Finding Your Fire: Men's Healing, Sacred Circles & Authentic Masculinity | Campfire Conversations

Welcome to Campfire Conversations, a new series within the Reforged Podcast where Scott Austin Martin sits down with fellow healers, coaches, and warriors doing the work of transformation. In this episode, Scott welcomes Phoenix Armendariz, licensed professional counselor, somatic trauma therapist, and founder of The Sacred Ember men's and women's circles. Phoenix and Scott explore the biggest struggles men are facing today—the "damned if I do, damned if I don't" dilemma where men feel unsafe being vulnerable even with their partners, the confusion around authentic masculinity versus toxic masculinity, and the deep loneliness epidemic affecting men across the country. They discuss why men need safe spaces to express themselves without judgment, and how community gatherings like The Sacred Ember and AMP's Campfire circles are creating the emotional safety men desperately need. This wide-ranging conversation covers shadow work, Gene Keys as a roadmap for healing, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, somatic processing, the power of surrender and flow, and the journey from masculine collapse and masculine force to authentic masculine presence. Phoenix shares his personal transformation story, including his near-death experience with a double bypass surgery that led him to release old identities and write five books in five months. Whether you're struggling with old belief systems, feeling stuck in performance masks, or simply seeking deeper connection and purpose, this conversation offers both the understanding and practical pathways to reclaim your fire and step into the life your soul came here to live. In this episode, you will learn: - Why men are struggling with emotional safety and vulnerability in relationships - The "damned if I do, damned if I don't" pattern men experience when trying to open up - How The Sacred Ember circles create safe spaces for men to heal without judgment - The difference between masculine collapse, masculine force, and authentic masculinity - Why the two biggest predictors of happiness are gratitude and social connection - How old belief systems and core agreements dictate how we show up in life - The connection between core wounds and the defense mechanisms (masks) that protect them - Why understanding and naming your patterns dissolves their power - How men have been wounded by women and women by men—the underlying war between masculine and feminine - The role of shadow work in identifying what's not serving you - What Gene Keys are and how they provide a roadmap to your shadow work - The shadow-gift-siddhi framework for understanding your behavioral patterns - How Phoenix uses Gene Keys contemplations with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy - What ketamine therapy is and how it helps people dissociate from ego to see patterns clearly - How surrendering old identity and structure led to writing five books in five months - The concept of "melting" what no longer serves you to reclaim stuck energy - Why stuck energy is just a battery you haven't accessed yet - The difference between forcing life and flowing with open doors - How to move from performance and escape to presence and authenticity - The importance of capacity for complexity and nuance in men's healing work - Why self-love is the foundation for all other healing work - The role of somatic practices, breathwork, ice baths, and sweat lodge in transformation - How to mindfully inquire what your soul came here to do Scott and Phoenix emphasize that healing isn't always comfortable, but waiting for tragedy to force change isn't the answer. The path forward is taking initiative, diving into who you really are, and creating the emotional safety to do that work—whether in therapy, coaching, or community circles like The Sacred Ember and AMP's Campfire gatherings. This is about finding your fire, melting what's false, and building what's real. You're not broken—you're becoming. #CampfireConversations #AuthenticMasculinity #MensWork #ShadowWork #TheSacredEmber #TraumaHealing #GeneKeys #KetamineTherapy #SomaticHealing #MensMentalHealth #MasculineHealing #ReforgedPodcast #EmotionalSafety #MensCircles #FindYourFire