Causeway Conversations #4: Find Your Inner Wild

What does it mean for a man to truly feel alive — and what happens when that spark goes missing?In this episode, host Vince Benevento, LPC sits down with his longtime friend and colleague Justin Carotti, LCSW, LADC — licensed psychotherapist, mental performance coach, and founder of Valiant Counseling and Coaching — for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what it looks like when men lose themselves in the grind of everyday life.Together, Vince and Justin unpack Chapter 4 of Vince's book Boys Will Be Men, "Finding Your Wild" — exploring why so many men today feel stuck, muted, and disconnected from any real sense of purpose or adventure. Drawing on over a decade of shared clinical experience, they trace the dramatic shift they've witnessed in the young men walking through their doors: from the chaotic, externalized energy of a generation ago to the quiet apathy and isolation that defines so many young men today.They dig into the forces driving this change — the rise of social media, the collapse of in-person dating and community, learned helplessness, and the trap of measuring yourself against impossible external standards. Most importantly, they talk about what it actually takes to find your way back: stepping into the unknown, chasing intrinsic purpose over external validation, and having the courage to try something new — even if you've never picked up a lacrosse stick in your life.In this episode:Why so many men feel like they've "lost their soul" somewhere between the carpool line and bedtimeThe clinical shift from oppositional, externalized young men to disengaged, isolated ones — and what's driving itHow online dating and social comparison have created a "failure before you even start" dynamic for menThe difference between extrinsic and intrinsic goals — and why it changes everythingWhat "wild" actually means, and why community, novelty, and brave first steps are the path back to itIf any part of this conversation hit close to home — whether you're a man who's been running on empty, a father trying to model something real for his kids, or someone who works with young men every day — this episode is your reminder that finding your wild doesn't require a dramatic life overhaul. It starts with a single brave step toward something new. Subscribe to Causeway Conversations wherever you listen to podcasts, and if this episode resonated with you, share it with a man in your life who needs to hear it.Where you can find Vince:Website: https://causewaycollaborative.com/IG:  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/⁠causewaycollaborativeYT: https://www.youtube.com/@causewaycollaborativeWhere you can find Justin:Website: https://valiancecounseling.com/Newsletter: https://one-percent-better.kit.com/thanks-for-listeningLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincarotti/IG: https://www.instagram.com/valiancecounseling/YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaPQ1Z7mOABEaYGHEj30H1Q