What do you do when the friend you thought you could count on turns out to be the source of harm? In this episode, Henry sits down with Brad Gage to explore the complicated terrain of male friendship, emotional isolation, and the reckoning that can come when the people closest to us fall short. They talk about what it means to confront toxic behaviors—both in others and in ourselves—and how moments of rupture can open the door to accountability, growth, and more honest connections. Together, they reflect on creating content around healthy masculinity and how to reach men who are still figuring out where they stand.

Brad Gage is a New York-based speaker, TV producer and mental health advocate. His engagement in masculinity and gender dynamics began in 2019 after he found out a friend of his had abused women in his community. Through understanding the signs of abuse, and the larger issues of the male dominance hierarchy, Brad leaned into educating himself and other men about how to embrace empathy and cooperation more in their lives.

He currently hosts the web series and podcast Real Feels about men’s self-improvement and freeing ourselves from harmful gender roles.

Brad was recently featured in NAMI’s best-selling book “You Are Not Alone” talking about men’s relationships with therapy and gender roles.