Midlife Stories: Making Meaningful Connections with Adam Cranfield

Adam Cranfield is typical of many midlife men in that he’s gone through most of the life events that society expects of a 48 year old man, such as marriage, children and jobs, but not without a growing sense of unease. Not least of this is the way that creating and maintaining meaningful connections has become much more of a challenge than it should be. This week Paul and Adam discuss the stereotypical male focus on needing an activity to bond, and why men struggle to organise and sustain deep relationships compared to women, who are generally better at maintaining social networks. Adam also talks about his own view of the workplace and about how workplace pressures and societal expectations can lead men to feel disconnected from their true selves, and about his role as a father in guiding his children to be more open. And he shares his experiences with therapy, both the benefits in navigating depression but also the drawbacks compared to the mutual support found in friendships. The conversation highlights the differences in how men and women form connections and the potential for men to learn from women’s openness and social dynamics. You can read the full transcript for this episode at www.middlemanpodcast.com/transcript-midlife-stories-adam-cranfield I'd love to hear about your experiences, so if you'd like to get in touch email me at [email protected] and let me know what's on your mind or sign up to the newsletter at www.middlemanpodcast.com