All About Workshops
What are workshops?
Workshops at the Massachusetts Men’s Gathering are participant-led spaces designed for connection, discovery, and shared growth. Rather than formal lectures or academic presentations, an MMG workshop is an authentic invitation to explore a topic together—whether through creative expression, open discussion, physical movement, personal reflection, or hands-on skills.
Led by attendees who bring their own passions and life experiences to the table, these sessions offer a supportive environment where men can step outside their daily routines, drop their usual defenses, and engage deeply with one another. Every workshop centers on:
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Human connection: Fostering real, peer-to-peer conversations rather than passive listening.
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Mutual respect: Creating a safe, non-judgmental space to show up exactly as you are.
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Shared experience: Learning from each other’s lived realities without the need for formal “experts.”
A Call For Workshops
Do you have an idea, a passion, or a life experience you’d like to share? We’d love for you to share your topic with the community at our upcoming gathering—and we encourage you to submit it now rather than waiting!
Why the early call? We want to preview upcoming workshops in our MMG Connector newsletter to give men a taste of what’s in store for the next gathering. If you have an idea but have never led a workshop, that’s OK. It’s a common hesitation, but here’s the good news: at MMG, a workshop is really just a deeper conversation with a bit of structure. You don’t need to be an “expert.” You just need a topic you care about and a willingness to share from your own lived experience.
To give you an idea, past and potential topics include:
- Drumming (for absolute beginners or experienced men)
- Developing meaningful new friendships later in life
- Fathers and sons: navigating the unspoken
- Landscape Drawing
- Sex and intimacy after physical changes or dysfunction
If you’re wondering how to structure your workshop, here’s a reliable flow that works well:
- Set the Stage: Introduce your topic, why it matters to you, and what the group will explore together.
- Spark the Experience: Offer a brief prompt to get men thinking—a short meditation, a writing exercise, or a provocative question for men to discuss in pairs.
- Open the Floor: Invite participants to share their thoughts, feelings, and insights with the larger group.
- Reflect & Summarize: Gather the common themes that emerged, and check in on how everyone is feeling before wrapping up.
- Offer Next Steps (Optional): Suggest a book, a practice, or a takeaway for men who want to keep exploring the topic after the retreat.
Pro-Tip: You don’t have to do it alone! Teaming up with a co-leader is a great way to share the mic, exchange ideas, and make the whole experience feel more relaxed and collaborative.
To submit your workshop idea or draft topic, simply use the form further down this page. If you have questions, email us at workshops@massmensgathering.org. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the circle!
Affinity Groups
Looking for something even simpler? Host an Affinity Group!
If guiding a structured workshop feels like too much heavy lifting, an Affinity Group is a great alternative. These are casual, zero-pressure, drop-in conversations that naturally unfold around a dining hall table or out at a picnic bench.
It is an incredibly easy, low-stakes way to find guys with shared interests and a great starting point for building new friendships at the gathering. Past topics have included everything from “Motorcycle Enthusiasts” to “Navigating Retirement”—whatever you’re into, chances are someone else is too. Men can pop in and out as they like. You can announce an Affinity Group topic during the Opening Circle, or simply write it down with a time and meeting place and hand it to Wayne Williams, our Workshop Coordinator.