In this episode, members of the Dad Guild community respond to the question: "What does Dad Guild mean to you?"

Dan Castrigano collected these testimonials between October 26th and November 18th, 2025. Recordings were made at a UVM women's hockey game, at Guild Hall during Fam Jams, at the Burlington fire station, and in many other places. Note that there is some occasional background noise throughout the episode.

Thank you to the 39 people who contributed to this episode. We appreciate you!

Enjoy!

List of Contributors and Timestamps:

1. Matt Cropp (1:48)
2. Dave Greiner (2:23)
3. Sarah Caliendo (2:59)
4. Keegan Albaugh (3:39)
5. Sky Sandoval (4:41)
6. Matt Kobzik (5:18)
7. Thomas Carlson (5:50)
8. Anthony Liberatore (6:31)
9. Nola Parker (7:07)
10. Dan Castrigano (7:33)
11. Marlon Fisher (8:14)
12. Patrick Lucey (8:56)
13. Nick Dika (9:37)
14. Emily Eley (10:13)
15. Alex Melville (10:50)
16. Dave Steinmetz (11:37)
17. Michael Marzullo (12:04)
18. Alex Baron (12:47)
19. Tim Sharek (13:16)
20. Jon Chadurjian (13:59)
21. Luke Purvis (15:07)
22. Brian Hines (15:41)
23. Corey Woloschin (16:13)
24. Kevin Lumpkin (16:45)
25. Karl Larson (17:28)
26. Stefan Didrichsen (18:12)
27. Chris Wells (19:01)
28. Alex Venet (19:41)
29. Chris Broughton (20:06)
30. Ian Treu (21:21)
31. Megan Butterfield (23:10)
32. Ben Glassman (23:34)
33. Hollis Easter (24:02)
34. Nicholas Kramer (24:25)
35. Wayne Billado (25:05)
36. Andrew Martinez (25:44)
37. Luis Rosario (26:23)
38. Dan Batten (26:55)
39. Scott Staniewicz (27:36)

Dan connects with Gordon Dragoon, a new father to an eight-week-old son. Gordon shares his experience over the past eight weeks, including figuring out a name, navigating the birth experience, managing night shift responsibilities, finding day care, and returning to work.

Gordon also shares his advice for new Dads: "Do not—at least for the first few months—do not look at the Internet too much...comparison is the thief of joy."

Welcome to fatherhood, Gordon!

Patrick talks about big feelings with educator and author Alex Shevrin Venet. Alex is an expert on emotional dysregulation, a state of imbalance in one's emotions.

Patrick and Alex chat about hyperarousal vs. hypoarousal, the "window of tolerance," patterns of dysregulation, and how to "lend your calmness" to an elevated situation.

As Patrick mentions in the episode: "Dysregulation is information, and I'm a detective. It's a mystery case to be solved."

Biography for Alex Shevrin Venet

Alex Shevrin Venet is an educator, author, and professional development facilitator based in Vermont. She teaches graduate teacher education at Vermont State University. Previously, she was a teacher and leader at an alternative therapeutic school, community college instructor, and after school teacher in the upper elementary grades. Alex works with educators around the country to strengthen their trauma-informed education practices, with a focus on empowering teachers to create systemic change. She is the author of the bestselling book Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, which has been integrated into teacher education programs in several states and has been cited in education research more than 250 times. Her follow-up book, Becoming an Everyday Changemaker: Justice and Healing at School, provides teachers the tools to implement trauma-informed practices starting where they are.