The Arka Talks Podcast

#7 - What Real Brotherhood Looks Like - with Steve Parr

Ben Goresky sits down with longtime friend and brotherhood leader Steve Parr for a conversation about struggle, mentorship, leadership, and what real brotherhood looks like between men. Steve shares the early years of his life: a childhood marked by boundary-testing, a lack of strong containment, painful lessons around discipline and repair, and a long search for structure, belonging, and masculine guidance. He opens up about depression, anxiety, self-destruction, risky self-initiation in his twenties, and the absence of older men who could help him make sense of his path. Ben and Steve also explore what made Arka different from other men’s work, why strong male leadership matters, how brotherhood helped shape Steve into a leader, and what it means for men to stay in relationship through power struggles, change, and repair.  The back half of the episode becomes a living example of male friendship: challenge, love, reciprocity, trust, and the kind of brotherhood most men rarely get to see. This is a conversation for men looking for mentorship, stronger male relationships, deeper brotherhood, and a clearer path into mature masculinity. In this episode: * Steve’s early life and search for masculine structure * Depression, self-destruction, and trying to become a man alone * The mentors and turning points that helped shape his path * Why earlier men’s work helped, but wasn’t enough * What made Arka different * Leadership, service, and learning to take the seat * Friendship, rupture, repair, and brotherhood between men Links from this episode: * Join an Arka Brotherhood group: https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/ [https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/]

#6 - How Men Get Unstuck: Brotherhood, Mental Health, and Masculinity - with Lee Hettig

In this episode of Arka Talks, Arka Co-Director Matt Cooke sits down with Lee Hettig - longtime brotherhood member, and senior leader/trainer - for a grounded conversation about how men get stuck, and what actually helps them move again. Lee shares the turning points that shaped his path through men’s work: opening up about alcohol, money, anxiety, isolation, and the lone wolf mentality that keeps many men trapped behind competence, performance, and secrecy. He speaks candidly about mental health, functional freeze, hyper-independence, masculinity, and the role brotherhood has played in helping him tell the truth, stay connected, and take action when life got dark. Matt and Lee also explore what it means to be a man in today’s world, how men can build earned confidence instead of performative masculinity, and why self-knowledge, shadow work, and reality-checking are essential parts of growth and leadership. This is a conversation for men who feel stuck, isolated, or split inside themselves - and for anyone who wants a more honest look at men’s work, brotherhood, and the path of real change. In this episode: * The breakthrough that came from telling the truth about alcohol * Money shame, secrecy, and bringing hidden struggles into the light * The lone wolf mentality and why isolation keeps men stuck * Anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, and functional freeze * Practical ways men begin getting unstuck * Masculinity, discipline, proof, and becoming a producer of value * Know thyself, shadow work, and leadership through self-awareness Join an Arka Brotherhood group: https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/ [https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/]

#5 - The Lone Wolf Trap: Why Men Struggle to Open Up - with Nick Solaczek

Matt Cooke sits down with longtime Arka leader and relationship teacher Nick Solaczek to talk about the path many men take into brotherhood. For Nick, it started in a difficult period of life: no money, no clear direction, and a sense that something needed to change. An invitation into a men’s group became a turning point. The conversation explores what men’s work actually gives men: confidence, groundedness, honest feedback, and the ability to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other men without competition or posturing. Matt and Nick also dig into the deeper challenges men face in relationships - the tendency to withdraw, the “lone wolf” mindset many men carry, and how learning to take responsibility for our inner world changes how we show up with partners, friends, and the world. This is a conversation about masculinity, brotherhood, and the long road of becoming a man who knows himself. If you’ve ever wondered what men’s groups are really about, this episode opens the door. In this episode * Why men step into men’s groups (and why most won’t) * The standards and agreements that separate real brotherhood from hand-holding * What changes when a man gets honest with himself - not just his story * The challenge younger men face in a distracted, numb world * Why relationships don’t work without responsibility (and where most men get it wrong) * What happens when we’re forced to face the gap between who we are and who we claim to be * Concrete advice for men looking for partnership and struggling to find it Key takeaways * Most men wait for pain before seeking brotherhood - invitation matters more than pride. * Consistent practice and real standards separate meaningful men’s work from empty talk. * Comfort in your own body and owning your story is earned, not given. * Avoidance, shutting down, and the lone wolf mindset will strangle your connection. * Taking responsibility means turning toward discomfort, not away from it. * Real change starts with the question: “What am I co-creating in this moment?” * Relationships amplify your shadow - but can also build your backbone. * No amount of logic covers the need for emotional honesty with your partner. * If you want better relationships, learn to make - and keep - clear agreements.   About Nick Solaczek Nick Solaczek is a Certified IMAGO Relationship Teacher and host of the Highly Successful Couples Podcast. He works with couples who are committed to each other but feel stuck in painful, repetitive patterns. He helps partners move beyond surface-level communication tips and look at the deeper emotional dynamics driving their conflict, including childhood imprinting, unmet needs, and nervous system responses.  Trained in evidence-based couples therapy approaches, Nick focuses on helping couples experience real change, not just talk about it. His work centers on building emotional safety, honesty, clarity, and lasting intimacy so couples can stop merely surviving their relationship and start truly thriving together. Links: Nick Solcaczek on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nicksolaczek]  Highly Successful Couples [http://www.highlysuccessfulcouples.com] Join an Arka Brotherhood group [https://arkabrotherhood.com/]   Arka Brotherhood Arka is an international brotherhood dedicated to helping men develop leadership, integrity, and self-mastery through weekly circles and training. Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior.

#4 - The Founder’s Story: Phil T. Mistlberger on The Making Of Arka

Phil T. Mistlberger is a transpersonal therapist who founded The Arka Brotherhood. He is the author of 7 books, founder and facilitator of Conscious Relationship Trainings, and an avid painter.  In this episode, Ben Goresky sits down with Phil, covering Phil’s early life, the roots of his transformational path through martial arts and inner work, and the turning points that lead him to begin his journey with men’s work. Phil breaks down men’s competitive and egotistical instincts, and how to combat those with intentional brotherhood and inner work. They also break down key Arka elements like the 14 Point Code, the “Samurai Stare”, and the meaning of  “I’ve got your back”. In this episode * Phil’s early upbringing, family dynamics, and how communication and looking inward became a lifelong thread * Martial arts, Zen, and the shift from “outer science” to inner transformation * Why men need men and why male connection often gets distorted by competition and fear * The core practice: stay in relationship vs. the ego’s habit of avoiding relationship * Community living, the “pressure cooker,” and what it teaches about forgiveness and our own lessons we’re here to learn * Why men’s groups aren’t therapy - and why action and accountability matter * The Samurai Stare: presence, nervous system regulation, and projection * “I’ve got your back”: loyalty, support, and the kind of challenge that calls a man forward * Ritual and initiation: why consistency and commitment change men over time * Young men and mentorship: what lands for teens, and what doesn’t Key takeaways * Brotherhood is a practice of speaking the truth, holding each other up to a code for living, and leaning into relationship * You can’t banish the shadow. Integrate it, or it runs your show. * “Staying in relationship” (Code 13)  is a discipline that trains maturity and dissolves avoidance. * Men’s work isn’t just about “how you feel” - it’s about what you do with your life. * Ritual works when it creates presence, seriousness, and belonging beyond the ego. About Phil T. Mistlberger Phil T. Mistlberger is the founder of Arka Brotherhood and a longtime teacher in men’s work, conscious relationship training, and transformational practice. He is the author of multiple books on psychology, spirituality, and human development, and has spent decades studying and teaching across wisdom traditions, inner work modalities, and embodied training. Links from this episode * Join an Arka Brotherhood group [https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/] * The Arka Code [https://arkabrotherhood.com/the-code/] * Phil’s work & books [https://www.ptmistlberger.com/books.php] * Conscious Relationship Trainings [https://crtrainings.com/] * Ben’s work on addiction recovery and conscious relationships [https://evolvingman.com/] Subscribe for honest conversations on men’s work, brotherhood, and leadership. “Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior.”

#3 - From Rehab to Leadership: Ben Goresky’s Men’s Work Story

Ben Goresky - Arka Brotherhood co-director - shares about the road from addiction and loneliness to co-leading a global brotherhood. It’s a raw conversation about men’s mental health, leadership, and the art of living a life full of chosen responsibilities. In this episode * The journey from teen addiction and difficult family dynamics to men’s leadership * Why accountability, not advice, changes men * How relationships challenge men to grow beyond avoidance * The role of brotherhood in facing criticism, father wounds, and emotional pain * Stepping up to leadership - deciding to run your own men’s group * Handling intense moments: suicide risk, service, and true presence * Balancing fatherhood, marriage, business, and mission without fooling yourself Key takeaways * Men’s groups are not therapy - they are practice grounds for integrity and power. * Brotherhood allows men to face shadow without collapsing into shame or bravado. * Mature masculinity means owning every responsibility you willingly take on. * Many men run from discomfort; real growth happens by staying and listening. * Every meaningful achievement is earned through struggle - not escape. * Presence with family and partner is a test few men prepare for intentionally. * Vulnerability and dark moments - including suicidal thoughts - require community and brotherhood. * Addiction persists until you face reality and accept full ownership. * Leadership starts from commitment, not ambition.   Links from this episode Ben’s website - Evolving Man [https://evolvingman.com/]The Freedom From Addiction Circle [https://evolvingman.com/freedom-from-addiction/] Follow Ben @Evolvingman [https://www.instagram.com/evolvingman] on Instagram Apply to join an Arka Brotherhood group [https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/] Subscribe for honest conversations on men’s work and leadership - or learn more at arkabrotherhood.com [http://arkabrotherhood.com].