
Hosted by Michael · EN
A podcast for men going through an unwanted divorce or breakup.

Send us Fan MailThe silence of the house on the first night the kids aren't there. The urge to overcompensate by buying them gifts. The crushing feeling of being a "visitor" in your own children's lives.If you are a newly single father, these are the heavy realities you are facing right now. But you do not have to navigate them blindly.Today, I sit down with Ronald Platt, the co-founder and CEO of the National Association for Single and Divorced Families (NASDF). Think of NASDF as the AARP for single-parent households—providing everything from discounted mental health care to a groundbreaking "Support Insured" product that covers child support and alimony payments if you lose your job, become disabled, or face business bankruptcy.But Ron isn't just an executive; he has lived in the trenches. He shares his deeply personal journey of surviving a 14-year relationship with an addict, fostering and adopting a teenager, and rebuilding his life from a 450-square-foot studio apartment after losing his business during the Great Recession.In this episode, we cover:The NASDF Blueprint: How this organization is changing the game for divorced parents and single families.Beating the "Visitor" Mindset: Why overcompensating with toys backfires, and how creating a strict, predictable structure is the real key to helping your kids (and yourself) feel safe.Surviving the Quiet House: Ron's daily protocol of journaling, affirmations, and gratitude that saved his life when he was starting completely over.Unconditional Love: A powerful realization about how we parent our children, the dangers of conditional love, and the life-changing magic of simply apologizing to your kids when you mess up.The Dating Hiatus: Why jumping back into the dating pool too fast usually just means you end up dating your ex in a different body.Guest Bio:Ronald Platt is the CEO of NASDF.org, an organization dedicated to providing resources, products, and support for individuals going through a divorce or running a single-family household.Resources:Website: NASDF.org Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan MailIn this solo episode I discuss the need for us to repeat patterns and recreate the templates of our childhood. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan Mail"I’m 40+, divorced, and starting over. Is this it?"If you have asked yourself that question, this episode is your answer. Society tells us that midlife is a decline—an "inverted V" where our physical and mental abilities peak and then drop off. But Developmental Psychologist Dr. Deborah Heiser says the science proves otherwise.In this episode, Dr. Heiser argues that while our physical graph may flatten, our emotional trajectory actually skyrockets as we age. We discuss why the "Midlife Crisis" is actually a "Midlife Awakening"—a time when we finally have the bandwidth to stop checking society's boxes and start building our own legacy.If you feel like you’ve lost your identity along with your marriage, this conversation will show you how to find a new one that is stronger, deeper, and more resilient than the one you left behind.In this episode, we cover:The "Right Side of 40": Why we actually get happier and more confident as we age.Success vs. Significance: Moving from "Extrinsic" validation (titles, money) to "Intrinsic" purpose (impact, connection).Mentorship as Medicine: How giving back—even in small ways—cures the feeling of irrelevance and loneliness.The "Legacy Tree": A new way to visualize your impact on the world, separate from your job or marital status.The Gender Trap: A candid look at how rigid roles for "Mom" and "Dad" set marriages up for friction, and how to break that cycle in your next chapter.Guest Bio: Dr. Deborah Heiser is an Applied Developmental Psychologist, a TEDx speaker, and the author of The Mentorship Edge. She is the founder of The Mentor Project and currently leads "My Legacy Tree," helping individuals track the impact they make on the world.Resources:Website: DeborahHeiser.com Book: The Mentorship Edge (Available on Amazon) Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I discuss the concept and advice to, Just Love Yourself. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan MailIn this episdoe, the conclusion of the dating chronicles, I discuss how dating has gone in the last few month, which is the 6th year since my ex-wife left. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan MailThis is a continuation of the previous episode. I discuss what dating was like in the 5th year since my ex-wife left. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send us Fan MailThis is a continuation of the previous episode. I discuss what dating was like 3 and 4 years after my ex-wife left. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send a textIn this episode, the first in a 3 part series, I discuss my dating journey since my ex-wife left. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send a textIn this episode, we sit down with Dr. Greg Matos, a board-certified couple and family psychologist and author of the viral Psychology Today article on the "Rise of Lonely, Single Men." We dive deep into the current state of modern dating and why it feels so "damn hard" for men right now. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com

Send a text We’ve all heard the phrase: "What other people think of you is none of your business." But when that "person" is your ex or soon-to-be ex-wife, does that rule still apply? In this episode I discuss that very question. Support the showhttps://www.risingphoenixpodcast.com