Hosts Soroosh and Dennis celebrate the 50th episode and reflect on their two-year journey of podcasting.

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They discuss personal growth, the importance of vulnerability, and the lessons learned through their conversations about men's health and emotional well-being. Soroosh shares his journey of self-discovery, the challenges he faced, and how podcasting has helped him become more vocal about his feelings.

The episode emphasizes the power of connection and the significance of embracing one's emotions. In this conversation, Soroosh and Dennis explore themes of loneliness, self-connection, and personal growth through crises. They discuss the importance of embracing emotions, the power of shared experiences, and reflect on their podcast journey, highlighting memorable episodes and the impact of their work on listeners.

In this conversation, Soroosh and Dennis explore themes of self-love, mindfulness, and the evolving definition of masculinity. They discuss the importance of being present in daily life, the rituals that help maintain mindfulness, and the need for empathy in relationships.

The dialogue emphasizes the significance of self-acceptance and the journey towards emotional intelligence, highlighting that both men and women play crucial roles in fostering healthy relationships and personal growth.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back: A New Chapter Begins

05:19 Journey of Self-Discovery

08:51 Reflections on Two Years of Podcasting

11:50 Lessons Learned Through Podcasting

15:14 The Power of Vulnerability

17:39 Growth and Change Over Two Years

19:44 Embracing Loneliness and Self-Connection

27:24 Navigating Crises and Personal Growth

30:15 The Power of Shared Experiences

37:00 Reflecting on Memorable Episodes

40:44 The Ritual of Recording and Connection

43:36 The Importance of Being Present

44:05 Rituals for Mindfulness and Connection

47:42 Defining a Healthy Man

52:33 Breaking Stereotypes of Masculinity

56:07 Empathy and Understanding in Relationships

59:24 Self-Acceptance and Love

Takeaways

Podcasting has helped Soroosh become more vocal about his feelings.

Soroosh discusses the importance of vulnerability in forming genuine connections.

Soroosh feels more comfortable sitting with difficult emotions now. Loneliness can be addressed by connecting with oneself.

Meditation and self-reflection can help in understanding childhood emotions.

The mind often creates problems that it cannot solve.

Emotional awareness is crucial in navigating life's challenges.

Crisis situations can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.

Shared experiences create a sense of community and connection.

Feedback from listeners can be incredibly rewarding and motivating.

Life's challenges can be viewed as a mosaic of experiences.

Connecting with oneself is key to overcoming difficulties.

Reflecting on past experiences can lead to deeper understanding and growth.

Being present is essential for meaningful interactions.

Mindfulness rituals can enhance daily life.

Defining a healthy man involves breaking stereotypes.

Empathy is crucial in understanding men's struggles.

Self-acceptance is a key to personal growth.

Emotional intelligence allows for better processing of feelings.

Healthy relationships require effort from both partners.

Rituals can help maintain mindfulness throughout the day.

The journey of self-discovery is ongoing and shared.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more personal stories and expert-backed men's health insights.

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In this episode of Hearts Wide Open, hosts Dennis and Tamara delve into the complexities of relationships, particularly focusing on the dynamics of living together.

They explore the importance of communication, understanding emotional triggers, and maintaining individuality while navigating the challenges that come with cohabitation.

The conversation highlights the significance of conflict resolution, the evolution of attraction, and the cultural perspectives surrounding living together before marriage.

Through personal anecdotes and insights, they provide valuable advice for couples looking to strengthen their bond and grow together.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Hearts Wide Open Podcast

06:04 The Role of Triggers in Relationships

15:34 Reflections on Moving In Together

20:57 The Importance of Communication in Relationships

27:20 Addressing Fears of Moving In

38:22 Communicating Needs Without Conflict

48:23 Communicating Boundaries and Preferences

Takeaways

It's important to communicate openly about relationship dynamics.

Understanding triggers can help in managing emotional responses.

Living together can bring new challenges and opportunities for growth.

Maintaining individuality is crucial in a relationship.

Space and independence can enhance attraction and intimacy.

Conflict resolution requires patience and understanding from both partners.

Cultural perspectives can influence decisions about living together.

The spark in a relationship can evolve over time.

New experiences together can reignite attraction.

It's essential to support each other's growth and needs.

You can find Tamara here:

Instagram: ⁠@tamararuhinside⁠

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Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Moving in together sounds like a dream—but for many men, it can also be an emotional rollercoaster. In this episode of Hearts Wide Open, Dennis opens up about the mental and emotional shift of going from long-distance dating to sharing a home.

From unexpected doubts to communication struggles and moments of real growth, we explore the messy and beautiful side of learning how to really live together.

This is a raw, honest take on men’s mental health in relationships, and how living together can challenge you—but also bring you closer than ever.

💬 Been through something similar? Share your story at heartswideopenpodcast.com

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more personal stories and expert-backed men's health insights.

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Reiss talks about how he quit drinking for the first time.

On this episode of Hearts Wide Open, The Men's Health Podcast, Dennis sat down with Reiss Silva, personal trainer and coach to world champions, medalists and world record holders and regular men just like you!

Reiss opens up about the journey of quitting drinking, giving up alcohol for the first time and offers valuable thoughts as he tells his inspiring, not so easy story.

The two share personal stories as they dive into the most important factors for a long and fulfilled life, Reiss' formula to success, growth and transformation as well as the darker topics from Reiss' life, like his anxiety and the difficulty of remaining friends when all you connect with each other over is a drink.

You can find Reiss here:Instagram: @reiss_silva11

LinkedIn: @weightlossandfitness

Reiss' Be Elite Podcast

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more personal stories and expert-backed men's health insights.

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Men’s mental health and aging as a man—what a combo. In this special birthday episode, Dennis turns 33 and dives headfirst into what it really feels like to be a man in his 30s, reflecting on life not quite going as planned, the weird pressure to "have it all figured out," and the little existential crisis that can sneak up with every passing year.

Turning 30 used to feel like the beginning of adulthood… now 33 feels like a weird milestone no one warned us about. From the nostalgia of our early 20s to the new aches in our backs, this episode explores how aging as a man often brings more questions than answers—and why that’s totally okay.

If you’ve ever found yourself looking back at your younger self wondering “what happened to the plan?”, this one’s for you.

🎂 Featuring personal stories, honest reflection, and a few laughs, this episode is a reminder that getting older doesn’t mean your life is over—it just means you're human.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more personal stories and expert-backed men's health insights.

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Most men ignore their heart health—until it’s too late. Don’t be one of them. Discover the secrets to heart health for men and learn heart disease prevention strategies that could save your life.

In this episode of Hearts Wide Open, the Men's Health Podcast, host Dennis sits down with Michelle Routhenstein, a leading cardiology dietitian and preventive cardiology nutritionist from EntrielyNourished.com. They dive deep into the biggest risk factors for heart disease prevention, how gut health impacts heart health, and the crucial role of mental health in heart health.

You’ll learn:
✅ How to naturally lower blood pressure✅ The best heart-healthy diet for men✅ The overlooked connection between gut health and heart health✅ Proactive steps every man should take to protect his heart

Don't wait for a wake-up call—Men start taking control of your heart health today!

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more expert-backed health insights.

You can find Michelle onInstagram: @heart.health.nutritionist LinkedIn: @michellerouthensteinWebsite: entirelynourished.com

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Going home as an adult can feel like stepping back in time. No matter how much we’ve grown, family dynamics and personal growth often clash, making us feel like a younger, outdated version of ourselves. In this episode, I share my experience of visiting home while staying in a BnB instead of my childhood home—and how it completely changed my relationship with myself and my family.Why does going home as an adult sometimes feel like going backwards? How do family dynamics and personal growth shape our identity? And most importantly, how can we set boundaries with family while still strengthening our connection with them?Tune in as we unpack why this happens, how I finally broke the cycle, and what you can do to maintain your sense of self on your next visit home. If you’ve ever struggled with balancing personal growth and family expectations, this episode is for you.

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Resilience isn’t something we’re born with. Resilience can be developed. How? That’s exactly what we talked about with Paul Doughty!

Paul is a published author who’s just released his new book “Resilience My Ultimate Superpower: Empowering Young Lives to Overcome Challenges”.

We asked Paul what resilience means to him, what role resilience plays in his life and why he is helping young people specifically in becoming more resilient.

Paul has had a LIFE! From growing up with domestic violence to living on standby and just merely functioning. To getting therapy a divorce, beating alcohol addiction and Lyme disease. He opens up about it all and how therapy and specifically TMS therapy have saved his life more than once.Resilience My Ultimate Superpower: Empowering Young Lives to Overcome Challenges - Paul Doughty (our amazon affiliate link)

You can find Paul here:

⁠pdspeaks.com⁠

⁠@pdspeaks⁠ on Instagram

⁠linkedin.com/in/paul-doughty-1022092/The book that Paul's mum gave him:101 Ways To Transform Your Life - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer (our amazon affiliate link)

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or visit our website to find out how:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Franz tried to get therapy for the first time and got rejected on the phone. On this episode Franz opens up about his story and how he stayed on course to eventually get professional help.

He also talks about shame and shows us a new perspective, how shame is part of all of our life's in ways we sometimes cannot see. Today Franz changes the way we perceive shame and works with individuals like you and me to help "un-shame" them.

Make sure to give this one a listen! Franz even does a small guided meditation, so make sure not be driving during that part, or pause/skip it at that point.

You can find Franz on his Instagram⁠@franz.unverschaemt

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or visit our website to find out how:⁠⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

How do you successfully build and maintain lasting friendships? And how can a friendship evolve when it's over a long physical distance? Is this even possible?

Dennis sat down with his longterm long-distance friend Ruan in Brazil to discuss friendship and more!

Did you know that 1 in 5 men say that they do not have a single friend?

His friends form Ruan's support system and he opens up about the time when they literally picked him up from a very dark place and saved his life.

Ruan also talks about how being a queer man has impacted his life and how growing up with a father that accepts nothing but excellence has shaped him.

This episode has it all!

You can find Ruan on his Instagram @ruansouzacaetano and on LinkedIn: @ruancaetano

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.

Soroosh sat down with Nikki from the Hearts Wide Open Family and discussed a variety of issues and topics related to relationships.

Nikki is a psychologist and somatic movement coach who's recently joined the Hearts Wide Open family and supports us in organizing events for our community online and offline in the Netherlands. Wanna join one of our events? Stay tuned on our Instagram and/or subscribe to our newsletter via our website!

On this episode Nikki opens up about growing up without a present father and how she had to learn to show and receive love from others as an adult. She also talks about how we often villainize & blame external circumstances or others for our struggle before looking inwards and why that is often the first step before starting to work on oneself.

They further touch on relationships that feel transactional, what that means and how it is different in eastern vs western culture or collectivist vs individualist societies. Learn with them how to take the best out of both worlds!

Towards the end they cover how the relationship with our parents can impact our relationships today and how we can work with our support system or partner to solve a problem rather than villainizing others and shifting blame outwards.

You can find Nikki via her Instagram @chez.niki

Want to talk or get involved? DM us via our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hearts_wide_open_podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , or visit our website to find out how: ⁠⁠heartswideopenpodcast.com⁠⁠

If you're enjoying the podcast, your 5-star review really helps us amplify the voice for men's health and motivates us to lead by example in showing that men can open up space where it's okay to be vulnerable and authentic.