While each man’s story is unique, we share many similar struggles. We want to deepen our connection to our purpose in life, strengthen our bonds and relationships, and increase our ability to be present and aware, especially when faced with adversity.
Your path has been one of success and challenges, of highs and lows. You’ve navigated the complexities of modern life, balancing professional ambition with personal fulfillment. Maybe there’s a voice within seeking more – more depth, more connection, more authenticity. Maybe there’s a profound amount of pain that pushed you to finally reach out, and brought you here. Men like you, from all walks of life, come to MELD seeking a space where their experiences are not just heard, but deeply understood, valued, and shared.
The journey to effective leadership is both a personal and a collective endeavor. For over 30 years, we’ve developed our approach, crafting a path that combines the wisdom of experience with the clarity of scientific understanding. MELD is not just another leadership program – we’re a movement towards emotional fluency and relational depth.
Shared Journeys: Meet men who share your aspirations and understand your struggles. Here, every story matters, and every voice adds to the richness of our community.
An Exclusive Methodology: Before there was EVRYMAN, there were the foundational teachings and trainings that are now uniquely housed within MELD. These proprietary methods developed and refined over decades are registered with the United States government. No other organization offers what MELD provides—a scientifically framed journey, uniquely tailored to foster real growth and genuine connections.
Beyond Conventional Paths: You’ve tried the usual routes to personal growth and found them lacking, or the relief temporary. MELD offers something different – a journey framed in science and backed by decades of experiential refinement.
Real Growth, Real Connections: It’s not just about attending sessions or programs; it’s about genuine transformation and building lasting, authentic relationships from having an emotionally safe space to be yourself.
You Are Good Enough: It’s common to feel that while others succeed, the same paths might not unfold for us. At MELD, we understand this doubt. But here, you’re equipped with tools uniquely tailored for your journey and a supportive community to practice alongside. We’re here to affirm that this journey is for you, as much as it is for anyone.
Craig Coogan2025-08-22 Meld has been a wonderful way for me to connect on a deeper level with other men, and thus myself. I highly recommend it. Starting with reading Owen Marcus’ book “Grow Up - A Man’s Guide to Emotional Intelligence”, there were many chapters that resonated with me. In October of 2024 My ex-fiance had asked me to be more mindful and so the journey began. I took Owen’s suggestion in the book and did a Mindfulness weekend, and then I emailed Owen to thank him for the work. He reached out to me, and I coached directly with him one to one for several weeks. He is extremely accessible and I gained wonderful new insights into myself that I could apply in my relationship. I went on to do Core, then Meld, then Forge. I attended a couples retreat with my fiance in Costa Rica at Imiloa, and then attended the men’s Joshua Retreat. Every one of these sessions has profoundly helped me to grow up as a man. The work is now going to help get me through my separation as I learned that my relationship was not working out for me. I can use the tools from MELD to become an even better me. Get involved. Just do it. You need it and you know it. What are you waiting for? Read the reviews. This is real. God bless Owen and his team. Noah Abelson-Gertler2025-08-21 MELD is a gift to our world and men at large. I am wildly excited about Owen, Mike, and Duncan continuing to empower men to be their best selves!!! As a group facilitator myself I can say with assuredness that Owen and Mike's group facilitation is the best I have ever come across in my entire life. The three of you are using your superpowers to empower men- thank you deeply for it. Thomas Miller2025-08-14 From not being able to feel what was going on in my body, name and express emotions, tolerate intensity, to achieving somatic, emotional and relational competence and in some cases, mastery. This was my journey and that of others in the group I facilitated using MELD's *free* curriculum. It actually offered a framework rooted in neurobiology and things I could actually do, rather than the mostly conceptual pep talks I've encountered in some other places. Transformative! Deep, deep gratitude for all the work you are doing, MELD people! Michael Welp2025-08-13 I have been in Owen Marcus's mens group for over 20 years and it has been one of the highlights of my life, freeing me up to be my authentic self and offer my gifts to the world. First by getting out of my head and into my heart and body. Second by offering my heart and wisdom to my fellow men. Having grown up with five sisters I now have my brothers. My life is balanced. Owen and MELD are on the cutting edge of what men need in our country to create a world that works for all. Bradley Carrion2025-08-11 MELD has had such positive impact on so many men in my life. Owen and the team have unlocked something incredible here that benefits men in all walks of life. Curtis Foster2025-08-04 My review is for the work of Owen Marcus, with whom I began my Men's work journey in the Sandpoint Men's Group in 2011. The work he does with Meld is what he has cultivated from his beginning SMG in 2005. This work has changed my life in so many positive ways - in my relationships a husband of 37 years and a father, as acounselor in the mental health field, and, most importantly, in relationship to myself - I love myself now when I didn't use to. The community of men I have in my life as a result of this is priceless and sacred to me. This work is changing men in our country for the better. If you've ever wondered what it can do for you, check out the website and take that next scary step! You can only grow from here!!! Allen Sabey2025-08-04 Owen and Mike have a deep wisdom that I have felt in my heart and body. They have helped me from stuck places to feel more capacity for joy and peace in my life. Geoff Steurer2025-08-04 Is it too bold to say that Owen Marcus and his team at MELD have pioneered THE most effective way to help 21st century men regain their emotional and relational mastery? I don't think so. It's the truth. I've experienced it for myself and it's literally changed my life for the better. And, please note that I wasn't starting at zero. I've been a licensed marriage & family therapist for 25+ years and have built great relationships with others. However, I've personally learned more about myself and how to really show up for those I love because of the incredible work of Owen and his MELD organization. This is an easy 5+ stars for me. Piere Nel2025-08-03 MELD creates a safe community space for men to freely connect with who they are, to take the risk to be emotionally vulnerable and attuned to their somatic experience. I was guided by MELD to feel, learn and grow from my experiences. Todd Crossett2025-08-03 I entered men’s emotional leadership work in 2007 when I received an invitation to visit, and then join, Sandpoint Men’s Group - Owen’s first group that he started around 2005. I still show up every week. The work has given me tools to navigate and experience my life and a changing world, with intention as a whole man. It grounds me and connects me to community and to myself. It gives me a place to do my emotional work where I don’t have to either bottle it up or over-rely on my partner. And it gives me the gift of being able to support other men. It’s hard to imagine my life without the emotional connection and tools I have gained since that first invitation over 18 years ago. If you are invited, I recommend you accept.
Our approach is a bottom-up approach where we help you develop skills that transform your stress response into a connection response. We don’t tell you what you should do or who you should be. We help you get connected to resources buried within you.
MELD was founded to address the lack of effective emotional wellness programs for men. Our programs are designed based on decades of leading-edge research, the successful life experiences, and the professional expertise of our founders, catering specifically to the unique challenges men face.
Unlike generic wellness programs, MELD specifically addresses the unique challenges and societal pressures faced by men. Our community-based approach ensures sustainable personal growth and a supportive network. We don’t use the traditional model of masculinity in men’s work; we ground our work in what is natural for our bodies, emotions, and relationships.
Our long-term goals include expanding our reach to help more men worldwide, developing additional innovative programs, and conducting research to validate and improve our methodologies continually. We are on a mission to give men the tools we never got, so all men can succeed. Part of this includes training men to train and support other men, as reflected in these Google Reviews.
No.
At MELD, we are proud to carry forward the legacy of innovation and leadership in men’s emotional wellness, originally pioneered by Owen Marcus, a founder of both EVRYMAN and MELD. Owen and the MELD team crafted the core content, methods, programs, and retreats that defined EVRYMAN’s success. Today, these foundational elements are exclusively owned and further refined by MELD, ensuring that we continue to offer the most effective and transformative experiences. We are dedicated to providing an evolved platform that builds upon this rich heritage, making it even more impactful and accessible for all those seeking growth and connection.
After developing and leading three cohorts of EVRYMAN’s professional training, we saw what was needed to take it to a new level. Our goal is to give men more than skills that they can’t get anywhere else, but also training how to turn those skills into a successful career as other graduates of our previous trainings have done.
Yes. We lead programs for NGOs and companies such as Google.
MELD traces its roots to the late 1970s in Boulder, CO, where Owen Marcus immersed himself in studying somatic therapies. He received post-graduate training from luminaries such as Peter Levine, PhD, and Ron Kurtz, pioneers of somatic psychotherapy. In Scottsdale, AZ, Owen utilized these practices at his Rolfing and integrated medical clinic, demonstrating the profound impact of this work. Over two decades, he refined his somatic approach after his move to Idaho, leading to the establishment of the Sandpoint Men’s Group (SMG). This initiative quickly gained attention, inspiring a documentary film and Owen’s book Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Masculine Emotional Intelligence. He also was invited to do a TEDx talk on his work.
During that period, he was one of the first members of the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy. Owen went on to form the 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation, Men Corps, to support men, men’s groups, and research.
As a co-founder of EVRYMAN, Owen led the development of all programs, including the foundational Fundamentals, which have now expanded to be Core at MELD, which was validated through extensive research. Today, all copyrighted programs created at EVRYMAN have been incorporated into MELD, continuing to evolve and impact men’s lives.
MELD’s methods are based on proven scientific principles from psychology, emotional physiology such as Polyvagal Theory, and neurobiology. We stay updated with the latest research to ensure our programs are effective and evidence-based.
Privacy and safety are our top priorities. We adhere to strict confidentiality policies and create a secure environment where all members can feel safe to explore and express their emotions without judgment – we know without safety, we don’t heal or grow.
We welcome involvement through various roles, including volunteer opportunities, community leadership, or even becoming a facilitator. Interested individuals can contact us through our website for more information.
In 1995, the pain of disconnection finally outweighed the fear. So I invited a few men into my clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and started my first group. It was raw, real, and imperfect—but something powerful happened. We began to change.
Back then, the prevailing models of men’s work felt too thin for what I knew was possible. After years of clinical practice, mentorship, and trauma training, I realized: men don’t need to be fixed—they need to be felt. When I moved to North Idaho and built a straw-bale home in the forest, I also began building something else—a new model.
That vision gave rise to the Sandpoint Men’s Group. From a single circle of 12 men, it evolved into a thriving laboratory with over 500 alumni and more than 60 still active. That group became the seedbed for everything that followed—Men Corps, EVRYMAN, and now MELD.
Through it all, I’ve stayed committed to one thing: helping men grow in a way that’s not performative, not punitive, but deeply human. I created Functional Men’s Work as a path that’s embodied, communal, and rooted in science. The kind of work that doesn’t just help men talk about their emotions—it helps them feel them, lead with them, and build a life worth living.
People now refer to me as a thought leader in this field. I’ve written a book. Taught at Google. Been featured in a documentary. But what matters most to me is this: I’ve seen hundreds of men come alive. I’ve seen marriages heal. I’ve seen fathers reconnect with their kids. I’ve seen leaders reclaim their integrity, and men in despair find solid ground again.
At age nine, a devastating cough led me to meditation as a means of listening to and being in relationship with my body. At age ten I began a life-long descent into the power of rhythm and drumming, a way to feel embodied, tap into my creative energy, and achieve a flow state amidst a strong tendency to dissociate. Music and meditation fused as a means for me to feel safety and immeasurable freedom, and to connect with something bigger, something deeper, a surging resource flowing below the surface.
I’m co-founder and Head of Operations at MELD, coming to somatic men’s work through my work in experiential and digital production, as well as environmental sustainability – noticing a pattern that the folks who were able to engage with the planet were those who had the personal safety and security to do so. This realization, that the basic human needs of safety and connection must be met before a person is capable of taking on something bigger, has been a game-changer. Knowing that working on myself – so that I can feel better and do better – allows me to manifest grander aspirations, and makes everyone else around me feel better and do better too, that is the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
I’m driven by the belief that true sustainability is accomplished at the smallest of circles: a healthy man makes a prosperous family, a prosperous family contributes to a thriving community, and thriving communities create a flourishing planet. As a father, I see the direct impact this work has, through me, on my son. By raising resilient and connected children, we are able to quite literally shape the future.
Growing up, I watched many men in my life suffer in silence. Their inability to feel emotions and share ultimately led them to divorces, loneliness, addiction, estrangement, and chronic illnesses. Luckily, I had male mentors in my life who demonstrated and taught me self-acceptance and courageous vulnerability.
I knew I wanted to work with men after being an educator for 10 years. There is a shortage of positive male role-models in young people’s lives today, and I want that to change. It quickly became my purpose to help men heal. Men “doing the work” not only benefits our young people but also our community, society, government, economy, and so on.
I am the man I am today because of the men who have held brave spaces for me. And today, I get to train men to be that man for others.
In the last 17 years, I’ve helped hundreds of men worldwide transform their lives through coaching, men’s groups, retreats, and online programs. There’s a leader in every man, and at MELD, we’re training men to be emotionally fit, somatically aware, and live with vitality.
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