Healing From Divorce & Rebuilding Strength, Identity, and Fatherhood featuring Ryan Michler

The Dad Edge Podcast

Larry Hagner

Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 30 January 2026

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Divorce doesn't just end a marriage—it can shatter a man's identity, confidence, and sense of direction. In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, I sit down with my close friend Ryan Michler, founder of Order of Man, to talk openly about what it really looks like to navigate divorce as a man—and come out stronger on the other side.

Ryan shares his personal experience of being divorced for nearly three years, including the identity loss men feel when they're no longer husbands or full-time dads, the mistakes many men make by orienting their lives around their ex, and why healing starts when you make yourself the project. We also dive into rebuilding relationships with kids, handling co-parenting with integrity, resisting isolation, and why brotherhood is non-negotiable in seasons of separation. If you're divorced, separated, or supporting a man who is—this episode is required listening.

Timeline Summary

[0:00] Why this episode is for divorced and separated dads

[2:35] Introducing Ryan Michler and his journey through divorce

[3:37] Losing identity as a husband and father after divorce

[4:59] Feeling like "less of a man" after separation

[6:02] Why orienting your life around your ex is a mistake

[7:21] Making yourself the project after divorce

[9:01] Isolation, vices, and the danger of being alone too much

[10:45] Why brotherhood accelerates healing

[12:15] Journaling, self-regulation, and daily discipline

[14:06] Rebuilding physical health and confidence

[15:32] Redefining masculinity and self-worth

[17:15] Being honest—but appropriate—with kids about divorce

[19:02] Staying present in your kids' lives beyond "your time"

[21:11] Customizing connection with each child

[23:23] Never giving up on estranged relationships

[25:08] Civility, boundaries, and co-parenting with integrity

[29:02] Why consistency matters more than outcomes

[31:22] Divorce Not Death program overview

[34:40] The Men's Forge experience and why it's different

[38:15] Bringing sons to Men's Forge and legacy building

[41:41] What boys learn by watching their fathers lead

[45:54] Final encouragement for men navigating divorce

Five Key Takeaways

Divorce shakes a man's identity, but it doesn't have to define his future.
Healing begins when men stop orienting around their ex and start orienting around growth.
Isolation amplifies pain, while brotherhood shortens the recovery curve.
Consistency and integrity rebuild trust with kids, even when relationships feel strained.
Men who make themselves the project come out stronger, healthier, and more grounded.

Links & Resources

Men's Forge Event: https://themensforge.com
Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/alliance
Dad Edge Alliance Preview Call: https://thedadedge.com/preview
1st Phorm Dad Edge Challenge: https://1stphorm.com/dadedge
Divorce Not Death Program: https://divorcenotdeath.com
Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1433

Closing Remark

If this episode spoke to where you're at—or where you've been—please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Divorce is not the end of your story. With discipline, brotherhood, and intention, it can be the beginning of a stronger chapter. Go out and live legendary.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Dad Edge podcast. The Dad Edge movement creates leaders of men, leaders of families, and leaders of communities. We will not only impact this generation of fathers, but the next generation as well. The kids we are raising will have better chances and odds stacked in their favor because of the amazing example
0:21.2	that their fathers emulated for them. We are here to change the world. We are here to change
0:27.6	relationships. We are here to positively disrupt this generation of fathers so no man goes to their
0:33.6	grave with regret. We disrupt the drift of busyness and replace it with razor-focused intention,
0:40.3	passion, purpose, and direction.
0:43.7	We are the Dad Edge,
0:45.7	and we're here to change the game.
0:47.8	We're here to change the game.
1:06.4	I don't know. For all my guys out there are a part of a blended family,
1:17.0	or you've navigated those really difficult roads of divorce and, you know, parting ways with your wife and seeing your kids part time.
1:21.0	This podcast today is definitely for you.
1:25.7	We don't do enough of these, actually, with the divorce rate as high as it is 51%. I should probably be doing more shows as it relates to divorce,
1:29.6	as it relates to blended family dynamics, you know, what it's like when you're raising
1:33.2	somebody else's kid, when you only see your kid part time, seeing your wife maybe with somebody
1:38.9	else dating or even married. There's a lot of things that go on when we get divorced or we're going down that
1:44.8	road. And there's not enough resources out there for us. So gentlemen, welcome here. My name is Larry Hagner. I'm the host and founder of the Dad Edge podcast, the Dad Edge Movement. I'm also the founder of the Dad Edge Alliance. That is our mastermind for all of our career guys out there. And we help men with marriage. We help them with leadership, parenting, health, and finances in that program.
2:03.5	I'm also the founder of the Dad Edge Business Boardroom. That is our program specifically for business owners. You got to be a full-time business owner to be a part of that program. No side hustles or anything like that. You've got to be a full-time business owner. That's the Dad-Ege Business Boardroom. We've got five coaches in there. I'm the marriage coach. We have a business coach in there. We have a
2:21.0	leadership coach in there, a parenting coach in there. And we even have a director of client success in
2:25.5	there to make sure every guy is following through with his accountability and executing.
2:30.0	Gentlemen, I have a good friend on today and someone that you probably know pretty darn well,
2:35.7	and that is Ryan Mickler, the founder of the Order of Man. And I met Ryan almost 11 years ago now
2:42.4	in a podcasting group on Facebook when we both started our podcast in April of 2015.
	...

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