The Arka Talks Podcast

Men’s health is often reduced to testosterone, supplements, lab results, and quick fixes. But what if low energy, burnout, insomnia, sexual health challenges, anxiety, and loss of vitality are pointing to something deeper? In this episode of Arka Talks, Ben Goresky sits down with Dr. Rigobert “Rigo” Kefferputz  - naturopathic doctor, father, ARKA captain, breath worker, and longtime practitioner of men’s work - for a conversation about men’s health, performance, burnout, testosterone, nervous system regulation, leadership, and whole-person healing. Rigo shares his own story of growing up in Germany, immigrating to Canada, being bullied as a German kid, losing himself in perfectionism, and trying to earn belonging through achievement. He talks about father absence, the self-critical patterns he absorbed growing up, the pressure of university at McGill, insomnia, over-performing, and the classic male trap of trying to fix distress by doing the same thing harder. The major turning point came when Rigo moved to Salt Spring Island to build a retreat centre — only to have the dream collapse almost immediately during COVID. That public failure forced him to confront where he had outsourced his worth, and eventually led him deeper into men’s work. Ben and Rigo also explore what Rigo sees in his naturopathic practice: men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s coming in with low testosterone, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, insomnia, anxiety, depression, burnout, and the deeper weight of a life that no longer feels aligned. This conversation is not anti-medicine, and it is not anti-testosterone. It is a deeper look at men’s health. Rigo makes the case that a man’s vitality is shaped by much more than hormones: sleep, stress, boundaries, anger, purpose, community, emotional honesty, and the willingness to stop performing and start telling the truth. In this episode: Why men’s health is more than testosterone Rigo’s childhood in Germany and immigration to Canada Father absence, inherited self-criticism, and the roots of perfectionism Bullying, belonging, and becoming the over-performer McGill, insomnia, and the trap of doing the same thing harder Why the retreat-centre collapse became a turning point How men’s work helped Rigo see through the performer The difference between validation and being called forward by men Why men’s group is not just about making friends Leadership, people-pleasing, and learning not to need everyone to be happy What men bring into Rigo’s naturopathic practice Testosterone, burnout, sexual health, anxiety, and midlife Why information alone does not change a man’s life Clean anger, boundaries, and the masculine core Why community is medicine for men This episode is for men who are tired, burned out, over-optimized, under-supported, or looking for the next supplement to fix what may actually be a deeper life pattern. Your health is not separate from how you live. Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior. Links Join an ARKA group: www.arkabrotherhood.com Follow @ArkaBrotherhood on Instagram: http://instagram.com/arkabrotherhood Connect with Dr. Rigobert Kefferputz: https://drkefferputz.com/

Some stories take years before they can be spoken. In this episode of Arka Talks, Matt Cooke sits down with Todd Johnston for a deeply honest conversation about trauma, sexuality, leaving religion, sexual abuse, courage, healing, and the decision to choose life after years of carrying pain alone. Todd shares what it was like to grow up in a small town in British Columbia, leave the Jehovah’s Witness church and lose connection with much of his family, and later come out as a gay man after years of confusion, fear, and self-protection. He also speaks openly about being sexually abused and raped by an employer when he was 16, how that experience shut down parts of his body and identity, and what it took (years later) to report the abuse, go through a police investigation, and face the legal process. This is a heavy conversation, not only about trauma, but also about healing. Listener discretion is advised. Todd talks about therapy, EMDR, sex therapy, men’s group, friendship, DJing, volunteering, and the hard decision he made after a nervous breakdown where he contemplated suicide: “I’m choosing to live. So if I’m gonna live, let’s live!” Through his story, Todd shows what courage can look like when a man decides to stop disappearing inward, speak the truth, let himself be seen, and build a life that belongs to him. In this episode: Todd’s first terrifying night walking into a men’s group Growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness and leaving the church Coming out as gay and the fear of losing people Sexual abuse, rape, confusion, and how trauma can shut down the body Reporting his abuser nearly 20 years later Taking the legal process one step at a time How men’s group helped Todd feel less alone in shame and suffering Choosing life after suicidal thoughts and a nervous breakdown DJ YDEL, “You Deserve Epic Love,” and reclaiming joy Chosen family, friendship, service, and volunteering in Vancouver Why showing up, being seen, and staying open can change a man’s life This episode is for anyone who has carried shame in silence, anyone who has wondered if they were damaged goods, and anyone who needs to hear that healing from abuse and trauma is possible. You are not alone. Your story matters. And your life still belongs to you. Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior. Links Join an ARKA group: https://arkabrotherhood.com/join/ Follow @ArkaBrotherhood on Instagram: http://instagram.com/arkabrotherhood Canada National Suicide Crisis Helpline: Support is available 24/7 by calling or texting 9-8-8. United States: Call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Website: 988lifeline.org

A man can walk into a men’s group and think he has joined. But according to longtime ARKA captain Brady Kirk, that is only the first joining. The second joining happens later, when something hidden gets seen. When a man is exposed in front of other men. When the old instinct to defend, leave, attack, or disappear rises up. That is the moment the real work begins. In this episode of Arka Talks, Ben Goresky sits down with Brady Kirk, one of ARKA’s longtime leaders and original members, for a conversation about brotherhood, trust, leadership, archetypes, faith, fatherhood, and the deeper work of becoming more fully yourself. Brady shares what first brought him into men’s work, how the early Samurai Brotherhood circles shaped him, and why real brotherhood is not just friendship. It is a place where men tell the truth, give clean feedback, challenge each other, and learn to stay when their armor starts to crack. The conversation moves through the lone wolf pattern, asking for help, receiving feedback from other men, the King/Warrior/Magician/Lover archetypes, Christian faith, leadership without control, parenting, and the long process of taking off the armor a man once needed to survive. In this episode: Why Brady says every man has to join men’s group twice The difference between casual friendship and earned masculine trust The lone wolf pattern, and why refusing help can block real connection What happens when a man is exposed in circle and wants to run Why honest feedback from men can change a man’s life How Brady uses archetypes and the ARKA code inside his squads Faith, surrender, and learning to lead without controlling outcomes Fatherhood, keeping your word, and teaching emotional regulation to a son Why men’s work helps a man take off the armor and become more himself This is a conversation for men who want more than surface-level connection. It is for men who are ready to be seen, challenged, and called forward by other men walking the same path. If this speaks to you, listen to the full episode and share it with a man who is ready for the second joining. Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior. Links Join an ARKA group: www.arkabrotherhood.com Follow @ArkaBrotherhood on Instagram: http://instagram.com/arkabrotherhood Connect with Brady Kirk / Brotherhood Foundry: Website: brotherhoodfoundry.com Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BradyKirk-BHF

There are wounds a man can carry for decades without knowing how deeply they are shaping his life. In this episode of Arka Talks, Ben Goresky sits down with longtime ARKA leader Joel Crneck for an honest conversation about childhood, father wounds, suicidal ideation, brotherhood, forgiveness, leadership, and becoming a father. Joel speaks openly about growing up with intense energy, conflict with masculine authority, and the belief that men did not care about him. He shares how that story followed him into adulthood: into burnout, depression, suicidal darkness, and the ways he tested men to see whether they would stay. Joel takes us into his darkness, but he also takes us into his healing story. A story of how brotherhood can not only save a man’s life, but help him heal the wound that brought him to his absolute edge. Through years in circle, Joel began to see his old story more clearly. He learned to soften without losing his fire. He found forgiveness for his stepfather. He became a captain, a leader, and now a father carrying a new kind of responsibility. This conversation moves through some heavy territory, but it keeps returning to the same question: "What does a man do with the wound once he can finally see it?" In this episode: Joel’s childhood, his relationship with his mother, brother, stepfather, and early father wound Growing up with intense energy, ADHD medication, conflict, wrestling, and survival mode The belief that “men don’t care about me” — and how it shaped Joel’s life Suicidal ideation, burnout, and the night that interrupted Joel’s path toward death The raccoon story, brotherhood, and the strange ways life can call a man back How Tiger Squad gave Joel a place where men kept showing up Forgiving his stepfather and learning to lead without projecting the old wound Fire, intensity, leadership, compassion, and the discipline of the ARKA code Fatherhood, breaking family patterns, and becoming more grounded through responsibility This is a conversation for men who have carried their pain alone, men who have wondered whether they belong, and men who have contemplated or attempted suicide.  If this episode speaks to you, share it with a man who needs to hear it. Real men. Real stories. The path of the conscious warrior. Links Learn more about ARKA Brotherhood: www.arkabrotherhood.com Follow ARKA Brotherhood on Instagram: @arkabrotherhood - https://www.instagram.com/arkabrotherhood Work with Joel as your transformation coach: Integrityworksconsulting.ca Special Note - For Crisis Support This episode includes open discussion of suicidal ideation. If you are in immediate danger or feel like you may harm yourself, call emergency services now. Canada: Call or text 988 — Suicide Crisis Helpline, available 24/7. Website: 988.ca Government of Canada also directs people in crisis or thinking about suicide to call or text 988. United States: Call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Website: 988lifeline.org The 988 Lifeline offers call, text, and chat support for suicidal crisis, emotional distress, mental health struggle, and substance-use-related crisis. Canada youth / text support: Text CONNECT to 686868 — Kids Help Phone / Crisis Text Line Canada, free and confidential 24/7 support in English and French. United States text support: Text HOME to 741741 — Crisis Text Line, free, confidential 24/7 support. United States veterans: Dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255 — Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7 confidential support for veterans and their loved ones. United States mental health / substance use referrals: Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — SAMHSA National Helpline, 24/7 treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use concerns. International: Find local crisis lines and emotional support resources at findahelpline.com. Find A Helpline lists verified helplines in more than 175 countries. You do not have to carry it alone. Reach out now.

Geoff MacKenzie is a yoga teacher, men’s work leader, father, and longtime member of the ARKA Brotherhood. In this episode of Arka Talks, host Matt Cooke sits down with Geoff for a grounded conversation about yoga, freedom, adventure, fatherhood, brotherhood, and the moment a man’s life begins to shift from self-direction into deeper responsibility. Geoff shares the early experiences that shaped him: discovering yoga on a forest floor in France, chasing snowboarding in Chamonix, surfing in Bali, studying Ashtanga yoga in India, and building a life around discipline, movement, and freedom. But the deeper arc of this conversation is about what happens when freedom becomes responsibility. Geoff speaks honestly about becoming a father, working long days, missing time with his daughter, supporting his partner, facing old childhood wounds, and learning how quickly a man can be pulled back into old patterns when life becomes intense. Matt and Geoff also explore men’s work, the lone wolf path, money and power, relationship triggers, mother wounds, the importance of breath, and why a disciplined man still needs other men to help him see what he cannot see alone. This is a conversation for men who value freedom, but know that freedom is not the end of the path. Sometimes freedom is the preparation for responsibility. In this episode Matt and Geoff explore: Geoff’s first experience of yoga on a forest floor in France Snowboarding, surfing, Bali, Chamonix, and a life built around freedom Ashtanga yoga, discipline, and early morning practice Yoga as nervous system regulation The tension between spiritual practice, ego, money, and power The lone wolf path and why disciplined men still need brotherhood Geoff’s first experience in a men’s group Fatherhood as a new initiation Relationship triggers, criticism, and childhood conditioning Mother wounds and the feeling of being “in trouble” as a grown man The birth of Geoff’s daughter and the intensity of self-doubt What men gain from sitting in circle The power of honest feedback and having blind spots exposed Father shares and the impact of father wounds on men Why men’s groups need structure, commitment, and truth-telling Breath as the anchor when life gets hard Letting go of an old identity and learning who you are in a new chapter Links from this episode Learn more about Geoff MacKenzie - https://firstlightyoga.ca/ About ARKA Brotherhood The ARKA Brotherhood is a global community of men committed to growth, truth, accountability, and conscious leadership. Through weekly men’s groups, leadership training, and real brotherhood, ARKA helps men become more honest, grounded, courageous, and trustworthy in their lives. Learn more - arkabrotherhood.com