Bill Bridges

The term "toxic masculinity" is seemingly everywhere, although it's difficult to find consensus on what the term means, why it's bad, and what can or should be done in connection to it. In this presentation, Bill provides his working definition for toxic masculinity that connect to the challenges facing men, including isolation and depression. He explains what "hope" can look like for men and how each man can, and should define what masculinity means to him.

Every year, 33,000 American men commit suicide. Bill Bridges has faced his own depression and suicidal thoughts, but came through them, in large part because of a willingness to face emotions that most men find hard to handle. In this presentation, he explains why men struggle with emotions, why they kill themselves in staggering numbers (even though research shows more women think about suicide), and what each man can do if he feels himself slipping into despair.

Everyone has a creative instinct, but too many men feel that the price of adulthood is giving up whatever creative outlet they had as boys. What they fail to see is that they pay a price for doing so in the form of depression and anxiety. Bill Bridges discusses how he abandoned his creativity, the toll it exerted on him, and how he changed his life by reconnecting to the creative man inside him. Ultimately, he tells his audiences, it's not too late to be creative, gain connection with the self and with others, and live a life that's filled with joy and hope.