The Restorative Man Podcast

Young sons have a fire within them. But how is that fire channeled and not extinguished? In this episode, Beth Bruno joins Chris for an insightful conversation about the reality of mothering sons. Beth generously shares her own experience of navigating the emotions and shifts during her son's teenage years.  She unpacks the importance of mothers adopting a posture of space and delight with their sons. While risky and new, this offering of space must be paired with the intentional engagement of the father, so the son can continue to grow. This conversation is a wise invitation for both parents to partner together in the becoming process of their children. 

If this conversation stirred something in you and you want to go deeper with Beth’s work, here are a few places to start: 

• Resources for Raising Fierce and Lovely Women: https://www.bethbruno.org/fierceandlovely
• A Voice Becoming book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1478974672
• Follow Beth: https://www.bethbruno.org/

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

One of the shaping but not well-known voices of Restoration Project is Beth Bruno. This episode tells some of the origin story of Beth's creation of the feminine categories of Fierce and Lovely. Beth shares her desire to create language that was exploratory rather than prescriptive for her own daughters and for women across the world. She graciously shared this framework with Restoration Project almost ten years ago, and it continues to be the cornerstone of how we engage the dad-daughter space. This is a ground-level, hopeful conversation about the creation of Fierce & Lovely and its continued relevance and impact on daughters, mothers, and dads throughout the world.

 If this conversation stirred something in you and you want to go deeper with Beth’s work, here are a few places to start: 

• Resources for Raising Fierce and Lovely Women: https://www.bethbruno.org/fierceandlovely
• A Voice Becoming book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1478974672
• Follow Beth: https://www.bethbruno.org/

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

This is part two of our conversation with Michael Krommendyk, and it goes even deeper into the places many men quietly carry. We talk about church hurt, belonging, and what it feels like when your faith still matters but the structures around it no longer fit. Michael shares what it looks like to step away without walking away from God, and how community can hold you when certainty is gone. If you have ever wondered whether your questions mean you are losing your faith, this episode gently pushes back on that fear. This one feels like sitting across the table with someone who understands and is willing to stay. 

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

What happens when the place that shaped your faith is also the place that wounds you? In this first part of a 2-part episode, Michael Krommendyk takes us through his journey from growing up in church to stepping into ministry and eventually stepping away from it all. He opens up about the weight of expectations, the quiet moments of doubt, and the small discoveries of grace that reshaped his story. This episode isn’t about answers, it’s about noticing the questions that hit hardest and the spaces where healing actually begins. Listen if you’re curious about what it looks like to wrestle honestly with faith, identity, and the messy middle of life. 

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

This episode starts with punctuation, of all things, and somehow lands on one of the most grounded ways to close out a year. Jesse and Chris talk about how many of us end December with a question mark, an exclamation point, or a long, tired comma that never gives us a real pause. What if this time you ended with a period instead. The kind that lets the year be exactly what it was and lets you name who you have actually become. It is a simple idea with surprising weight, and the guys invite you into it with tenderness, honesty, and a pretty unforgettable image of God’s hands cupped around your becoming. 

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

In this episode of the Restorative Man podcast, Jesse French and Cody Buriff engage in a deep conversation with Tim Helwege about the multifaceted nature of fitness and health. They explore personal stories of strength, the underlying motivations for pursuing fitness, and the impact of shame narratives on men's health. Tim emphasizes the importance of understanding one's 'why' behind fitness goals, the significance of long-term vision in health, and the concept of stewardship of the body. The discussion also touches on navigating body image issues and finding balance in caring for one's physical self.

If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

As the year winds down, Chris and Jesse invite us into a different kind of reflection by asking what it might look like to receive a report card from your kids about how they actually experience you as their dad. Instead of performance or pressure, this simple tool opens the door to honest connection, real curiosity, and conversations most families never slow down enough to have. They walk through how the fathering report card helps you engage your kids, and how the kids’ self-report offers a calm space for them to reflect on their own growth as well.

You can download the fathering report card here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1puPydshtrgkZ2gZ0lF3vvKSMwCCLHo7n/view?usp=drive_link

And if you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at 

https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

This week, Chris and Jesse dive into the overrated and underrated parts of December and it is such a fun ride. They share family stories about cutting down Christmas trees, losing kids in snow wells, and why some traditions feel grounding while others just wear us out. You will hear honest reflections on Christmas music, the pressure to reflect at the end of the year, and the longing for simple moments of peace. More than anything, this conversation invites you to notice what actually brings delight and rest in your own holiday season. Join us for an easygoing, thoughtful episode that might help you enter December with a little more presence and a little less pressure.

Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

Chris just got back from California, where he spent the weekend with all three of his grown kids — and came home with some fresh reflections on fatherhood. In this episode, he and Jesse talk about what it means to still be a dad when your kids are adults and don’t need you in the same way anymore. They unpack three postures of fathering — out front, behind, and next to — and what each one asks of us as men. You’ll hear stories about letting kids fail, learning to respect them as adults, and realizing that parenting doesn’t end, it just changes. It’s an honest, funny, and heartfelt look at what growing alongside your kids can really look like.

Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.

Ever had a family plan that looked great on paper but fell apart somewhere around hour twenty-four? In this episode, Jesse shares a road trip story that turned from “adventure” to “are we there yet?” and back again, while Chris helps him uncover what was really going on beneath the chaos. Together they talk about how easy it is to chase efficiency and forget to set our families and ourselves up for success. But maybe the meltdown wasn’t failure after all. Maybe it was the moment that revealed what was lost, what was gained, and what actually matters when we invite others into our story.

Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!

Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/

To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:

• Website: www.restorationproject.net
• Instagram: @restorationprojectco
• Facebook: Restoration Project
• LinkedIn: Restoration Project

Ready to create unforgettable memories? Join one of Restoration Project's adventures this 2027 for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, or men-only experiences, where outdoor challenges meet deep, meaningful conversations. Early bird registration is open from October 1st to 31st—don’t miss your chance to save! Space is limited. Secure your spot today and step into a life-changing adventure! Visit restorationproject.net/experiences for more info.