The Somatic Approach

At SMG, we put emotions at the heart of everything we do, focusing on what you're feeling in the present moment. We understand that this can be a new and sometimes challenging experience, especially if you're used to hiding or masking your emotions. Many men join us with little experience in viewing their feelings as allies rather than obstacles.

We warmly invite you to explore and express your emotions and needs with us. Instead of analyzing or explaining, we encourage you to share your feelings openly and without hesitation. We know that emotional vulnerability can feel intimidating, but we're here to support you every step of the way. As you take these important steps, we celebrate your courage and growth, no matter how small. Join us in this journey, and let's navigate these emotions together.

WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR JOURNEY

Emotions Rule
First and last, SMG’s focus is on emotions—what are you, as a man, feeling in the moment. We appreciate this can be a challenge for men, for many of us were trained to hide and mask our feeling and emotions – as if they were our enemy. We understand that many men join the group having few experiences of their emotions being their ally.

We also expect that as a new man, you are willing to learn how to feel and express your emotions and your needs. That means not doing what we do so well as men; analyzing, explaining, judging, telling stories and resisting. For many new men, this is their first work in group – to be able to talk about how they feel without qualification or a lot of story. We understand emotional vulnerability is new and scary. We ask that new men are willing to receive feedback and support as they take emotional risks. As men who have walked this path before, we celebrate and honor new men taking even a small risks.

Circle of Brothers
We live a new vision of being a man. Through ceremony and practice, we initiate each man deeper into full maturity. Going beyond friends, we develop the intimacy that only comes from integrity. The wholeness that occurs from each man being a leader connecting to something beyond himself creates an opportunity for powerful leadership in all aspects of his life.

Fierce Love
We challenge and support each other, often in the same breath. The energy created is palpable, able to penetrate deflection. We care and feel “sweetly held” by each other. We are willing to give our love freely. We offer each other our compassionate truth. We name the unspoken and are willing to put relationships at risk for the sake of truth and growth. We create the energy necessary to constantly become superior men.

Our Container
In the sanctuary of the group, we maintain safety and complete confidentiality – which raises the bar to be free in the circle. We hold ourselves, and each other, to our individual and collective commitments. We ask for what we want. We honor and value each other, often with laughter and tears. We ‘let it rip’ with purpose and vision. With our intuition and love, we sense the dissonance and deflect the deflection. Through our ability to be present with others and ourselves, we accept that we sit in a ‘circle of mirrors’ feeling how truth resonates through the circle.

Bringing Our Full Self
We share from our gut, heart, and full body. We are willing to go “all in”. We are open to the moment, with unguarded humbleness. We move into our bodies, bringing a willingness to reveal and express our feelings. We surrender into feeling, owning our emotions. We tap the richness of our unconscious and our dark side and manifest that energy into positive awareness and action. We value depth over breadth. We step into our fear, risk vulnerability and move forward without collapsing. We notice and appreciate what is working in our lives. We courageously bring our unguarded optimism and affirm our ability to manifest our intentions.

What We Bring Into the World
We gain energy in our time together, each carrying this energy back into his life. We feel deep gratitude and see more beauty in the world. We accelerate change in our lives and step clear of victimhood. We feel a stronger connection to ourselves, our family and community, and a deeper connection to our sexuality. Our lives are improved and we stand in stronger service to the world. We offer this love to our planet as the seed of change we model.