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What if one of the greatest medicines available to men is friendship?

In this episode of the Men's Healing Network Podcast, host Vincent Perez is joined by Leo Lopez of the National Compadres Network and his lifelong friend Miguel Chuca. Together, they explore how decades of friendship, cultural traditions, fatherhood, and community have shaped their understanding of what it means to heal as men.

The conversation reflects on the fathers and elders who modeled both strength and imperfection, the transformative power of men's circles, and the importance of creating spaces where men can be vulnerable, emotionally honest, and fully seen. Leo and Miguel also discuss raising children in a changing world, balancing work and family, and why healing isn't something we do alone—it happens in relationship.

At its heart, this episode is a reminder that authentic friendship isn't just companionship. It's medicine.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• The role of lifelong friendship in men's healing
• Lessons inherited from fathers, grandfathers, and elders
• Why culturally rooted men's circles create powerful opportunities for transformation
• Emotional vulnerability and becoming a "safe man" for family and friends
• The importance of intergenerational relationships
• Balancing work, partnership, and fatherhood
• Passing wisdom and healing to the next generation

About the Host
Vincent Perez is a cultural strategist, facilitator, and founder of the Men's Healing Network. His work helps individuals and organizations cultivate healing-centered leadership, authentic relationships, and communities rooted in dignity, belonging, and connection.

Produced by
Tom Keppeler

Marketing & Audience Development
Dee Enriquez

The Men's Healing Network Podcast is made possible in part through the support of Choice Regional Health Network.

To learn more about the Men's Healing Network, upcoming circles, and events, visit MHN.life.

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In the inaugural episode of the Men's Healing Network Podcast, Vincent Perez sits down with educator and Journeyman Institute co-founder Alex Craighead and his father, retired hospice chaplain and Episcopal priest Tom Craighead.

Released on Father's Day, this conversation explores what men's healing looks like across generations. Together, they reflect on childhood wounds, community, rites of passage, vulnerability, purpose, service, and the lifelong journey of becoming more fully human.

Tom shares how stillness, deep listening, and authentic community helped him move from living primarily in his head to reconnecting with his heart. Alex discusses his work guiding young men through rites of passage, the importance of helping boys discover their gifts, and why healing requires the courage to look honestly at ourselves.

Along the way, they explore:

• Why healing is not a destination but an ongoing practice
• The role of fathers, mentors, and elders in men's lives
• How community can become medicine for isolation
• The importance of rites of passage and intentional transitions into adulthood
• Learning to embrace vulnerability and emotional honesty
• Service as a path toward meaning and fulfillment
• The gifts each of us carries and how those gifts serve our communities
• Why play, connection, and belonging matter at every age

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing happens in relationship—and that none of us are meant to do it alone.

Memorable Moments

• Tom reflects on discovering authentic community later in life and learning to bring his head, heart, and actions into alignment.
• Alex shares the story of his wilderness vision quest and the realization that he didn't need to find a gift for his people—he was the gift.
• A moving reflection on Alex's mother's response to a cancer diagnosis and the healing power of playfulness in the face of hardship.
• A candid discussion about masculinity, emotional suppression, and the need for spaces where men can tell the truth about their lives.

Key Quote

"You are the gift. What are your gifts for your people?"

About the Guests

Alex Craighead is an educator, mentor, and co-founder of Journeyman Institute, where he helps guide young men through rites of passage, mentorship, and transformative learning experiences. For more than two decades, he has dedicated his work to helping young people discover their gifts, find purpose, and build meaningful community.

Tom Craighead is a retired hospice chaplain and Episcopal priest whose life's work has centered on listening, service, spiritual care, and helping people navigate life's most meaningful transitions.

Connect with Men's Healing Network

The Men's Healing Network Podcast explores what healing means through conversations between men whose lives have shaped one another. Each episode invites listeners into authentic dialogue about purpose, grief, fatherhood, belonging, community, and what it means to become more fully human.

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with a father, son, brother, mentor, or friend. Someone may be waiting for exactly this invitation. Learn more at MHN.Life.

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What if healing isn't something you achieve?

What if it's something you allow?

The Men's Healing Network Podcast is a space for honest conversations about what it means to be a man in today's world—and how healing happens through connection, courage, vulnerability, and community.

In this final trailer before launch, you'll hear voices from men of different backgrounds sharing hard-won insights about family, friendship, belonging, and the power of being truly seen. Together, their stories point toward a simple truth: none of us were meant to do this alone.

Join host Vincent Perez and a growing network of men exploring what becomes possible when we slow down, tell the truth, and support one another's healing.

Healing is happening.

And you're invited.

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