15/12/2025
Role models in Society for young boys and men.
In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we sit down with Stephen Feeney — a primary school teacher from County Leitrim, now based in Cork, and the founder of The Flourishing Man, a project dedicated to supporting boys’ wellbeing, emotional literacy, and positive behaviour.
With over a decade of teaching experience in Ireland and abroad, Stephen brings a rare blend of wisdom, relatability, and grounded compassion to his work. He also holds a Master’s in Positive Coaching Psychology, where his research explored the deep connection between positive psychology and male relationships — a topic at the centre of his mission today.
Together, we explore the emotional worlds of boys and teens, and the cultural silence that often surrounds their anxiety, their struggles, and their need for connection. Stephen shares practical tools, powerful insights, and stories from his work that show just how transformative safe relationships and positive role models can be.
In this conversation, Stephen shares:
- The story behind The Flourishing Man and what inspired its creation
- Why boys often hide anxiety — and what adults tend to miss-How parents can build honest, meaningful conversations with their sons
-The difference between a boy who needs space and a boy who is silently struggling-His thoughts on the male role models shaping boys today
-What he teaches inside The Flourishing Man program and the benefits he sees
-A transformational moment that reminded him why he does this work-The inspiration behind his podcast “I Love You, MAN
– A Positive Psychology Podcast” and how listeners can find it.
This episode is full of insight, empathy, and hope — a must-listen for parents, teachers, youth workers, and anyone who cares about boys’ emotional wellbeing and the future of healthy masculinity.
For full episode see https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uU624vlXRMObQpHDwM7IB?si=0xs1joHdSZOu7hKFWt23Dg
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