Jerry honed his group-work skills in recording studios and vans driving up and down the M1 with underground 80’s rock & roll band The Batniks.
“Once you can navigate the complex ego personalities and love/hate chemistry that are the essential ingredients of any good band you can deal with any group situation…”
He initially began his practice in the mid 1990’s working with violent perpetrators before expanding into anger management and sexuality focused psycho-educational groups.
In 2000 he launched the Make Me A Man programme and now leads 4 bi-weekly groups, the oldest of which has been running for 23 years.
He offers mentorship and supervision to practitioners anywhere in the world, especially those who would like to set up their own group.
All groups are currently full, contact Jerry to be added to the waiting list.
Joakim Blockstrom has been a successful artist and photographer for almost 30 years. A father of four he is trained in transpersonal psychotherapy and his creative approach to life’s challenges combined with his clinical understanding places him very much at the heart of the Make Me A Man ethos and makes his group an excellent place to bring your experiences to work with.
Joakim did much of the principle camera work on the documentary film Make Me A Man.
All groups are currently full, contact Joachim to be added to the waiting list.
Stuart Geddes has had many of the qualifications that make a great men’s group facilitator, but perhaps the most important of all (even more so than his work with transformational alternative medicines or as yoga teacher and therapeutic coach) – is his experience of life.
Having survived a difficult childhood (no father figure, struggles with addiction from his teens and later the untimely loss of his mother) like all of us involved in the Make Me A Man programme what’s been most important to Stuart in adult life is connection, community, and tribe like foundations.
His earlier career was spent traveling the world DJing and promoting parties. Playing music and holding the energy of a room is something that comes naturally to Stuart and combined with yoga, coaching and deep personal work this gives him a unique perspective as a group work facilitator. “There is nothing more beautiful than witnessing someone else show up for themselves, baring all and speaking from their heart, sharing their joys and their pain. These are heartfelt connections, and it's humbling and healing being part of that process with others.”
Stuart currently has spaces available in his group.
Utku Abay
Worst architect in the world.
Integrative psychotherapist in training.
Currently working with clients with limited or no access to mental health services.
Born and raised in Istanbul by a very matriarchal family in contrast to an overwhelmingly patriarchal society, Utku always had a complicated relationship with masculinity and what being a man entails. He successfully avoided any male-dominated occasion throughout his life, constantly in search for belonging; only to find comfort in sitting in a room with other men who were struggling as much as he does.
The transformation brought by the act of merely showing up every other week has enabled him to befriend his shame and anger around his own masculinity that is caused by the guilt of simply being born with a penis.
Drawing powers from his masculine qualities without being destructive or apologetic has opened up numerous new avenues in his life such as, given him the drive to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a psychotherapist and starting his own men’s group.
Now he offers his companionship to other men who are willing to take on their own journey by simply showing up for themselves and others.
"Working with Remarkable Men and my clients showed me the group work is a perfect opportunity to gaze into one's inner world. Whatever one is afraid to see within, they will project it on to others; and that’s where the magic happens."
For Mark McBennett the experience of being in a men's group was so inspiring and transformational that it prompted him to change his direction in life and embrace a leadership role. He launched the Father Lessons project, one goal of which is to spread the word about men's work.
Born in London, Mark was initially given up for adoption before being reunited with his family of origin. Raised in his native Ireland, he went on to live and run a business in Japan for 23 years. Mark is a single father of 3 who brings a wide range of life experiences to his work.
In addition to becoming certified as a men's group facilitator, he is currently training to be a counsellor and is a regular participant in such modalities as circling, family constellations, breath-work and alternative medicines.
"For me, a men's group is a space for courage and accountability, challenge and support, discovery and growth. It can be a rock-solid foundation on which to build a new life, or maybe more correctly, to reconnect with the life you were born to live.”
Mark currently has spaces in his new men’s group which will launch in Sevenoaks after Easter 2023. This is a fantastic and rare opportunity to be part of a group from its formation.
Theo Youngstein, historic self-saboteur, peace-keeping middle-child, failed rock musician, aspiring mensch.
He has been a successful location manager and producer for advertising and film for more than 20 years and has taken that experience into a coaching practice focussed on supporting men’s journeys towards greater self awareness.
Theo has spent more than a decade as a member of a men’s group and has experience in many retreats and group modalities including alternative medicines. He is a qualified transformational coach and graduate of the Centre for Gender Psychology Mens group facilitation training.
"A mens group gives the unique opportunity to speak some truths that may never have been spoken; to share and be heard, sometimes challenged, and to experience love and support.
I sat in a men’s group for 2 years battling my resistance. But something kept me coming back. And then it broke open into a beautiful, life affirming relationship with 8 other men that has instructed and supported me over more than a decade since, enriching and deepening my broader relationships with my partner, children, colleagues, friends, family and most importantly myself."
With Andy Knight, Theo is co-facilitating a new ongoing fortnightly Make Me A Man group in Herne Hill starting in April 2023.
Andy Knight is a qualified social worker who has worked in mental health for over 30 years and he currently manages a mental health team in central London.
He has more than a dozen years' experience of men's groups and is a recent graduate of the Centre for Gender Psychology Menswork Group Facilitation Course.
Living with cancer for 20 years has given him unique insights into what it means to be alive and a keen interest in holistic health.
Andy has also been influenced by a range of approaches including family constellations, non-violent communication and plant medicine.
"I have a real passion for working with men in groups, having seen the tremendous transformative power both for me and the guys I've had the honour to share that space with. The ability of men to support, love, challenge, share and witness each other as we explore our emotions, needs and wounds in our search for meaning, purpose and authenticity, never fails to astound and move me.
Now is my time to lead a group and inspire more men to 'do the work."
With Theo, Andy is co-facilitating a new ongoing fortnightly Make Me A Man group in Herne Hill starting in April 2023.
Rob Bevan is a fully qualified Five Element Acupuncturist with his own practice in central London. He is passionate about men’s work and brings a unique set of experiences and perspectives that could be of help to other men.
“It’s not simply about being a good man. It’s about learning to be good at being a man.”
Connor Beaton (author of ‘Men’s Work’)
“I didn’t give being a man much thought. I had a wife and kids, made good money, had houses and holidays and thought I knew what the future held.
But then, in my early fifties, the shit hit the fan, I lost everything after a run-in with HMRC and I spent four and a half years at Her Majesty’s pleasure.
It was there, ’behind the door’ that I realised the importance of community, authenticity and self leadership. I also began to understood what freedom really meant.
When I did get out, things unravelled further, my wife left and I was struggling to adapt to life on the outside. A friend suggested I join a Men’s Group and I was lucky enough to find one that was starting up and came from a good lineage.
It turned out to be so much more than I could have hoped for (love to the facilitator Stu). It still offers a safe haven where I can continue to look at my own life and explore what it means to be a man.”
Rob has space in his new men’s group which launches 8th November 2023, for more information message him here.
All Make Me A Man Groups take place in and around London, except Petter’s which take place in Bergen, Norway. If you’d like to be interviewed to join a group please contact Jerry at jerryhyde@mac.com, Joakim at joakim@joakimblockstrom.com, Stuart at geddes2@me.com, Mark at mark@fatherlessons.com, Theo at mensworkuk@gmail.com, Andy at andywknight@gmail.com, Utku at auabay@gmail.com or Petter at petterness@mac.com
Further Make Me A Man groups will be added in 2023 - watch this space
If you would like to create your own men’s group Jerry offers both mentorship and supervision with guidance on every detail from how to recruit, run and sustain an ongoing circle. Please note it is not essential that you have a psychotherapy or coaching training to be able to facilitate a men’s group
In the meantime go to www.makemeaman.com to watch the documentary