Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

Fatherhood today carries both profound longing and quiet fear.

Fatherhood today carries both profound longing and quiet fear. For many men, the desire to raise emotionally healthy children collides with the reality that they were never taught how to understand or express their own emotions.

Hello,

Fatherhood today carries both profound longing and quiet fear. Many men want to raise emotionally healthy children, yet were never given permission to fully understand their own emotions.

I recently joined AJ for an in‑depth conversation about the emotional lives of boys, the cultural messages that shape them, and what fathers can do differently to raise sons who are strong, connected, and self‑aware.

With fifty years of clinical experience working with preschoolers through adults, I have seen how early emotional experiences shape identity, relationships, and resilience. Boys are not born emotionally limited. In fact, research shows they often arrive with a broad emotional range. What changes is how we respond to that range.

In this episode, we explore how subtle parental reactions, cultural expectations, and misplaced discipline can narrow a boy’s emotional world—and how fathers can instead cultivate empathy, accountability, and connection.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why boys’ emotional expression is often unintentionally restricted from infancy
• How suppressing sadness can later turn into anger and disconnection
• The difference between praising achievement and valuing effort
• Why fathers must model emotional awareness, not just strength
• How to teach boys accountability without shame
• Practical tools for helping men expand their emotional vocabulary
• What true emotional leadership looks like inside a family

We also discuss common parenting dilemmas—from sports commitments to discipline, affection, alcohol, and financial responsibility. The heart of each question remains the same: Are we guiding boys toward emotional maturity, or away from it?

This conversation is ultimately about courage. The courage to examine our own history. The courage to express attachment openly. The courage to stay present when a child is struggling rather than shutting him down.

When fathers learn to recognize and name their own feelings, they give their sons permission to do the same. That permission can change a life.

You can listen to the full episode here:
Navigating the Challenges of Fatherhood

Or watch the live stream here:
Awaken, Align, Ascend (The True North Show)

I hope this conversation offers reassurance and practical guidance to fathers, mothers, and anyone committed to raising boys who can feel deeply and live responsibly.

Warmly,
Dr. Gloria K. Vanderhorst
Psy