Specializing in the ways men think, feel, and change

Meet the founder

Randy Cook

Randy spent a 35-year career leading various healthcare organizations and raising a family.  Randy believes toxic masculinity is as much symptom as cause of personal and societal pain.  Randy has suffered from the effects of toxic masculinity himself, and has sometimes been a perpetrator of it.  Randy has been working and growing in the “men’s work” community since 1996.  In retirement, Randy is focusing his experience, compassion, and wisdom on helping men heal themselves, their families, and their communities.

Randy has spent time training for this new role through a Master’s degree in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University.  In addition, Randy has and continues to engage in numerous certifications and training workshops, expanding his understanding of the ways men think, feel, and change.  The training, experience, and compassion allows Randy to offer counseling for men, individually or in group sessions, lead and organize retreats and workshops for men, and to support men’s organizations trying to do the good work.

Credentials: Randy Cook, MPH, MTS, MACHMC, Certified NMMNG Coach, Initiated man with Illuman, Initiated Warrior with the Mankind Project, and A Blessed Elder with Men’s Leadership Alliance. Clinical practice is operated under supervision and in affiliation with Weston Crafton Ph.D., LMFT, AAMFT.

Four Masculine Virtues/Archetypes

  • King

    Leadership

    Sovereign duty to those for whom we’re responsible

  • Warrior

    Courage

    Willingness to act for good, despite fears and barriers

  • Magician

    Wisdom

    Finding the best solution, focused on the needs of others and self

  • Lover

    Compassion

    Unwavering commitment to the goodness in all persons and things

King, Warrior, Magician, Lover

The four virtues of Leadership, Courage, Wisdom, and Compassion are the positive expressions of four male archetypes: King, Warrior, Magician, Lover.  When these archetypes are in balance the foundation of honorable masculinity emerges and the best part of ourselves comes forward. Toxic masculinity can be understood as a gross imbalance of these archetypes and virtues.

At Brothers of Odysseus we provide resources, support, and services to help men achieve balance among these virtues/archetypes.  This is difficult work in the midst of a society that does not know how to ask for the kind of Leadership, Courage, Wisdom, and Compassion it needs. We men must learn to balance these virtues in ourselves, our families, and our communities.

Why
Odysseus?

Most are only vaguely familiar with the character of Odysseus in Homer’s famous works The Iliad and The Odyssey. What we see, if we look at Odysseus’ story through the lens of masculinity, is an imperfect hero, trying to balance his professional obligations with his personal obligations.  This balancing act is an experience all men know.

We see Odysseus struggle. At times he feels like an Imposter. We see him act courageously only to fail anyway. We see him lose his brothers. We see him miss his wife and son. We see him tricked and deceived. We see him exhibit the four key virtues of Leadership, Courage, Wisdom, and Compassion.

At Brothers of Odysseus we use the character of Odysseus as a role model because he is imperfect, because he is dedicated, because he is long suffering, because is courageous, because he does not always succeed, because he learns from his mistakes, because he is quick tempered and angry, because he is compassionate and forgiving, because he succeeds against long odds. In short, we use Odysseus as a role model because he is a man trying to do his best, just like us. His story teaches modern men about how to understand our story as men.

The scene below occurs at the beginning of Odysseus’s journey home. Life gets in his way and seems to conspire to prevent his homeward journey. Men often feel conspired against. We see through Odysseus how to persist, and in the end arrive at home. I can’t think of a better metaphor of a modern man’s journey into wholeness and honorable masculinity.