In a culture that teaches men to be strong, silent, and self-reliant, many grow up learning to hide their emotional pain behind a well-rehearsed smile. Over time, these protective strategies become hardened layers—emotional armor that helps them survive, but eventually separates them from their own truth.
Behind the Smile is a powerful, personal presentation that explores the emotional “masks” men wear to cope, and what it takes to remove them and begin truly living.
Drawing from my lived experience and the stories of countless men I’ve worked with as a coach, massage therapist, and author, this session introduces a metaphor and a model that makes emotional suppression easier to understand and safer to speak about. At the heart of the talk is the Stone Sculpture Metaphor:
“Your authentic self is already within you—like a sculpture buried in stone. Over time, life adds layers: shame, rejection, fear, pressure. Unmasking isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about chipping away what you’re not.”
Participants will be introduced to the Unmasking Framework™, a six-phase method designed to help men break through emotional suppression, reconnect with their truth, and reclaim their identity and voice.
This session is aligned with the core theme of men and boys’ mental health and is suitable for professionals, practitioners, and everyday men alike. Through stories, reflection prompts, and practical insights, we explore how masculinity norms, early conditioning, and silence shape men’s inner lives—and how we can begin to break that silence.