Healing the Father Wound Part 1: Reclaiming Power, Presence, and Trust with Amir Khalighi

The Circle: The Queer Men's Embodiment Podcast

In this special two part episode of The Circle, we’re joined by our mentor and teacher Amir Khalighi—founder of Embodied Masculine—for a deep conversation about the father wound, masculine lineage, and the path to healing. Together, we explore how emotional or physical absence from a father figure can shape a man’s identity, disrupt his relationship with power, and perpetuate patterns of codependency, people-pleasing, addiction, and emotional disconnection.

Amir shares his own story of growing up without a present father, how that wound became a gateway to personal transformation, and what it truly means to reclaim masculine integrity and presence. We dive into the hidden cost of being “the good son,” the generational pain men carry, and how men's work offers a path not just to healing—but to purpose, self-trust, and wholeness.

Whether you're working through trust issues with men, navigating unresolved family dynamics, or seeking deeper embodiment and community, this conversation offers compassionate insight and practical encouragement. We also explore how queer men can reclaim both masculine and feminine aspects of themselves, and how every man carries a unique medicine that becomes accessible once the healing begins.

Topics Covered:

• What is the father wound and how it impacts men’s development
• Shadow archetypes: the tyrant, the weakling, and the “good boy”
• How generational trauma is passed through the masculine line
• The danger of solo initiations (e.g., drugs, over-responsibility, isolation)
• Creating safe containers for healing and emotional expression
• Why trust, forgiveness, and community are essential to men’s work
• How queer men are redefining masculinity and reclaiming their power
• The difference between healing and fixing—and how healing actually begins