Becoming the Father You Needed with Glen Henry

58 snips

Nov 3, 2025

In this enlightening conversation, Glen Henry, the creator of Belief in Fatherhood and author of Father Yourself First, tackles the nuanced challenges fathers face today. He delves into the importance of self-compassion and the need to 'father yourself' before guiding your children. Glen discusses the power of mentorship, storytelling in Black culture, and the significance of play in parenting. With raw honesty, he shares insights on building trust and relational equity, emphasizing how these elements shape both fatherhood and personal identity.

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INSIGHT

Modern Fatherhood Demands Inner Work

Fathers face pressure to be perfect while also not knowing when to be gentle with their kids.
Glen Henry links fatherhood's challenge to the inner work required to hold family without leaking trauma.

INSIGHT

Mentors Are The Hidden Infrastructure

Men need guides and mentors to model practical life and relational skills like a narrative 'cheat sheet'.
Henry argues mentorship shortages leave younger men without handed-down wisdom.

ANECDOTE

Proof Changed His Willingness To Father

Glen describes how seeing a family invite changed his belief that he could be a good father.
Access to someone's home gave him proof he could build a safe, harmonious family space.

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I sit down with Glen Henry, creator of Belief in Fatherhood and author of Father Yourself First, to talk about the real work of becoming a better man and father. We dive into the challenges modern dads face—balancing ambition, healing our own wounds, and showing up with patience and presence.

Glen shares raw insights on building relational equity, repairing trust, and learning to father yourself before fathering others. This one’s a heartfelt and honest look at fatherhood that every man needs to hear.

Buy Glen's book here:

https://a.co/d/3EP2YoD

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 – The biggest challenges fathers face

02:40 – The crisis of absent fathers

05:00 – Mentorship and the power of guides

08:20 – Storytelling and fatherhood in Black culture

12:00 – Entering fatherhood with fear and purpose

17:20 – Accepting your child’s invitations

22:00 – Learning patience and self-compassion

28:40 – Healing, failure, and forgiveness

31:40 – What it means to father yourself

38:20 – The power of proof and mentorship

43:30 – Adventure, play, and connection

49:10 – Managing ambition and presence

56:40 – Rebuilding trust with your kids

01:00:25 – Understanding relational equity

01:02:20 – Glen’s message for fathers everywhere

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