MELD the next evolution of EVRYMAN

Living Connected Lives

Out of the work of thousands of men and the latest research – MELD evolved.

The journey to help myself and other men began in my integrative medical clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, in 1995, with starting my first men’s group. This mission took a significant turn in 2005 when I founded the Sandpoint Men’s Group (SMG) in North Idaho. It started as a small circle of 12 men, but over the years, it grew into a thriving community with over 400 alumni and five active groups.

At the heart of SMG was utilizing the concept I called Somaware™, blending emotional physiology with the latest research. My challenge was to develop a system that was both impactful and accessible. The effectiveness of this approach was clear as the group grew.

From EVRYMAN to MELD

Building on the experiences and lessons from SMG, I developed EVRYMAN in 2016. Here, we expanded our focus to include not just Somaware™ but also the science of human connections. It became obvious from our group sessions and trainings that humans are intrinsically designed to connect with others. The work at EVRYMAN highlighted the transformative power of authentic connections in retraining the nervous system for the authentic connections we crave.

Now, I’m embarking on the latest chapter of this journey with MELD (Men’s Emotional Leadership Development). Leveraging the insights and experiences from EVRYMAN, MELD integrates new research and perspectives. This step represents my ongoing commitment to learning, personal development, and utilizing the evolving dynamics of human connections and growth.

As 2023 drew to a close, EVRYMAN’s core team and I made the pivotal decision to transition from EVRYMAN and launch MELD. This initiative represents both a continuation and an expansion of my earlier work, bringing forward and enhancing transformative programs such as Fundamentals, MELT, and Foundation Training. All these trainings I created are solely owned by MELD and me now.

We are building on the emotional physiology approach of the EVRYMAN Method I developed for leading organizations, such as Google and Davis Behavioral Health. Using the principles of somatic coaching, I’ve taught for two decades, we assist organizations in giving their men skills they were never given.

Our journey began at EVRYMAN, where our innovative approach to personal development captured widespread media attention, from features in Men’s Health to an in-depth piece on our MELT training in Joshua Tree, CA, by ABC News.

ABC News writes about what Owen shared: “’There’s an emotional pandemic of men just giving up and being lonely,’ he told ABC News. He hopes that men’s groups like his will help men realize that they are not alone. ‘One of the things that these men get to do at these retreats, is they get to be in an emotionally safe space with other men, and whatever way they want…to allow themselves to feel what they have never felt before,’ he said.”

MELD’s Grow Training is an enhanced version of the original MELT program, complete with a detailed 100-page manual I developed. At MELD, we have taken everything that made the EVRYMAN Method powerful—combining extensive research, hands-on experience, and our deep understanding of emotional, relational, and psychological growth—and elevated it to create a transformative experience that promotes sustainable change.

In early 2024, EVRYMAN received crucial ‘rescue capital’ from Palm Venture Studios, ensuring its continued existence. Many men familiar with EVRYMAN have since joined us at MELD to contribute to a vision born in the intimate setting of my living room with the SMG. Witnessing the natural inclination of men towards a model of men’s work grounded in the science of emotional physiology, I recognized the transformative potential of sharing this model. By extending the results we saw, we aim to change how men are supported and, thereby, our culture.

As the architect and steward of these programs, our collective expertise gained at EVRYMAN allows us to more effectively support men’s growth and development. My three decades of experience working intimately with men have reinforced a powerful truth: with the right tools, men not only thrive but also inspire and elevate those around them. At MELD, we are dedicated to equipping men with these critical resources to help them achieve their highest potential and foster resilient communities.

I invite you to explore MELD, my latest venture, undertaken with a remarkable team of men and women committed to delivering superior products and services. Membership in our community is complimentary. We offer free guides for starting and managing groups—tools still utilized by SMG and instrumental in the growth of groups previously supported by EVRYMAN. I also continue to write the weekly Group Guides that have been a staple for over three years, available to you as part of your free membership. Discover how we’ve built upon the training programs I developed at EVRYMAN.

Please reach out if you have any questions or wish to learn more.

The Power of Groups

When men have an emotionally safe space — we get to be authentic.

When was the last time you had a place where you could risk being your full self? When were you not afraid that you would say the wrong thing? When were you honored for your vulnerability?

“I’m Not the Man I Want to Be.”

For a few decades, I’ve heard that phrase. The worst part is that when we come to that realization, we not only feel depressed, we feel trapped. We don’t see a way out.

I figured I could man up. Work harder, think about it more, and maybe it will change. It didn’t.

Know you’re not alone. The men who started MELD all know the despair of dead ends. In 2016, we came together to take much of what I have honed in forty years of coaching, training, and leading a new form of men’s groups. At EVRYMAN and now MELD, I have the honor of leading events that sold out and consistently exceeded men’s expectations. Men continue to contact us to share how their lives have transformed.

Here’s the secret: ultimately, all we are doing is giving men the skills and support they have never received before. A strange thing happens when a man gets from other men what he didn’t have before — he starts succeeding.