Over the years, I’ve held many roles, titles and responsibilities. You may know me as a psychologist, papa, partner, neighbor, friend or in my new role as a men’s coach for fathers. I am also a chef.
I worked at several restaurants in my 20’s. After that, my wife and I ran a successful local food business. The amazing food community and farm-to-table living that existed well before it was a ‘movement’ were essential factors that drew my wife and I to Vermont to make our home and family almost two decades ago.
It’s my passion to gather, support and nourish people.
The JourneyMen program is a facilitated group experience where fathers receive the support and skills to show up with inspiration and connection for the ones they love most. As I prepare to begin the next JourneyMen group, I am struck by the parallels that my work with fathers has to another meaningful gathering that I’m hosting. This Fall, I’ll be creating an epic meal for friends and community members as a fundraiser for my kids’ school.
While planning the menu for our meal, I have been reflecting on how I’m utilizing many of the same skills as for my JourneyMen groups. For both efforts, the goal is to excite, inspire, nourish and serve, as every gathering is an opportunity to build community and in these groups, we are all well fed, but in slightly different ways.
The preparation begins long before the event!
Our meal is almost a month away, and I’ve already begun to prepare. I have communicated with the guests about their dietary restrictions and preferences. There was special equipment to purchase. Seasonal vegetables needed to be fermented. I’m collecting beautiful bowls and serving dishes, plates and platters. Decorations and music must be chosen. With all of this considered and done before I start cooking, I can be sure to make both a creative meal as well as a rare and captivating experience for the guests.
The JourneyMen program works the same way. Twenty years of passionately working with boys and men and families uniquely prepared me for serving fathers. Years before conducting my first JourneyMen group, I interviewed fathers about their challenges and treasures; they shared their unique experiences with me so I could craft my curriculum to their needs and wants. I designed activities, strategies and concepts specifically for the fathers I serve.
The experience presents challenges and requires creativity, flexibility and presence!
Even with solid preparation, many things happen that require creative problem solving before, during or after the meal. An additional guest, a rare food allergy, a challenging growing season (requiring a change in the menu due to unavailable vegetables,) or a broken kitchen appliance can all drive the experience in different directions. Yet, the priority is the guests’ overall experience. The flow of the entire occasion involves juggling all of the ingredients – people, place and food – so that everyone feels nourished and inspired.
The JourneyMen curriculum also prioritizes the experience of the fathers. There are commonalities in our journeys. Yet, each of us is unique; every father has their own story. Inside the JourneyMen experience, everyone’s individual experience is honored and every father’s tale is told. Your journey is our journey and the treasures are shared.
The experience lives on!
The gatherings I create tend to leave lasting impressions. They move people to see and experience their everyday lives differently. An epic evening meal is never simply a nutritional experience. Celebrating around a table over an intentional feast is narratively dense and enriching. It’s a powerful story. It changes us. Not only will guests take home an experience to share with their families, but they will also carry with them connections made over time well spent.
The JourneyMen program lives on as well. Fathers that take the adventure and make the commitment become part of a larger community. The support, accountability and friendships that are built continue and strengthen, physically and virtually. JourneyMen fathers become powerfully present and connected at home and are empowered to take values-based action at home, at work and in their community. The experience empowers them to return home and create and refine the tools, strategies and concepts needed for future journeys with their families and their communities!
My passion is the creation of foundational connections and experiences
Gathering and sharing around the table is a pivotal moment in every Adventure. Whether it’s the upcoming classic fundraising meal for my kids’ school or JourneyMen groups with fathers, the preparation, challenges and changes that occur when we intentionally sit together is powerful.
My name is Jason Frishman and after 25 years of sitting with boys and men inside and outside an office, I have the honor and responsibility of guiding dads in their own journeys. I get to build powerful experiences and journeys for these men. I welcome them to sit around our table, share stories and learn strategies for navigating fatherhood.
If you’d like to learn about the JourneyMen Foundation, go to www.journeymenfoundation.com or drop me a line at jason@nourishedconnections.com.
Eat well, be present and think deeply with connection.
Warmly,
Jason S. Frishman
The Innkeeper's Journal 