anOn this episode of the Men’s Therapy Podcast, host Marc Azoulay welcomes Dene Sebastiana. He is a respected guide in men’s circles and men’s work facilitation. Dene speaks about his journey through sacred masculinity and emotional literacy. Dene shares candid experiences from his own healing journey. He describes: “I learned to channel warrior energy rather than slip into savage energy”. He emphasizes that this distinction is critical in modern men’s work.
Marc guides the conversation to showcase how Dene is working with masculine archetypes. He is helping men explore emotional wounds and tender masculinity. Dene explains, “When men build emotional literacy, they are reclaiming a form of sacred masculinity that is honest and whole.” Over the next few minutes, listeners journey through powerful reflections. They go from grief and father wounds to the practices that cultivate warrior energy and emotional literacy. Dene invites men in their 20s to 50s to meet their inner strength without aggression. He asks them to step into vulnerability with clarity. He urges them to experience the transformative potential of masculine healing in a supportive context.
Dene distinguishes warrior energy as a disciplined, courageous force aligned with purpose and integrity, rather than the out-of-control aggression he calls savage energy. As he says, “Warrior energy is compassionate strength; savage energy is reflexive reactivity.” He is describing men learning to shift from impulsive power to intentional presence. It is an essential step on their healing journey.
The conversation focuses on emotional literacy. Dene elaborates that “emotional literacy is the foundation for all healing in men’s work.” He is profiling how men often carry emotional wounds without knowing how to articulate grief, anger, or sadness. Developing emotional awareness enables them to process these wounds consciously rather than repeating trauma or defaulting to destructive masculine archetypes.
Dene weaves together the thread of sacred masculinity. It is a principle that honours strength and tenderness in equal measure. He states, “Tender masculinity isn’t weakness. It is presence rooted in care.” This kind of masculinity is a refinement of historical archetypes, where tenderness is not suppressed but embodied. It is showing men they can be fierce yet gentle, purposeful yet emotionally available.
Dene describes how masculine archetypes such as the Warrior, the King, the Lover, and the Magician. These are frameworks that men can use to understand different facets of masculine healing. He is guiding groups through experiential exercises to embody each archetype. As he says, “The Warrior archetype grounds the man in action and integrity; the Lover brings emotional depth.” This approach supports men in recognizing unhelpful patterns. It helps them embrace new, more integrated identities.
Central to the work is addressing emotional wounds, particularly from fathers, grandfathers, and cultural expectations. Dene describes how men carry intergenerational trauma. He highlights the healing journey and invites them to reclaim parts of themselves that were lost. “By sitting with grief and repressed pain, men emerge more whole,” he shares. This process involves ritual, community-supported reflection, and ongoing accountability to softness and truth.
Cultivating warrior energy empowers men to uphold integrity in their relationships, families, and communities. They are joining contemporary men’s work movements. They help to shift masculine culture away from toxic aggression into strength. This strength is rooted in emotional literacy and sacred masculinity.
Dene Sebastiana’s insights illuminate how men are transforming through men’s work grounded in warrior energy. They are stepping into sacred masculinity and do so by developing emotional literacy and reclaiming tender masculinity. They can work with masculine archetypes and consciously engage their emotional wounds. This podcast episode invites a broader understanding of masculine healing. One that is strong, compassionate, and whole.
Dene Sebastiana is a facilitator, speaker, and guide. He specializes in men’s work and masculine healing. His experience in holding healing circles and men’s retreats is grounded in emotional literacy and trauma-informed practice. Dene collaborates with men to deepen awareness of their inner landscapes. He helps them to transform emotional wounds through intentional ritual, archetypal embodiment, and community accountability.
His work has emerged from decades of practice in men’s circles internationally. He is emphasizing that true warrior energy is a balance of strength, discipline, and tenderness. Dene’s offerings include training programs and men’s retreats that welcome participants into the masculine healing journey with clarity and care.
Fierce & Tender Healing The Deep Masculine by Dene Sebastiana
Iron John: A Book About Men by Robert Bly
The Myth of Male Power by Warren Farrell
Fire in the Belly: On Being a Man by Sam Keen
Email: dene@denemariasebastiana.com
Sameera Sullivan, a matchmaker, joins Marc Azoulay to unpack why dating feels so hard for men right now. Learn what it takes to find and keep a real relationship. Drawing on her experience vetting and coaching clients, Sameera explains how app fatigue, endless options, and approach anxiety leave many good men stuck. They discuss how attachment styles, love languages, and personality types shape compatibility,
Listen Now
Unpack what a modern midlife crisis actually looks like. Learn why the old stereotypes get it wrong. Discover how it can become an initiation instead of a collapse.
Listen NowGet expert insights, podcast drops, blog highlights, and upcoming events straight to your inbox,
built for men who want to grow, lead, and live with purpose.
Address: PO Box 142, Evergreen, CO 80439
Phone: (301) 442-9119
MTO connects men with licensed practitioners who provide guidance and support for navigating the challenges of modern life. These coaching services are not a substitute for mental health treatment, emergency services, or crisis support.
