagnosis and treatment
28:00 - Why is it easier for women to express emotion
29:20 - How poor masculinity can lead to poor health
32:17 - How poor masculinity can lead to violence towards women
43:51 - Blending new/old masculinity
50:48 - Where boys learn masculinity
54:17 - Difference of psychology in sexual assault & violence
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Ronald's Links: CLICK

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Today we have on Dr. Alyssa Maryn. She is a postdoctoral researcher in the HOPELab at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on sexual consent, stigmatizing responses to gender-based violence survivors, and online masculinities.

Today's online masculinities, such as incels, red pill, black pill, and discussions around sexual consent, have become hot topics in contemporary discourse. Incels, short for involuntary celibates, often harbor resentment towards women due to their perceived lack of romantic and sexual success. The red pill ideology stems from a metaphor in the movie "The Matrix" and promotes a worldview that challenges conventional gender norms and highlights men's issues in society. Black pill ideology takes a more pessimistic stance, embracing fatalistic beliefs about dating and society.

In the realm of sexual consent, discussions have centered around establishing clear boundaries, promoting affirmative consent, and addressing issues related to consent education. These online movements and debates have sparked discussions about masculinity, gender dynamics, and the need for healthy, respectful relationships in today's society.

To start, Dr. Maryn goes through her background including why she started studying the incel community and sexual consent issues. Next, she gives some definitions on what the different color "pills" mean and their relation to incels before moving into the origins of the incel community. Moving forward, Casey asks about the irony of masculinity requirements among incels before Josh asks if there are different groups/categories within the community and how they can break out of their struggles.

Switching gears, Casey brings up Dr. Maryn's other line of research about consent issues including what guys can be doing better today in that area before Josh asks how we can better handle legal cases of sexual consent in a better manner. To conclude, Casey asks how guys can be more supportive of women when reporting sexual assault cases and break through the social stigma.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Dr. Maryn's background
2:58 - Defining red/black pill and incels
9:10 - Is the incel phenomenon recent?
14:40 - Incels thoughts on masculinity
18:30 - Different categories of incels
22:18 - How can incels improve their mental health?
24:35 - Why are young men struggling in general?
27:09 - Men's difficulties with consent
32:46 - How to hear both sides in a consent case
37:05 - Stigma of reporting sexual assault
________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

College has long been hailed as a crucial stepping stone towards success and prosperity. However, an increasing number of individuals are questioning whether the exorbitant price tag associated with higher education is truly justified. As the cost of college continues to surge, the debate intensifies, questioning whether the investment in a college degree is truly worth it in today's rapidly evolving economic landscape.

Josh and Casey do a deep dive on the subject and bring in some insightful statistics as always to purport their opinions. To start, the guys give their initial reactions to the statistics as well as going through some of the true purposes of college today such as improving your social skills and finding your purpose. Next, the guys share their college experiences including if it was worth it monetarily and how their friends/themselves fared in the job market after.

Moving on to some statistics, Casey shares some stats on college enrollment by gender as well as how many graduates are actually finding good jobs. Josh shares some facts on the cost of college before the guys discuss some potential reasons for the huge drop off in enrollment from guys. Getting into some solutions, the guys bring up why we need a big change in early education for boys as well as having some experienced male role models before ending with lobbying the government for cheaper college.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:57 - Initial reactions to statistic
2:05 - Purpose of college in the U.S.
4:40 - Our college experiences
16:32 - Statistics on college enrollment
17:41 - Statistics on jobs after college
23:20 - Statistics on costs of college
31:36 - Statistics on why men aren't going to college
34:10 - Changing early education
37:00 - Having male role models
42:40 - Lobbying for cheaper college
________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the info

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Daniel Ellenberg is the president of Relationships That Work – an organization that supports people to create more emotionally intelligent personal relationships – and vice president of the Rewire Leadership Institute, an organization that helps individuals, teams and organizations thrive in the business world. He is also the founder and director of Strength with Heart men’s groups and workshops, and co-author of Lovers for Life: Creating Lasting Passion, Trust and True Partnership, which he co-wrote with his wife, Judith Bell. He has spent over 10,000 hours facilitating groups and workshops over the last quarter century and wrote his Ph.D. dissertation on how men can experience greater inner strength and positive relationships by transcending limited aspects of traditional male roles.

To start the conversation, Casey asks about Daniel's background, including the organizations that he has founded/been part of.  Josh asks about his original motivations for getting into the field. Daniel's responses on compassion cause Casey to ask why men were never taught how to be compassionate before Josh asks about the origins of masculinity.

Moving forward, Casey asks Daniel for a mental tool guide that men can use before and Josh asks about why we have an abundance of therapists but not life coaches and the differences between life coaching and therapy. Next, Casey asks about the value of men's groups. Daniel describes the experiences he has seen personally. Josh questions why society has pushed masculinity onto men.

To wrap things up, Casey asks Daniel about the loneliness epidemic and what we can do to stop it. Lastly, Josh asks about fixing the educational/parental system so that the next generation of men do not face the same woes of the current one.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Daniel's Background
3:50 - Daniel's motivation for starting/joining orgs
6:22 - Why haven't men learned compassion?
10:02 - Origins of masculinity
17:55 - Success tools for men
25:05 - Life coaching vs. therapy
30:40 - Value of men's groups
35:18 - Key practices for men's mental health
38:20 - Societal causes of masculinity
46:00 - The loneliness epidemic
51:00 - Fixing the next generation of men
________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Daniel's Links:
Strength With Heart: CLICK HERE

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Welcome to our first bonus episode! We plan on doing these occasionally after guest episodes to give our feedback and talk further on topics brought up. Casey is out of town this week, so we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week. Let us know what you think!

________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise.

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.

Lorenzo Luaces is an assistant professor at Indiana University. He works as a researcher, teacher, and is a licensed clinical psychologist. He's an expert in CBT for depression.  A major line of his work involves exploring the heterogeneity of depression and other clinical problems to uncover individual differences in treatments outcomes and processes, especially those differences that emerge from data-driven approaches. He also studies technology and how it intersects with depression.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - Why is depression so common in young men today?
5:13 - Why men's issues are stigmatized?
6:30 - What is CBT and is it helpful?
10:03 - Self Help vs CBT
13:03 - Self help grifters
15:00 - Online vs In-person therapy
17:10 - lack of therapists
22:39 - How can the US help citizen's mental health?
26:26 - Lorenzo's average patient
28:50 - Too much over-diagnosis?
33:01 - Too much obsession with mental health?
38:42 - Thoughts on social media
45:04 - The social media feedback loop
48:31 - Top 3 factors to young men's depression
52:37 - How young men can overcome loneliness
________________________________
Full, video episodes available on YouTube (@SharedExps)! We also have a YouTube clips channel for episode highlights (@SharedExpsClips)!
Lorenzo's Links:

His Website : CLICK HERE

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise.

________________________________
Full, video episodes and clips available on YouTube (@SharedExps)!

Please help support us by reviewing and sharing our episodes! To keep updated, check out the Instagram (@SharedExps), Facebook (@SharedExps), and Tik Tok(@SharedExps).

Check out Josh's Book HERE

If you have questions that you'd like answered on the podcast, you can reach out via email at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.