Episode Details

Why does admitting you're struggling still feel like failing as a man? This episode of Mind Over Masculinity is for any man who looks successful on paper yet feels tense, reactive, or quietly unfulfilled.

Somatic men's coach Duncan Rich explains how old patterns live in the body, why a small trigger can feel huge, and how nervous system work helps men respond with agency instead of reacting.

About the Guest:

Duncan Rich is a somatic men's coach and co-founder of MELD, which offers courses, retreats, and coach training in nervous system regulation for men. Based in New York's Catskills, he's also a drummer, photographer, husband, and father.

Key Takeaways:

• Vulnerability isn't weakness. It takes more strength to feel something than to shove it down.
• When a "two" feels like a "nine," you may be carrying old, unprocessed anger.
• Your body registers experiences before your mind does. Its signals are information.
• Emotional capacity is trainable, like a muscle, through regular practice.
• Take imperfect action, and repair honestly when you get it wrong.

Connect With the Guest:

Website: https://meld.community

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanrich/

MELD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meldmenscommunity

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Beyond Performing Strength - an opening on connection over performance

[01:03] From Nightlife to the Catskills - how quiet led Duncan to somatic men's work

[06:35] Where the Script Comes From - inherited patterns, emotional shutdown, and misplaced anger

[15:43] What It Costs Underneath - chronic stress, reactivity, and a body that keeps talking

[22:22] How It Shows Up - distance with partners and kids, and the "is this it?" feeling

[27:57] Slipping Back and Repairing - imperfect action and rebuilding trust

[34:42] What Becomes Possible - agency, deeper connection, and the ripple effect

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