In the latest episode of Pod Talk, Henry sits down with Sean Harvey, founder of the Warrior Compassion Institute and author of Warrior Compassion: Unleashing the Healing Power of Men. Sean works across some of the most hyper-masculine systems in our culture—policing, the military, corporate leadership—to engage men, strengthen leaders, and transform organizational cultures from within. He’s also the co-founder of Project Compassion, a national initiative for compassionate policing, and a fellow at American University’s PERIL (Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab).

Together, Henry and Sean talk about what it means to do both inner and outer work, how men can reconnect with their humanity in environments that often suppress it, and why healing isn’t a solo act

How do you find the right therapist? It’s a question that can feel simple on the surface, but behind it sits a whole world of trust, safety, and connection. In this episode of Pod Talk, Henry sits down with Jean Messeroux, LCSW — a psychotherapist, educator, and creative entrepreneur whose work lives at the intersection of healing, storytelling, and fatherhood.

Jean began his career as a high school English teacher, where he saw firsthand how emotional well-being shapes the classroom. That realization led him to pursue a Master’s in Advanced Clinical Social Work from Columbia University and dedicate his career to reimagining how we talk about mental health.

As the founder of Hueman Fathers, The Hueman Gallery, and Hueman Learning, Jean brings together art, education, and advocacy to amplify fathers’ stories and expand access to care. In this conversation, Henry and Jean explore what makes therapy work, the beauty and challenge of fatherhood, and how creativity itself can be a path toward healing.

What does it take to build a space where young people feel safe enough to be themselves? In this episode of Pod Talk, Henry brings together two leaders who have built them from the ground up: Ashanti Branch, founder of The Ever Forward Club, and Stephen Tosh, Executive Director & CEO of The Boys’ Club of New York.

Across this conversation, Ashanti and Stephen trace the origin stories of the spaces they’ve built—the challenges they faced, the moments that shaped their approaches, and the reasons these environments matter so profoundly. This is a story about belonging, the power of consistency, and what it takes to create places young people can truly call their own.

Ashanti Branch is a leading voice in youth mental health and education reform, with over 20 years of experience helping schools become safer, more connected communities. As the Founder and Executive Director of The Ever Forward Club, he supports marginalized students through mentorship and teacher development focused on social-emotional learning. A 2023 recipient of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Medallion -the highest civilian honor from the Surgeon General - Ashanti is also a Fulbright Fellow, 4x TEDx speaker, and nationally recognized keynote presenter. His work as an “emotional locksmith” has been featured at SXSW, on CNN’s This Is Life with Lisa Ling, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and in the award-winning documentary The Mask You Live In, which premiered at Sundance. Through workshops, media, and storytelling, Ashanti continues to champion healing and connection for young people and the adults who support them.

Stephen Tosh is the Executive Director and CEO of The Boys’ Club of New York (BCNY). Since joining BCNY in 2010, he led the organization through major milestones including the launch of BCNY’s sleep-away camp in Harriman State Park and the first Bronx Boys’ Club. Previously, Stephen served as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Albany, the Director of Staff-Secure Detention for the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice, and Director of Community Care at the New York City Youth Bureau. Stephen is a former adjunct instructor at New York University’s Sociology Department and taught at the Manhattan Children’s Psychiatric Center and has a MA/ABD in Sociology from New York University and B.A. from Dartmouth College.

What does it take to unlearn the rules of manhood?

In this episode of Pod Talk, Henry speaks with Destyn Land — author, podcaster, and public servant — whose work sits at the crossroads of masculinity, faith, and social change. While studying Youth Development Leadership, Destyn began examining how Black boys come to understand masculinity and how those early lessons shape their lives. That research grew into The Rules We Live By: Stories and Reflections on Unlearning Patriarchal Masculinity, a book that blends personal narrative with Christian faith and critical analysis.

Today, Destyn leads violence-prevention programs for youth and adults affected by gun violence.

What does it really mean to take off the mask — and what happens when you do?

In this episode of Pod Talk, Henry sits down with Ashanti Branch, educator, speaker, and founder of The Ever Forward Club. For over two decades, Ashanti has been helping young men and educators build spaces rooted in trust, empathy, and belonging.

A math teacher turned “emotional locksmith,” Ashanti’s work has earned him national recognition — from TEDx stages and CNN’s This Is Life with Lisa Ling to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Medallion, the highest civilian honor from the Surgeon General.

Together, Henry and Ashanti talk about the courage it takes to be known, how we can show up more authentically for ourselves and others, and what it really takes to create communities where people feel seen.

This week on Pod Talk, we’re honored to sit down with Dr. Niobe Way—one of the leading voices in developmental psychology and a pioneer in the science of human connection.

In this episode, we dive into Dr. Way’s decades of research, her vision for a more caring and just world, and how reimagining connection—especially among boys and men—might be one of the most powerful acts of cultural change we can embrace today.

Dr. Niobe Way is a Professor of Developmental Psychology, the founder of the Project for the Advancement of Our Common Humanity (PACH), and the Director of the Science of Human Connection Lab, all at NYU. She is also a Principal Investigator of the Listening with Curiosity Project, which has been funded by the Spencer Foundation and is currently funded by the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and the Rockefeller Foundation, and is a member of the New Pluralists Collaborative. Dr. Way was the President of the Society for Research on Adolescence, she received her B.A. from U.C. Berkeley, her doctorate in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard School of Education, and was an NIMH postdoctoral fellow in the Psychology Department at Yale.

Dr. Way’s work focuses on social and emotional development, how cultural ideologies shape child development and families in the U.S. and China, and on how to how to use the method of listening with curiosity to make a more caring, connected, and just world. The Listening with Curiosity Project, her current project with Drs. ⁠Joseph Nelson⁠, ⁠Hirokazu Yoshikawa⁠, and ⁠Jinjoo Han⁠, is a novel intervention that aims to foster curiosity and connection to address the global crisis of connection (e.g., loneliness, depression, anxiety, suicide, hate crimes, mass violence). Dr. Way created and teaches the courses "The Science of Human Connection," “Adolescent Development,” "Transformative Interviewing," and "Culture, Context, and Psychology." Her books include Rebels with a Cause: Reimagining Boys, Ourselves, and Our Culture, The Crisis of Connection: Its Roots, Consequences, and Solutions (NYU Press), Urban Girls: Resisting Stereotypes, Creating Identities (NYU Press), and Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection (Harvard University Press), which was the inspiration for "Close", a movie that won the Grand Prix Award at Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film.

How do we better understand the emotional lives of ourselves and those around us—and why does it matter for everyone?

In this episode, Henry gets deep with Dr. Brendan K. Hartman, who specializes in the social-emotional development and wellbeing of boys and men—and how that connects with the wellbeing of others. With a PhD in Education from the University of Edinburgh, Brendan is a consultant for schools and organizations, designing and delivering research-based action plans to better support and engage boys and men in the issues they are facing. He is an adjunct professor at the University of the Fraser Valley and resides near Vancouver, BC, with his family.

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation that bridges research, lived experience, and the urgent need to create spaces where boys and men can thrive.

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.