Welcome to Dudes Without Dads Podcast!
Dudes Without Dads Podcast

Dudes Without Dads Podcast

Dudes Without Dads is a podcast and movement for men who grew up without a father, experienced father wounds, or lacked healthy male leadership—and are now determined to become the dad they never had. Hosted by Joshua Brown, this show features real stories, honest conversations, and expert guidance on healing, identity, manhood, fatherhood, faith, and breaking generational cycles.

We talk about trauma, addiction, forgiveness, leadership, emotional health, and spiritual formation—all through a Christ-centered, hope-focused, and practical lens.

Every episode empowers you to heal from your past, reclaim your identity, build a legacy, and become a man worth following.

You are not alone. Your story is not over. Your fatherhood can be different.

Play Latest Episode

Recent Episodes

39
Aug. 20, 2026

Dr. Wayne Chappelle: Father Wounds & the Wingman Every Man Needs

Dr. Wayne Chappelle ("Dr. C") is the psychologist trusted by NBA stars, Olympic gold medalists, and elite Special Operations — and co-author of Heal Your Hurting Mind with Craig Groeschel (#5 NYT Bestseller). In this episode, he brings that clinical wisdom to the men Joshua serves every week: guys who grew up without a dad, or with one who did more damage than good. Dr. C breaks down what father wounds actually do to the brain, why every man has them, and how to move from victim to survivor. ...
38
Aug. 13, 2026

Pastor Brandon Petty: A Journey Through the Wilderness — Childhood Trauma, the Ministry Mask & Finding Freedom | Dudes Without Dads

Pastor Brandon Petty returns to Dudes Without Dads for a raw, deeply honest conversation about his new book A Journey Through the Wilderness — releasing August 11. Brandon is the lead pastor of Generation Church, a fast-growing congregation in a small farming town north of Nashville, and founder of the Landmark Association, a network of churches committed to pastor and church health. Brandon opens up about the severe sexual and physical abuse he suffered between the ages of 8 and 10, the identi
36
July 30, 2026

Carl Thomas: The Top 5 Questions Men Ask About Porn — Addiction, Shame, the Brain & How to Actually Break Free | Dudes Without Dads

This week on Dudes Without Dads, Joshua sits down with Carl Thomas — founder and executive director of Live Free Ministries and CEO of XXXchurch.com — for a straight-talking conversation about the one topic most men will never bring up in the lobby: pornography. Joshua brings the top 5 questions men are actually asking themselves — the ones typed into search bars at 2 a.m. — and Carl answers them with the compassion of a brother who's been there and the clarity of an expert who's spent 20+ year
36
July 23, 2026

Why Don't They Love Me?" — James Ludeman on 36 Years Without a Father, Approval Addiction & Being Asked "Will You Be My Dad?" | Dudes Without Dad

This week on Dudes Without Dads, Joshua welcomes James Ludeman — a 36-year-old husband and father of two from St. Petersburg, Florida, now living outside Nashville, Tennessee. James has never met his biological father. He was raised by his grandmother, grew up surrounded by addiction and abandonment, and later found faith in Christ on a missions trip at 15. James opens up about the "why don't they love me?" question that shaped his childhood, the approval addiction and pornography struggle that
35
July 16, 2026

Is This Where I Come to Get a Dad?" — Ron Hauenstein on the Orphan Spirit, Broken Homes & the 24/7 Dad Cure | Dudes Without Dads

August 2019. A warm Saturday night at a Spokane neighborhood fair. Ron Hauenstein is manning a booth alone when three 15-year-olds walk up. Before Ron can say a word, the girl asks him three questions in a row: "Is this where I come to get a dad?" "What do I have to do to get a dad?" "Will you be my dad?" Her father, she said, was "a druggie with seven kids who doesn't mean anything to him." That's the reality Ron has been staring down for a decade. This week on Dudes Without Dads, Joshua sits
34
July 9, 2026

He Grew Up in a Tent — Now He's Teaching Dads How to Stay | Scott Maudsley | Dudes Without Dads

What does it take to become the dad you never had — when the dad you did have was present but never really there? Scott Maudsley grew up as the second of four boys in southwest Michigan. His dad was a man of faith. He was in the house. He loved his kids. But when the business failed, bankruptcy hit, and the family moved into a tent on a campground just trying to survive — the emotional distance between Scott and his father only grew. By the time Scott was 18, he had lived in 14 different homes.

Recent Blog Posts

Feb. 14, 2026

The Echoes of Absence: Understanding the Lasting Impact of Father Wounds

Welcome back to the blog, and to a deep dive into a topic that resonates with so many of us who navigate the complexities of life without a strong paternal presence. In our latest podcast episode, we had the privilege of speaking with Cliff Branham,…
Feb. 2, 2026

Daily Rhythms for Intentional Fatherhood: Connecting with Your Kids

Introduction: The Heart of Intentional Fatherhood Welcome back to the blog, everyone! In our latest episode of Dudes Without Dads, we dove deep into a topic that’s absolutely fundamental to being the best father you can be: intentionality. It’s eas…
Feb. 1, 2026

Rewiring Your Identity: Replacing Old Narratives with God's Truth

Welcome back to the blog, and more importantly, welcome back to the podcast! In our latest episode, You Can't Become the Dad You Never Had Without This, we delved deep into the often-unseen struggle for identity, particularly for men who've navigate…