Why The Gentle Strength Project Exists
Men today are facing increasing levels of isolation, stress, and emotional pressure that often goes unseen. Many men know how to support others, but struggle to find spaces where they can be supported themselves.
For example:
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Men account for nearly 80 percent of suicide deaths in the United States according to the CDC.
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Behind every number is a father, son brother, friend or someone who felt they had nowhere to turn.
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Many millennial men are experiencing a decline in close friendships as they move through adulthood.
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Research has found that many men rely heavily on their spouses or partner as their primary source of emotional support, leaving them vulnerable to isolation if those relationships change.
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Men with strong social support networks are significantly less likely to experience depression, chronic stress, and unhealthy coping behaviors.
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Connection is not a luxury. It is part of being human.
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For thousands of years, humans have relied on tribes, villages, and communities to survive and thrive. These connections gave us belonging, accountability, and support.
Today, many men are missing those spaces.
The Gentle Strength Project exists to help rebuild that connection.
My Story
Get to Know Me
Like many people, I grew up feeling very disconnected from others.
I moved around a lot as a child, living with different family members before eventually entering the foster care system. I grew up knowing my mom and my stepdad, but I never knew my biological father. For a long time, I carried questions about where I came from and where I fit.
For a long time, I carried the question: "Am I enough?" Not because I lacked people around me, but because I struggled to understand where I belonged and what made me worthy of being accepted. Acceptance almost always came with conditions, and even as a child I did not like to perform.
School told me I would be enough if I achieved something. Family told me I would be enough if I turned a blind eye and stayed silent. Relationships told me that I would be enough if I became the person someone else needed me to be.
Over time, I learned how to perform. Not necessarily how to live. I learned how to become what others expected of me. But eventually, I realized that being accepted for a version of myself that wasn't real was not the same as belonging.
In 2012, I found something I had been searching for: Brotherhood. I found a group of people who accepted me as I was. A place where I didn't have to prove my worth or earn my place. A tribe that was complete in its incompleteness. We all had our struggles, our flaws, and our stories, but we belonged. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged too.
One of the hardest parts of life is that things change. People move. Seasons end. Friends pass away. Responsibilities grow. The communities we once relied on can slowly disappear, leaving us with memories of what once was and the question that many of us still carry: "Am I enough?"
Maybe this is why The Gentle Strength Project was created. Not because we have all the answers. Not because we have everything figured out. But because I believe people need places and spaces where they can show up as they are.
We may not all share the same story, the same upbringing, or the same experiences. But many of us know what it feels like to wonder where we belong, to question purpose beyond what we can provide, or to simply need a place where we can breathe.
The Gentle Strength Project is not perfect. It's still growing, learning and becoming what it's meant to be. But if any part of this resonates with you, and you are looking for a place to reconnect, grow, and rediscover yourself alongside others, know that there is room for you here.
Community is built through moments
The Gentle Strength Project is not just about conversations online. It's about creating opportunities for guys, the fellas, men to step away from the noise of everyday life, show up as themselves, and build meaningful connections with others.
Sometimes that looks like a deep conversation. Sometimes that looks like sharing a personal story. Often times that just looks like simply sitting together, creating something, laughing a ton, and remembering that we are not meant to do life alone.
Moments created this year
April 2026
Vancouver Community Library shared its space with us. We had our first paint night together with other guys from the community.
May 2026
The Gentle Strength Project continues beyond in-person gatherings. We also have our online community where guys can:
- Share their experiences and life in real time
- Celebrate wins
- joke with each other
- Find resources in the community
Because community is not built in one moment. Its built through consistency.
June 2026
Every gathering is another opportunity to strengthen the connection we have. Whether its an event, a conversation, or simply checking in on someone who needs support, every interaction helps create the kind of community we believe the fellas need!
The event took place at Silver Falls. We carpooled to save on gas money and enjoyed the time away, in nature, and in good company.
June 2026
Celebrating milestones with each other is another another thing we do. We understand that sometimes our schedules do not allow for us to always make it to an event, but we still try to stay connected because that matters. We Matter
Why this matters to me
Many of us grew up seeing or hearing stories about men and their struggles with mental health, disconnection, and loneliness. Some of the stories even felt normal and familiar because they relate to our own personal lives and experiences. Here are a few videos on why this work is needed and why we need to show up for each other.
We do better Together
Get in touch and join the modern day tribe
