Young Men + Emotional Avoidance: What Colton Is Doing About It
Fri Dec 19 2025
A real conversation about emotion, shame, and the courage to be honest.
In this episode, Ben sits down with Colton Van Baale to unpack why young men are still afraid to feel—and how that fear shows up as numbness, anger, avoidance, and isolation. If you care about men’s mental health, emotional intelligence, and real connection, this one’s for you.
What you’ll get from this episode:
Why emotions feel unsafe for many young men
The hidden cost of “I’m fine”
Practical ways to build emotional confidence without losing your edge
How Colton is creating change (and how you can help)
Chapters:(00:00) Why young men fear feelings(00:00) The cost of emotional avoidance(00:00) What to do when you shut down(00:00) How to support a friend without fixing him(00:00) Colton’s mission + next steps
Links & resources:
Follow Colton: https://tiktok.com/@poetry.by.colton
Ben / The Dude Nation: https://thedudenation.com
Ready for Support? Book a Free Discovery Call with Ben
If this hit, share it with one man you care about—and follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next.
Q&A: What’s one emotion you were never taught how to handle?
Poll: What’s hardest for you? (Anger / Sadness / Anxiety / Shame / “I don’t know what I feel”)
More
A real conversation about emotion, shame, and the courage to be honest. In this episode, Ben sits down with Colton Van Baale to unpack why young men are still afraid to feel—and how that fear shows up as numbness, anger, avoidance, and isolation. If you care about men’s mental health, emotional intelligence, and real connection, this one’s for you. What you’ll get from this episode: Why emotions feel unsafe for many young men The hidden cost of “I’m fine” Practical ways to build emotional confidence without losing your edge How Colton is creating change (and how you can help) Chapters:(00:00) Why young men fear feelings(00:00) The cost of emotional avoidance(00:00) What to do when you shut down(00:00) How to support a friend without fixing him(00:00) Colton’s mission + next steps Links & resources: Follow Colton: https://tiktok.com/@poetry.by.colton Ben / The Dude Nation: https://thedudenation.com Ready for Support? Book a Free Discovery Call with Ben If this hit, share it with one man you care about—and follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next. Q&A: What’s one emotion you were never taught how to handle? Poll: What’s hardest for you? (Anger / Sadness / Anxiety / Shame / “I don’t know what I feel”)