MenAlive began in 1969 when I held Jemal, my newborn son, in my arms and promised to be a different father to the one my father could be to me and to do all I could to create a world where men are fully healed and engaged with their families and communities throughout their lives. In 1972 I started MenAlive as my window to the world to share what I was learning about love, life, survival and transformation.
In June 2026, I will be offering exciting new and expanded services at MenAlive. I am looking for men and women who recognize that the world is changing and who want to receive the best guidance and support available to help them live fully, love deeply and make a positive difference in the world. If this sounds like you, read on.
When our daughter, Angela, was born in 1972, it became clear that the health of boys and men and the health of girls and women were forever intertwined, and we could not improve one without improving the other. My wife Carlin and I now have six grown children, seventeen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. We are committed to helping change our lives for the good of all and for future generations.
I’m sure I don’t need to convince you that people live in ways that are out of balance with the laws of nature. We recognize this imbalance as our climate crisis, endless conflicts and loss of ecological diversity. As the “geologist” and historian Thomas Berry warned,
“We never knew enough. Nor were we intimate enough with all our cousins in the great earth family. Nor could we hear the various creatures of the earth, each telling its own story. The time has come, however, for us to listen or die.”
Many people have given up on humanity and imagine that the world would be better off without us. Others hope that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will save us. I was given a different vision during a sweat lodge ceremony at a men’s leadership conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1993.
The vision allowed me to see the sinking ship of civilization and the emergence of lifeboats into a new way of life. According to Vaclav Havel, Czech politician, author, playwright and dissident,
“Today, many things show that we are going through a transitional period where it seems that something is progressing and something else is painfully born. It is as if something is collapsing, disintegrating and exhausting, while something else, still undefined, emerges from the ruins.”
I have written about the vision and what I have learned in many articles over the past 33 years. In my most recent article outlining the vision, “How to Survive and Thrive as the Ship of Civilization Sinks,” I offered several insights I’ve gleaned. Here are some:
1. “Culture” is a misnomer. His proper name is ‘Model Sovereign’.
I quoted my colleague Riane Eisler who wrote in her book, The Chalice & The Blade,
“Beneath the great surface diversity of human civilization lie two basic models of society. The first I call the dominance model, what is popularly called either patriarchy or matriarchy—the ranking of one half of humanity over the other.
2. There is a better world beyond civilization.
Daniel Quinn was the author of several books, including Ishmael and Beyond Civilization: Humanity’s Next Great Adventure.
“If we keep going the way we are,” Quinn says, we won’t be around much longer. You don’t have to ‘go somewhere’ to overcome culture, you have to live your life in a different way.”
I have learned that there is a different way we can live. Let’s make it together.
3. We must find our race outside the boundaries of civilization.
Tribalism has acquired a pejorative meaning, but tribal life is what makes a man.
“Racial life and no other is the gift of natural selection to mankind,” says Daniel Quinn. “It is to mankind what pack life is to wolves, pod life to whales, and hive life to bees.”
In their book, Cultivating Our Humanity: How Sovereignty and Partnership Shape Our Brains, Our Lives, and Our Future Riane Eisler and Douglas P. Fry say that for millions of years we lived as hunger-gatherers and were “the original corporate societies.” They go on to say,
“For more than 99 percent of our roughly two million-year history, our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived by the following values: (1) Total equality; (2) Equality, respect, and cooperation between women and men; (3) Non-acceptance of violence, war, abuse, cruelty, and exploitation; and (4) Cooperation for the car, and social support.”
Come join our MenAlive tribe
From June 21, 2026, I will start a new chapter in my professional life. So far I have served my community in the following ways through: (1) Individual and couple counseling, (2) articles and books, (3) online courses. I’m getting more requests to start an online community where people could get more focused guidance and support to better navigate these difficult times.
The core of what I offer, and what I feel is critical at this time in human history, focuses on the health and well-being of relationships.
On Father’s Day, June 21, 2026, I will launch a new MenAlive tribal community that builds on my fifty-plus years of work at MenAlive and offers additional services, guidance, and support. Those who participate will have the opportunity for more direct interaction with me, where you can “ask anything” and get honest feedback. In addition to my own experience, I will introduce you to my colleagues who are also experts in the field and have great wisdom to share.
Here are some of my colleagues you will meet:
Darlene R. Walley, PhD
Dr. Darlene R. Walley is currently the CEO of NEXT Life Sciences, which focuses on reproductive health. Walley has over 30 years of life science business experience, having served as an executive at Procter & Gamble, Gillette/Oral-B and Arm & Hammer Laboratories.
Dr. Walley holds 12 patents, largely related to consumer health products, and has over 13 publications. Walley received a BS in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Cincinnati.
Dr. Walley will lead Plan A™ and bring it to market and will additionally oversee R&D efforts on other male birth control options being developed by NEXT Life Sciences. You can read my article and interview with Dr. Walley here.
Joe Conrad
Joe Conrad is a creative entrepreneur and digital health pioneer who believes in the power of innovation, creativity and technology to solve any problem. In 1990 he founded Cactus, a purpose-driven branding and creative agency with a mission to develop brands that help people thrive.
He is also the founder and CEO of Grit Digital Health –– a team of behavioral health, wellness, technology and marketing experts committed to breaking down barriers like stigma and access to help people get the support they need, when and how they need it. Joe and his team are the creators of Man Therapy, an innovative and award-winning campaign that uses humor to engage working-age men in an immersive, fun, digital experience where therapy actually happens. Joe is the author of the upcoming book, Man Therapy: Therapy the way a man does it. You can watch my latest interview with Joe Conrad here.
Caitlin V. Neal
Caitlin is a thought leader in contemporary masculinity and male sexuality. Also known simply as Caitlin V., she emphasizes the need to reshape the way society views men’s roles and the dynamic between men and women in today’s world. Caitlin’s work is dedicated to empowering men by teaching them the essential skills to succeed in modern relationships and life, helping them embrace authenticity, confidence and intention. Through her transformative approach, men cultivate deeper connections and redefine masculinity on their own terms.
Caitlin V’s journey began with a passion for understanding human sexuality and its profound impact on our lives. Over two decades she has cultivated a deep understanding of the complex nuances of intimacy, pleasure and connection. It has more than 850,000 social media followers, 140 million video views and 15,000 students. You can see my interview and article with Caitlin here.
If you’d like more information about the future of MenAlive and our new and expanded community, drop me a note at Jed@MenAlive.com and put “MenAlive Tribe” in the subject line. These are challenging times with great opportunities for those willing to come together to support what my colleague Charles Eisenstein calls for “The more beautiful world our heart knows is stronger.”
