Fatherhood Voices Podcast | Episode 78

In this powerful episode of Fatherhood Voices, host Edward Rodarte sits down with Michael Manzo, a father, community leader, and mental health advocate who shares his incredible journey of surviving gangs, addiction, childhood trauma, and multiple suicide attempts.

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Michael experienced violence, abuse, rejection, and addiction at an early age. After years of living in survival mode, he made the difficult decision to change the direction of his life and become the father he never had.

Together, Edward and Michael discuss:

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles
Gang life and drug addiction
Childhood trauma and mental health
Surviving suicide attempts
Breaking generational cycles
Healing relationships with your children
Becoming a better father
Why accountability changes everything
Building a new legacy for the next generation

This conversation is raw, honest, and full of hope for anyone fighting their past while trying to become a better parent.

If this episode impacts you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share to help us reach more fathers and families.

Guest: Michael Manzo

Host: Edward Rodarte

#FatherhoodVoices #EdwardRodarte #MichaelManzo #Fatherhood #MentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #GenerationalTrauma #SuicidePrevention #BreakingCycles #Parenting #Healing #SelfImprovement #MenMentalHealth #Podcast

In this powerful episode of Fatherhood Voices, Edward Rodarte sits down with Ryan Dion, creator of The Family Formula, for an honest conversation about postpartum recovery, emotional safety, fatherhood, relationships, and what it truly means for a man to show up after a baby is born.

Ryan explains that childbirth may last a day, but the real fight often begins when the family comes home. Mothers may be recovering physically while also experiencing major hormonal, mental, and emotional changes. During this time, fathers cannot simply wait to be told what to do.

They must learn to recognize what needs to be done and take responsibility for their household.

Ryan shares the important difference between a father who “helps” and a father who truly shows up. A father who helps acts like an assistant and waits for instructions. A father who shows up handles meals, laundry, pediatrician appointments, breastfeeding supplies, visitors, household responsibilities, and anything else that protects the mother’s peace.

Edward also reflects honestly on the ways he failed to understand postpartum during his own marriage and how education, humility, empathy, and accountability can help men break these toxic cycles.

This episode explores how exhaustion, selfishness, pride, lack of intimacy, and unspoken resentment can slowly create distance between partners. It also shows how fathers can protect their relationships by shifting their priorities away from themselves and toward their families.

Once the baby arrives, the responsibilities change. The priorities must change too.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Postpartum depression, anxiety, and other serious complications
• Why postpartum recovery can last much longer than people realize
• The difference between helping and truly showing up
• Why asking a mother what needs to be done can create another task for her
• The father’s “second shift” after coming home from work
• Preparing the household before the baby arrives
• Birth plans and the importance of giving mothers a voice
• Creating an after-birth plan for fathers and families
• Protecting a mother’s peace and respecting her boundaries
• Breastfeeding, pumping, meal preparation, and daily household support
• How exhaustion and selfishness create resentment
• Emotional safety, appreciation, and reassurance during postpartum
• Why fathers must educate themselves instead of waiting for instructions
• Shifting priorities from personal wants to the needs of the family

This is a conversation every new father, expecting father, husband, partner, and family member needs to hear.

Postpartum should not be something a mother has to survive alone. Fathers must educate themselves, take initiative, protect the household, support their partners, and become fully present for their families.

Thank you for watching Fatherhood Voices: Breaking the Toxic Cycle.

Host: Edward Rodarte
Guest: Ryan Dion
Instagram: The Family Formula
Podcast: Fatherhood Voices

#FatherhoodVoices #Fatherhood #Postpartum #PostpartumSupport #NewFathers #RyanDion #EdwardRodarte #TheFamilyFormula #BreakingTheToxicCycle #EmotionalSafety #NewParents #MarriageAfterBaby #PostpartumDepression #FathersSupportingMothers

In this powerful episode of Fatherhood Voices, Edward Rodarte sits down with Popeye Ray for a raw and honest conversation about addiction, fatherhood, gang life, faith, healing, and the lifelong work of repairing relationships with our children.

Popeye Ray opens up about living through decades of addiction while trying to be a father, the pain his children experienced, the moment his wife left with the kids, and how that became the turning point that changed his life. He shares what it took to stop cold turkey, why someone has to truly want change, and why the “aftermath” of drugs is the part young people need to hear most.

This episode also dives into the wounds parents leave behind, the difficulty of reconnecting with adult children, and the power of humility, apology, and writing a letter when words are hard to say face-to-face.

This is not a polished conversation. It is raw, emotional, vulnerable, and real.

If you are a father, a son, a daughter, or someone trying to break generational cycles, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Addiction and the impact it has on children
• Gang life, peer pressure, and the search for identity
• Why “drugs are bad” is not enough of a message
• The moment Popeye Ray chose his family over addiction
• Repairing relationships with adult children
• The power of accountability and apology
• Faith, fatherhood, and breaking toxic cycles
• Why the most important job a man has is fatherhood

Thank you for watching Fatherhood Voices: Breaking the Toxic Cycle.

Host: Edward Rodarte
Guest: Popeye Ray
Podcast: Fatherhood Voices

#FatherhoodVoices #Fatherhood #BreakingTheToxicCycle #AddictionRecovery #PopeyeRay #EdwardRodarte #Healing #FathersAndDaughters #GenerationalHealing #RecoveryStory