MenAlive began in 1969 when I held Jemal, my newborn son, in my arms and made a vow that I would be a different kind of father than my father was able to be for me and to do everything I could to create a world where men were fully healed and involved with their families and communities throughout their lives. In 1972 I launched MenAlive as my window to the world to share what I was learning about love, life, survival, and transformation.

                In June, 2026, I will be offering exciting new and expanded services at MenAlive. I’m looking for men and women who recognize the world is changing and who want to receive the best guidance and support available to help them to live fully, love deeply, and make a positive difference in the world. If this sounds like you, read on.

                When our daughter, Angela, was born in 1972, it became clear that boys and men’s health and girls and women’s health were forever intertwined and we could not improve one without improving the other. My wife Carlin and I now have six grown children, seventeen grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. We are committed to helping to transform our lives for the good of all and for future generations.  

                I’m sure I don’t have to convince you that humans are living in ways that are out of balance with the laws of nature. We recognize this imbalance as our climate crisis, endless conflicts, and loss of ecological diversity. As “geologian” and historian Thomas Berry warned,

                “We never knew enough. Nor were we sufficiently intimate with all our cousins in the great family of the earth. Nor could we listen to the various creatures of the earth, each telling its own story. The time has now come, however, when we will listen or we will die.”

                Many people have given up on humanity and imagine that the world would be better off without us. Others hope that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will save us. I was given a different vision during a sweat lodge ceremony at a Men’s Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1993.

                The vision allowed me to see the sinking ship of civilization and the emergence of lifeboats to a new way of living.  According to Václav Havel, Czech statesman, author, playwright, and dissident,

                “Today, many things indicate that we are going through a transitional period when it seems that something is on the way out and something else is painfully being born. It is as if something were crumbling, decaying, and exhausting itself, while something else, still indistinct, were arising from the rubble.”

                I have written about the vision and what I’ve been learning in numerous articles over the last 33 years. In my most recent article describing the vision, “How You Can Survive and Thrive as the Ship of Civilization Sinks,” I offered numerous insights I have gained. Here are a few:

                1. “Civilization” is a misnomer. Its proper name is the “Dominator Model.”

                I quoted my colleague Riane Eisler who wrote in her book, The Chalice & The Blade,

                “Underlying the great surface diversity of human culture are two basic models of society. The first I call the dominator model, what is popularly termed either patriarchy or matriarchy — the ranking of one half of humanity over the other. The second, in which social relations are primarily based on the principle of linking may best be described as the partnership model.”

                2. There is a better world beyond civilization.

                Daniel Quinn was the author of numerous books, including Ishmael and Beyond Civilization: Humanity’s Next Great Adventure.

                “If we go on as we are,” says Quinn, we’re not going to be around much longer. You don’t have to ‘go somewhere’ to get beyond civilization, you have to make your living a different way.”

                I’ve learned there is a different way we can live. Let’s build it together.

                3. We need to find our tribe outside the confines of civilization.

                Tribalism has taken on a pejorative meaning, but tribal life is what makes is human.

                “The tribal life and no other is the gift of natural selection to humanity,” says Daniel Quinn. “It is to humanity what pack life is to wolves, pod life is to whales, and hive life is to bees.”

                In their book, Nurturing Our Humanity: How Domination and Partnership Shape Our Brains, Lives, and Future, Riane Eisler and Douglas P. Fry say that for millions of years we lived as hunger-gatherers and they were “the original partnership societies.” They go on to say,

                “For more than 99 percent of our approximately two million year history our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived with the following values: (1) Overall egalitarianism; (2) Equality, respect, and partnership between women and men; (3) Nonacceptance of violence, war, abuse, cruelty, and exploitation; and (4) Ethics that support human caring, prosocial cooperation, and flourishing.”

Come Join Our MenAlive Tribe

                Beginning, June 21, 2026, I will start a new chapter in my professional life. Up until now I have served my community in the following ways through: (1) Individual and couple counseling, (2) Articles and books, (3) Online courses. I have been getting more requests to start an on-line community where people could receive more focused guidance and support to better navigate these challenging times.

                The core of what I have been offering, and what I feel is critically important at this time in human history, is focused on relational health and well-being.

                On Father’s Day, June 21, 2026, I will launch a new MenAlive tribal community that builds on my fifty-plus years of work at MenAlive and offers additional services, guidance, and support. Those who join will opportunity for more direct interaction with me where you can “ask me anything” and receive honest feedback. In addition to my own expertise, I will be introducing you to my colleagues who are also experts in the field and have great deal of wisdom to share.

                Here are a few of my colleagues you will meet:

Darlene R. Walley, PhD

                Dr. Darlene R. Walley is currently the chief executive officer of NEXT Life Sciences, which focuses on reproductive healthcare. Walley has over 30 years of life science business experience, having served as an executive at Procter & Gamble, Gillette/Oral-B laboratories, and Arm & Hammer.

                Dr. Walley holds 12 patents, largely dealing with consumer health products, and has over 13 publications. Walley received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Cincinnati.

                Dr. Walley will spearhead Plan A™ and bring it to market and in addition, oversee the R&D efforts in other male birth control options NEXT Life Sciences is developing. You can read my article and interview with Dr. Walley here.

 Joe Conrad

                Joe Conrad is a creative entrepreneur and a digital health pioneer who believes in the power of innovation, creativity and technology to solve any problem. In 1990 he founded Cactus, a purpose-driven branding and creative agency with the mission of growing brands that help people thrive.

                He is also the founder and CEO at Grit Digital Health –– a team of specialists in behavioral health, wellness, technology and marketing committed to transcending barriers like stigma and access to help people get the support they need, when and how they need it. Joe and his team are the creators of Man Therapy, an innovative and award-winning campaign that uses humor to engage working-age men in an immersive, entertaining, digital experience where therapy actually happens. Joe is the author of the forthcoming book, Man Therapy: Therapy the Way a Man Does It. You can watch my recent interview with Joe Conrad here.

Caitlin V. Neal

                Caitlin is a thought leader in modern masculinity and male sexuality. Also known simply as Caitlin V., she emphasizes the need to reshape how society views men’s roles and the dynamics between men and women in today’s world. Caitlin’s work is dedicated to empowering men by teaching them the essential skills to succeed in modern relationships and life, helping them embrace authenticity, confidence, and intentionality. Through her transformative approach, men foster deeper connections and redefine masculinity on their own terms.

                Caitlin V’s journey began with a passion for understanding human sexuality and its profound impact on our lives. Over two decades she has cultivated a deep understanding of the intricate nuances of intimacy, pleasure, and connection. She has more than 850,000 social media subscribers, 140 million video views, and 15,000 students. You can see my interview and article with Caitlin here.

                If you would like more information about the future of MenAlive and our new and expanded community, drop me a note to [email protected] and put “MenAlive Tribe” in the subject line. These are challenging times with wonderful opportunities for those who want to come together in support of that my colleague Charles Eisenstein calls “the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.”