The Journey

Three Stages to Transform Your Fatherhood

— Stalk the Beast

The greatest danger to your son isn't out there. It's the beast within you.

Every dad I sit across from in a coaching conversation, no matter how successful, disciplined, or devoted, has a shadow side.

Something that hinders his progress.

Something that slips out sideways as fear, anger, or apathy.

Psychologists call it the shadow. Scripture calls it the flesh.

It's the part of us we try to manage, hide, or control, but never truly tame.

Michael Reichert once observed that a boy's first rejection is of himself. From that moment, we learn to take up masks to present to the world the version of ourselves we think it wants. Over time, those masks harden into identities. We start living out of our false self and that works for a while, but time and again I see it break in early fatherhood.

"Every man is unfinished in some form or fashion. To one degree or another, we are all boys in men's bodies, dressed up and disguised with costumes of masculinity."

— Stephen James and David Thomas

Carl Jung saw this clearly. In every hero's journey, the man must eventually enter the cave, face his shadow, and reclaim what he's lost.

Jesus described this moment differently but no less powerfully. In the parable of the prodigal son, the turning point comes when the man comes to himself. It's the moment of realizing that beneath the mask and performance, he is still deeply loved.

This is the work of Stalk the Beast.

To slow down long enough to see what's driving you.

To name your fears, lusts, pride, and insecurity before they wound you or your son.

And to do the inner work of transformation before you try to lead anyone else up the mountain.

Inside this module, you'll find:

Reflection tools to surface your shadow and clarify your false self
Guided exercises integrating insights from Jung, the Enneagram, and Christian formation
Practical frameworks to build awareness, confession, and new patterns of integrity

The goal isn't to kill the beast. It's to subdue it.

To mount it on the wall as a reminder of how far you've come.

Because a father who has done his inner work is a safe, strong, and steady presence for his son.

— Set Up Camp

Every family has a culture. Few build it on purpose.

Have you ever heard Annie Dillard's often quoted line, "How you spend your days is, of course, how we spend our lives" and thought, I'm in serious trouble?

Every family drifts toward habits, routines, and messages that shape who their kids become. Most just do it accidentally. Set Up Camp helps you do it intentionally. This stage comes necessarily after Stalk the Beast, because my personal experience showed me if it is bound to create division in your home if you are divided in yourself.

This stage teaches you how to establish a family culture anchored in mission, shared moments, consistent messages, and meaningful milestones—the 4Ms that form the backbone of a healthy home.

When families know who they are and what they value, kids feel secure. Too many families accept a sort of chaos because their lives are shaped by external expectations rather than internal motivations.

Sons that grow up in intentional, not oppressive, homes they learn to lead themselves and those around them for the rest of their lives.

Inside this module, you'll learn how to:

Craft a clear and memorable family mission statement
Identify the subtle messages your kids are absorbing from your words and routines
Shape meaningful daily and weekly moments that reinforce your values
Mark milestones that celebrate growth, character, and faith

These aren't abstract ideals. They're rhythms that turn ordinary days into formative ones. This is the chance to create the kind of family your son will want to emulate when it is his turn to be a dad.

As you set up camp, you'll establish the kind of home where your son learns how to love, work, rest, and lead with purpose.

Every mountain climber needs a solid base camp. This is where you build yours.

— Stoke the Fire

Your son doesn't just need your strength. He needs your warmth.

Most dads know how to protect, provide, and push. Fewer know how to connect.

It's not because they don't care. It's because connection feels harder to measure, harder to master, and harder to keep when life is busy.

Many men were raised to believe toughness is the goal. But toughness without tenderness breeds distance. And distance quietly starves a boy's soul.

The truth is, your son will only risk in the world if he feels safe at home.

Psychologist Todd Hall describes this tension in the "comfort-challenge matrix." Kids thrive when parents offer both comfort and challenge, and providing a high degree of both of those is hard. That balance is built, not born.

Stoke the Fire helps you grow that balance. It's about learning to offer warmth without coddling and strength without crushing.

It's about seeing that real strength is relational, not performative.

As boys grow, they need secure attachment more than advice. Presence more than performance. A father who looks them in the eye and says, You are loved. You are capable. You are not alone.

Inside this module, you'll learn:

Why attachment is the foundation of courage and emotional health
How to use the comfort-challenge matrix to guide your parenting
What it looks like to become a "non-anxious presence" in your home
Practical habits to strengthen connection in everyday moments

Stoke the Fire will help you become the kind of father whose presence fuels bravery, whose love builds confidence, and whose steadiness keeps the flame alive when the winds of adolescence start to blow.

The climb ahead requires both strength and warmth.

Let's build both.

Ready to begin your climb?

Join Base Camp 322 and transform your fatherhood journey through these three powerful stages.

Enroll In Base Camp 322