Ep.10- What Gives Us Hope?

Ep.10- What Gives Us Hope?

What if healing in a polarized world starts with choosing hope instead of outrage? In the season one finale of This Triggers Me, Dr Audra Horney (a therapist for men) and Dr. Brendan K. Hartman (a sociologist who researches the emotional well being of boys) reflect on what it means to stay human in an increasingly triggered, divided culture. Recorded shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the intense online reactions that followed, this conversation explores how algorithms fuel outrage, emotional exhaustion and disconnection and why real healing requires community, vulnerability and face to face connection. Together, they unpack how triggers can become opportunities for growth and why sustainable change in men’s mental health and men’s wellbeing depends on moving beyond fear, cynicism and isolation. Key takeaways: * Why trigger warnings may increase anxiety rather than reduce it * How triggers can become mentors for healing, self-awareness, and growth * The role algorithms play in outrage culture, polarization, and emotional exhaustion * Why online spaces can both harm and help men’s mental health * The importance of in-person community and face to face connection * How collective action and local communities can create meaningful cultural change * Why joy and connection are forms of sustainable resistance * The problem with “one-size-fits-all” healing advice * Why healing is often unfair, nonlinear, and deeply personal * The stages of real behavior change: attitudes, emotions, skills, habits, and practice * How vulnerability and emotional honesty can be contagious * Why hope matters in conversations around masculinity, therapy for men and men’s wellbeing Connect with us Email- thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com [thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com] Social media- https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/] https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/ [https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/] https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/ [https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/] https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod [https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod] Find a Therapist for Men: www.draudra.com [https://www.draudra.com/] Podcast post-production: Stacy Blackburn

Ep.9- Who Triggers Us?

What if the people who trigger you the most are actually showing you something about yourself? In this episode of This Triggers Me, Dr Audra Horney (a therapist for men) and Dr. Brendan K. Hartman (a sociologist who researches the emotional well being of boys) turn the conversation inward by unpacking who they get triggered by and why. Instead of using triggers as proof someone else is wrong, they explore how triggers can become invitations toward self awareness, accountability and growth. From online outrage culture to jealousy, self censorship, polarization, and fear of being misunderstood, this conversation dives into the emotional complexity behind public discourse around men’s mental health, gender, and relationships. Key takeaways: * Why triggers can be opportunities for self-reflection instead of just blame * How outrage culture rewards certainty, confidence, and black and white thinking * Why people with overlapping views can sometimes feel more triggering than complete opposites * The emotional impact of online audiences, comment sections and public scrutiny * How fear of credibility loss shapes conversations around masculinity and men’s mental health * Audra’s reflections on jealousy, self censorship and being compared to creators she disagrees with * Brendan’s critique of gender essentialism and overly simplistic relationship advice online * The tension between intention, audience impact and nuance in creator spaces * How polarization makes meaningful dialogue more difficult * Why therapy for men and emotionally honest conversations require tolerating discomfort and complexity Connect with us Email- thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com [thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com] Social media- https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/] https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/ [https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/] https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/ [https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/] https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod [https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod] Find a Therapist for Men: www.draudra.com [https://www.draudra.com/] Podcast post-production: Stacy Blackburn

Ep.8- What's Underneath the Men vs. Women Suffering Contest?

What if men and women stopped arguing about who suffers more and started trying to understand each other instead? In this episode of This Triggers Me, Dr Audra Horney (a therapist for men) and Dr. Brendan K. Hartman (a sociologist who researches the emotional well being of boys) take on “suffering contests” and the growing divide in conversations around gender. Through a role reversal exercise, they each advocate for the other gender’s experience, exploring the pain, pressure, loneliness, fear and emotional labor that often go unseen. Instead of debating who has it worse, this conversation focuses on empathy, nuance and what both men and women wish the other truly understood about men’s mental health, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Key takeaways: * What “suffering contests” are and how they fuel polarization around gender * The difference between acknowledging pain and weaponizing “what about…” arguments * Why many men crave emotional intimacy, affection, and closeness beyond sex * The impact of touch starvation, shame, and fear of being a burden on men’s mental health * How boys and men are often negatively reinforced for emotional vulnerability * Why many men are trying to grow despite limited emotional socialization * The invisible emotional labor many women carry in relationships and daily life * How safety vigilance and threats to bodily autonomy shape women’s experiences * Why “not all men” conversations often miss the emotional point being made * How role reversal and empty chair exercises can build empathy and understanding * Why emotionally honest dialogue matters for healthier relationships, men’s wellbeing and connection Connect with us Email- thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com [thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com] Social media- https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/] https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/ [https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/] https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/ [https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/] https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod [https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod] Find a Therapist for Men: www.draudra.com [https://www.draudra.com/] Podcast post-production: Stacy Blackburn

Ep.7- Why Are Dad’s So Triggering?

Why do conversations about fathers bring up so much emotion, shame, and defensiveness, especially for men? In this episode of This Triggers Me, Dr Audra Horney (a therapist for men) and Dr. Brendan K. Hartman (a sociologist who researches the emotional well being of boys) unpack the complicated role fathers play in shaping men’s mental health, identity and emotional development. From father wounds to modern parenting expectations, they explore why dads are often seen as either sacred or suspect and how both extremes miss the nuance. This conversation dives into generational shifts in fatherhood, emotional connection, shame, repair and the impact fathers have on boys and men’s wellbeing. Key takeaways: * Why fathers are such a triggering topic in conversations about masculinity and men’s mental health * The tension between over praising dads for “bare minimum” parenting while also under crediting involved fathers * How modern fatherhood has shifted across generations * Common father wounds and why many men struggle to honestly reflect on their relationship with their dad * The impact of emotional connection (or lack of it) on boys’ emotional development and men’s wellbeing * Different father archetypes: the tyrant, the absent/workaholic father, and the teacher * Why repair after mistakes matters more than perfection in parenting * Research on fatherhood, bonding, hormones and paternity leave * The loneliness and isolation many involved fathers experience * Why men in caregiving roles are often treated with suspicion * How therapy for men can help unpack shame, resentment, grief and emotional patterns tied to fatherhood Connect with us Email- thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com [thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com] Social media- https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/] https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/ [https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/] https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/ [https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/] https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod [https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod] Find a Therapist for Men: www.draudra.com [https://www.draudra.com/] Podcast post-production: Stacy Blackburn

Ep.6- Is Vulnerability A Weakness?

After recording a more polished, intellectual episode about therapy for men (see Episode 5), Audra and Brendan returned to the studio for part 2 because part 1 didn’t feel personal enough. In this episode of This Triggers Me, Dr Audra Horney (a therapist for men) and Dr. Brendan K. Hartman (a sociologist who researches the emotional well being of boys) dig into the messy, uncomfortable side of vulnerability. They explore why some people (Audra) easily default to intellectual instead of emotional, how performing vulnerability can replace real connection, and how this relates to men’s mental health. Key takeaways: * Why emotional safety is key to opening up * The difference between real vulnerability and performing vulnerability * How perfectionism and fear of judgment block emotional expression * Why many men feel safer being the helper than receiving help * The impact of emotional suppression on men’s mental health * How sharing with the wrong people can feel worse than not sharing at all * The role of gender socialization on men expressing emotion * How overregulation, shame, and fear of “messing it up” limit connection * The importance of rupture and repair in building emotional trust * How therapy for men can create space to reconnect with yourself and move beyond old patterns Connect with us Email- thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com [thistriggersmepodcast@gmail.com] Social media- https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.audra.horney/] https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/ [https://www.instagram.com/re.masculine/] https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/ [https://www.instagram.com/thistriggersmepod/] https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod [https://www.tiktok.com/@thistriggersmepod] Find a Therapist for Men: www.draudra.com [https://www.draudra.com/] Podcast post-production: Stacy Blackburn