
Peter Pan, grief, and the men who won't grow up with Laura Griffiths
From The Love Drive with Shaun Galanos by Shaun Galanos
April 23, 2026 · 1h 19m · Season 2 · Episode 10
About this episode
Shaun and Laura discuss masculinity, grief, and the challenges men face in forming intimate connections.
This week, Shaun sits down with his good friend, somatic therapist and sex & relationship coach Laura Griffiths, for a conversation that's part confessional and part masterclass on masculinity, grief, and the kind of intimacy most men are too scared to reach for. Laura calls Shaun out on the charm he wears like armor, names his "performative" first-date energy that kept them from ever being romantic, and unpacks why women fully rooted in their bodies feel threatening to so many men, including him. They go deep on the Peter Pan archetype and the absence of real initiation into manhood, why the Manosphere is fueled by guys who are "angry their mothers weren't their fathers," and what healthy masculinity actually looks like when you let the mask down. Shaun opens up about the emotional rock bottom he hit this past fall - a short romance that cracked open a lifelong childhood wound, followed by the death of his beloved dog Roger — and why he chose this time not to hide. Laura brings a somatic therapist's precision to grief, the pain body, receiving love, and the erotic charge that lives in the space between vulnerability and strength. If you've ever wondered…
People in this episode
Host: Shaun Galanos
Guest: Laura Griffiths
Topics covered
- masculinity
- grief
- intimacy
- Peter Pan archetype
- healthy masculinity
- friendship between men and women
Keywords
- masculinity
- grief
- intimacy
- Peter Pan
- healthy masculinity
- friendship
- vulnerability
- eros
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: thelaurag
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