Community & Truth That Transform Men
By men, for men, for over 35 years
Breakthrough Men’s Community is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing financial support to men seeking to access our transformational workshops and programs.
Breakthrough’s Mission
Healing men, healing the world. In community, Breakthrough offers proven tools and resources to men who are hurting, stuck, or longing for more. Because everyone deserves a fulfilling life.
The Breakthrough Vision
The world as a community where all people are safe to respond to life with love.
“For the first time I could name what I was feeling instead of just shutting down or lashing out.”
How Breakthrough works
Over time, in community, and with guides.
That’s the heart of Breakthrough (BT). This isn’t a quick fix, it’s a carefully designed journey of transformation and healing, delivered in a structure that supports safety, depth, and connection.
The Course Structure
BT unfolds in two parts, Breakthrough 1 and 2. Each is 13 weeks long, with weekly 2.5-hour meetings and one in-person weekend per session. Sessions are offered both in-person and via zoom. Currently, in-person sessions are held in Monterey.
The Evening Sessions
Whether online or in person, each meeting follows a proven rhythm: grounding, sharing last week’s experiences, a new lesson, and one man who steps forward to explore that lesson through sharing a piece of his life.
Learning by Witnessing and Participating
That man’s story opens the door. His courage models what’s possible, and soon, everyone is participating. After the whole-cohort session, the men break into small groups of 3–5, guided by trained BT graduates who’ve walked this path before. In these small groups each individual man has the opportunity to share and explore how the evening’s lesson impacts him.
Re-gather and Completion
After the small groups, the whole cohort regroups and explores the discoveries of the evening, completes the evening, and says goodby. Frequently, during the week between meetings, individual men will “check in” with each other, which provides the opportunity to more deeply explore how the workshop is affecting each man and builds trust and bonding across the group.
Depth Through Design
The full Breakthrough experience is offered in two “semesters,” Breakthrough 1: Foundations course, and Breakthrough 2: Communities. Breakthrough 1 focuses on listening and healing early-life wounds. Breakthrough 2 shifts toward applying those learnings in daily life and relationships. Each step builds trust and belonging and is a step on your healing journey.
In-Person Intensives & Beyond
Two powerful in-person weekends—held in Monterey, CA—anchor the course with deeper emotional work. After Breakthrough 1 and 2, some men choose to join ongoing small groups that extend the work in peer-led settings. At the end of Breakthrough 2, you will be invited to a free short course on establishing a practice of self-care.
This is how real change happens: slowly, honestly, together.
“My daughter said she’s never felt this seen by me before.”
Breakthrough Men’s Community: Program Efficacy Review
Through a 2006 grant, the Blue Shield Foundation performed a 2-year study to evaluate the long-term effects of Breakthrough Men’s community workshop. Authored by PhD’s Seth Pollack and Peter Shaw, the results confirm what experience has shown us. Here are some highlights. (Based on qualitative and quantitative feedback from study participants).
Significant increases in emotional awareness and literacy; many men reported learning to recognize, name, and process emotions they had long avoided.
Marked improvements in intimate and family relationships; participants often cited a renewed connection with spouses, children, and ex-partners, including reduced conflict and more open communication.
Greater self-acceptance and less shame; men described letting go of shame related to past behaviors, trauma, or unmet cultural expectations.
Reduced emotional reactivity and violence risk factors; several participants shared they had become less reactive, more thoughtful, and avoided behaviors they previously considered inevitable.
Sense of brotherhood and belonging; participants repeatedly emphasized how valuable it was to connect with other men in a non-competitive, vulnerable environment.
Download (PDFs) and read the Executive Summary (7 pages) or Final Report (212 pages).
“Before Breakthrough, I’d get triggered and shut down or yell. Now I pause and ask myself what’s really going on.”
Leadership Team
Executive Director, Arnold Westphal
Arnold Westphal began his Breakthrough journey in March of 2018 when he enrolled in the Breakthrough Workshop. Immediately after completing the course he volunteered to be on his first presentation team as a small group leader after which he continued his training joining the ranks of Breakthrough presenters in 2020. Along side this he joined the Board of Directors in 2021 where he served one term as a board member and one term as Chairman of the Board. In 2023 Arnold answered the call to become the Executive Director for Breakthrough aligning his calling with his vocation. Arnold is passionate about sharing this powerful work with other men inviting them into an expanded and more joyful experience of life.
Outside of Breakthrough Arnold is happy to enjoy life here on the Monterey Peninsula where he grew up. Arnold can often be spotted in the early morning hours jogging or biking along the recreation trail enjoying the beautiful Monterey landscapes.
Enrollment Manager, Dayton Hughes
Dayton has built a career anchored in supporting personal growth, expanding awareness and generating love through education and service.
Having lived and traveled extensively throughout the world for his previous professional positions in education, recruitment, leadership development and humanitarian missions, Dayton developed a fundamental understanding of the universal human condition.
Dayton is an alumnus and three-time former administrator for the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) which is where he first encountered Breakthrough's literature. Our mission resonated deeply with Dayton and he made a silent promise to himself that he’d somehow, someday, make an impact on this worthy organization.
Noticing the kind, gentle, affirming energy of many Breakthrough alumni, Dayton launched his own Breakthrough journey in 2016. He reflects: “Entering the program at age 54, I learned that was the average age of a Breakthrough participant. And I thought—wow! What if we could reach men at earlier stages in manhood? What a positive ripple effect there’d be for them, their loved ones, and our world in general!” Now, the average age is closer to 40!
Board of Directors
Paul Finnegan
Paul Finnegan has been part of the Breakthrough Community since 2010. His Board service is motivated by his desire to give back to a community that has helped so much in his own positive growth.
Breakthrough matters to Paul because he has experienced positive changes in his life as a result of the programs at Breakthrough.
David Campione
David Campione began his Breakthrough journey in 2016. His desire to join the Board of Directors was motivated by the idea of giving back to ensure that the Breakthrough experience of love, compassion, discovery, and growth is available to others to bring healing, understanding, and hope into their lives.
For David the Breakthrough experience changed his life in a positive way providing the resources and environment to pursue a balanced and healthy adult self.
Damien Georis
Damien is a recent graduate of the Breakthrough workshop completing the program in 2019. Because of the impact Breakthrough teachings had on his personal life he joined the Board. He believes all men should have the same opportunity to experience this program.
Damien has seen Breakthrough help men around him discover their true loving nature, elevate their consciousness, and enrich their lives. As he says it “Individual growth will seed the community at large and eventually the world”.
Austin Abbott, CPA
A 2020 alumni of Breakthrough, Austin participated in one of the first Breakthrough online classes. He joined the Board to stay connected and involved with Breakthrough, as well as to give back and help other men by helping the organization..
“Breakthrough has made a significant difference in my life and I believe the work is more effective than traditional therapy methods.”
Stanley Ziegler
Stanley shares “I was inspired to serve on the Board, because I wanted to give something back to Breakthrough. I was grateful for the learning, tools and wisdom I received going through the Breakthrough workshop in 2020-21.
Breakthrough is important to me personally, because of the tremendous value I received going through Breakthrough. Thanks to Breakthrough, I have greatly improved relationships with my daughters, son and grandchildren.”
Ron Gaasch
Ron is a long time alumni of Breakthrough. Having served on the Board in the past, Ron returned in 2023 to address the growing need for Breakthrough’s loving alternative to toxic masculinity.
“Breakthrough taught me how to love and value my own inner self and, through that, how to see and listen to other men, and women, with love and understanding.”
Board of Directors (cont.)
Paul Gaucher
As the board Chair Paul is dedicated to ensuring Breakthrough remains a source of healing and connection for men in our local community and beyond.
Paul has enjoyed a happier, more connected life as a result of his participation in the Breakthrough Community and believes every man deserves access to this work. He sees Breakthrough as a path to a richer, more fulfilling life.
Mike Clement
Mike experienced a life-changing transformation through the Breakthrough workshop in 2024. Like many men, he found himself achieving conventional success but still feeling a sense of longing for something more. Breakthrough provided the key, helping him reconnect with what truly makes him come alive and develop the tools for healthier, more fulfilling relationships. This experience inspired him to join the Breakthrough board in 2025.
A seasoned leader in technical organizations, Mike brings valuable strategic and operational expertise to the board. He is passionate about giving back to the program that ignited such meaningful change in his life and committed to advancing Breakthrough's vision of a world where everyone can respond to life with love.
Founder Emeritus: Fred Jealous, M.A.
Fred Jealous founded Breakthrough in 1985. Fred has retired from active participation at Breakthrough and enjoys gardening, reading and writing. Prior to Breakthrough, he spent many years as a teacher at all levels from preschool to graduate school. Locally, he taught Social Science courses and developed programs for veterans in transition, at Monterey Peninsula College. He created Monterey County’s first Men’s Alternatives to Violence Program, and he chaired the statewide coalition of alternatives to violence programs. He founded the local chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute, an organization that presents workshops on reducing prejudice and claiming pride in our heritage.