ManKind Rising: The Five Shifts Programme. A 12-Week Online Group Programme for Men
29th Sep 2026 - 15th Dec 2026
18:00-20:00 UK Time
£895 Early Bird until 11th August
Led by: Barry Jones | Contact Barry
Most men were never taught to understand themselves. They were taught to be strong, stay in control, and push through. The feelings, the needs, the unmet longings beneath their behaviour, Â were never given language, let alone space.
The Five Shifts Programme is a 12-week online journey that begins to change that.
Developed by internationally certified NVC trainer Barry Jones, the programme brings together Nonviolent Communication, mindfulness, and body awareness practice in a structured group format specifically designed for men. It moves participants through five concrete shifts: from automatic reaction to conscious pause, from blame to responsibility, from control to genuine curiosity, from performance to presence, and from isolation into the transformative experience of being witnessed and supported by other men.
NVC at the heart of the work
Nonviolent Communication sits at the core of this programme, not as a communication technique to be learned and applied, but as a living framework for self-understanding. Participants use NVC to trace their reactions back to their feelings and needs, to recognise the observations they have confused with evaluations, and to begin speaking and listening in ways that create connection rather than distance.
The programme introduces the NVC framework gently, practically, and in the context of men’s relationships and experiences.
The group as a vehicle for change
One of the most powerful dimensions of this programme is the community it creates. Many men arrive having never sat in a group where honesty was genuinely welcomed, where they could speak about what was hard without it being used against them, or met with advice they didn’t ask for.
The weekly live sessions on Zoom and three Live Men’s Circle evenings across the programme provide exactly that space. Men often describe being witnessed by other men as one of the most unexpectedly transformative parts of the journey.
The next cohort runs 29th September – 15th December 2026, and includes
- Live weekly sessions every Tuesday evening, 18:00–20:00 GMT online.
- Live monthly group coaching calls, Thursdays 15/10, 12/11 & 10/12 18:00–20:00 GMT online.
- Weekly home reflections and practices
- Accountability partners
- Dedicated online community platform
Who this is for
This programme is for men who are ready to look honestly at themselves, at their patterns, their reactions, and the conditioning that has shaped how they show up in their relationships. It is particularly well suited to men who are experiencing difficulty in their closest relationships, who want to become more present and emotionally available as partners and fathers, or who feel that something needs to change but haven’t yet found a way to make it stick.
Not sure if it’s the right fit? Attend the free one-hour signature workshop first. The next sessions are 16th June, 22nd July, or 8th September 19:00–20:00 BST. Attendees receive an exclusive 25% discount code for the September group programme that can be used against the early bird or the standard price.
A note for NVC practitioners and trainers
If you are a man and work with men, individually or in groups, the Five Shifts Programme may be a valuable resource to have alongside your own practice.
A note for partners
For partners and those who love a man who might need this, the gentlest way in is often a quiet “I came across this and thought of you” rather than a conversation about what needs to change.
Investment: £895 Early Bird (ends 11th August) after which standard price £1,249 · Payment plans available plus an additional 25% off if you attend the free one hour workshop Reserve a free workshop place
About Barry Jones
Barry Jones is an internationally certified trainer in Nonviolent Communication and the founder of ManKind Rising, a coaching and personal development practice working with men who want to understand themselves more deeply and show up differently in the relationships that matter most. Barry has lived the patterns he teaches, and brings his own honest experiences and challenges, and the cost of unexamined masculine conditioning to his work with men.