Raising Boys, Building Connection | Gloria Vanderhorst on Men, Emotions & Relationships

Why do so many men struggle with emotions, intimacy, and meaningful relationships?In this episode of Zenith Exposure, psychologist, therapist, and author Gloria Vanderhorst explores how childhood experiences, cultural expectations, and emotional conditioning can shape the way boys grow into men and ultimately affect their relationships.Gloria shares how her early work with preschool boys led her to recognize a deeper issue: many boys are taught, directly or indirectly, to disconnect from parts of their emotional lives. We discuss fathers and sons, emotional development, intimacy, marriage, mental health, and the ways our personal history can continue influencing our behavior in the present.Gloria also explains how approaches such as Internal Family Systems and Emotion Focused Therapy can help individuals and couples better understand themselves, access emotions, and create healthier relationships.Whether you're a parent raising boys, a father, husband, partner, therapist, or someone seeking to better understand emotional connection, this conversation offers valuable insights into how we can grow beyond the patterns we inherited.Follow Zenith Exposure for more conversations about psychology, relationships, emotional wellbeing, family, personal growth, and mental health.