The idea
A place to notice how we relate, and to practice doing it better
Men rarely get a regular, low-pressure room to talk about how they treat the people around them. Man Practice is that room. Six to ten men, a host and a cohost, one topic each week, and one small skill to take into the week.
Listen
Attention without fixing
Hear another man out before offering ideas, and ask whether he wants ideas at all.
Speak
Say what is true for you
Speak from your own life in concrete moments. A small example is enough, and a hypothetical one is fine.
Practice
Find words you would use
Try a short sentence aloud, make it more natural, and try it again. No role play of harm, no winners.
The series
Eight weeks, one skill at a time
Each week has its own topic, two questions, and a short practice. A printable handout for each meeting holds a summary, the activity, and space for notes.
- 1
Speaking up among friends
Finding words to interrupt a boundary crossing.
- 2
Listening without fixing
Attention without taking over someone else’s problem.
- 3
Consent and ordinary boundaries
How you respond when someone says no.
- 4
Anger and returning to connection
Early signs of anger and a pause before harm.
- 5
Friendship and asking for support
A request that leaves room to decline.
- 6
Shame and responsibility
A mistake that isn’t a verdict on who you are.
- 7
Repair that respects the other person
Apology without demanding reconciliation.
- 8
Keeping the practice alive
Choosing what to continue, together.
How we treat each other
Five agreements
- Speak from your own experience. Use “I” and concrete moments. Leave other people’s names out.
- Protect privacy. No recording, screenshots, or AI note-takers. Take your own learning with you and leave others’ stories here.
- Keep participation voluntary. Pass, write instead of speak, turn off your camera, or step away. No one owes the group a history.
- Listen before responding. Ask before giving advice. No one has to accept feedback or follow-up contact.
- Make room and respect boundaries. Keep turns brief. No ridicule, threats, survivor blaming, or identity-based insults.
Run it in your community
Everything you need to host the series
Read the manual before you invite anyone, then print one handout for each meeting. How you find participants and handle sign-ups is up to you.
- PeopleA host and a cohost, plus 6 to 10 adult men, 18 and older
- Time90 minutes a week for eight weeks
- PlaceA Zoom room with a passcode and waiting room
- Sign-upsYour choice. Invite people however suits your community.
- CostThe materials are free
Facilitator manual · EPUB
Start here
Written for a first-time host: preparing the Zoom room, a word-for-word first meeting script, what to say in difficult moments, and the full series.
- Group agreements
- Before the first gathering
- The weekly structure
- First meeting script
- Facilitation moves
- Distress and disclosures
- Accountability
- The eight weeks
- Planning and review
Weekly handouts · PDF
One for each meeting
A single sheet, printed on both sides and folded in half. Tap a week to see it.