Dad Pod - A Dad Guild Podcast
A podcast from Dad Guild, an organization dedicated to supporting fathers. It addresses the challenges of parenting and the journey of fatherhood. The show emphasizes community, connection, and shared experiences among dads. Listeners are invited to join conversations where stories are exchanged and mutual learning happens.
Episodes
Dad Guild's 2025-26 Annual Report [Episode 34]
Dan Castrigano chats with Executive Director Keegan Albaugh about Dad Guild's 2025-26 Annual Report. Keegan and Dan chat about Dad Guild's impact, results from the annual survey, and highlights from Dad Guild's 2025-26 fiscal year (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026). Check out Dad Guild's annual reports! 2025-26 Annual Report 2024-25 Annual Report 2023-24 Annual Report 2022-23 Annual Report 2021-22 An
Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity [Episode 33]
Dan Castrigano chats with Nye Adamkowski, Family Services Coordinator at Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity. Dan and Nye discuss Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity's mission, the application process for prospective homebuyers, volunteer hours required to purchase a home, the shared equity model of homeownership, the availability of current and upcoming homes, and much more. To learn more about G
Sun Safety [Episode 32]
Dan Castrigano discusses sun safety with Dr. Santana VanDyke, UVM Health Dermatologist and Assistant Professor at the Larner College of Medicine. Dan and Dr. VanDyke talk about sunscreen, sun protective clothing, "base tans," U.S. regulation of sunscreen ingredients, the UV index, signs of skin cancer, and much more. Thank you to members of the Dad Guild community who submitted questions and ideas
Caring for Aging Loved Ones [Episode 31]
Dan Castrigano discusses taking care of aging loved ones with Age Well Caregiver Support Specialists Lauren Hemond and Jennifer Harbison. Lauren and Jennifer share tips for initiating conversations with our aging loved ones, describe the signs of dementia and Alzheimer's, and outline important paperwork that helps families navigate caregiving. To contact your Area Agency on Aging in Vermont, call
Water Safety [Episode 30]
Dan Castrigano chats about water safety with Jess Lukas, Director of Aquatics at The Greater Burlington YMCA. Dan and Jess discuss water safety statistics, racial disparities in drownings, best practices for water safety with children, different flotation devices, and much more. Thank you to members of the Dad Guild community who submitted questions and ideas that helped guide this episode, includ
Reflections from New Dad Cohort VI [Episode 29]
Members of Dad Guild's sixth New Dad Cohort reflect on their experience participating in New Dad Cohort VI, which ran from January to June 2026. New Dad Cohorts provide an opportunity for new dads to get together, support each other, and share the successes and challenges of being a new dad. Each cohort meets monthly for six months. Dad Guild started running these groups in 2023, and a new cohort
Parenting the ADHD Brain [Episode 28]
Dan Castrigano speaks with ADHD Coach Rebecca De Ornelas about parenting children with ADHD. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. (American Psychiatric Association) Dan and Rebecca discuss a host of topics, including different presentations of ADHD, reject
Voices from Dad Trek I [Episode 27]
Dad Guild hosted its inaugural Dad Trek Fundraiser on Saturday, May 30th! Trekkers walked 10 miles from Red Rocks Park in South Burlington to Airport Park in Colchester, taking turns pulling each other in three rickshaws. (Dads supporting dads, get it?!) Thank you to the 23 trekkers who participated and all those who supported Dad Guild. Special thanks to those who contributed to the podcast, incl
Infertility and Fatherhood [Episode 26]
Dan Castrigano chats with local stand-up comedian and dad Alex Duval about his experience with infertility and his journey to fatherhood. Alex discusses his journey navigating infertility, his experience with IUI and IVF, and what it felt like to hold his son Robin for the first time. Alex also shares his experience participating in Dad Guild's New Dad Cohort IV, a monthly peer support group for f
Mental Health Urgent Care [Episode 25]
Marlon Fisher and Dan Castrigano chat with Tim Durney, Director of Mental Health Urgent Care in Burlington. Mental Health Urgent Care is a program of the Howard Center in collaboration with the University of Vermont Medical Center, Community Health Centers, and Pathways Vermont. Tim discusses services provided at Mental Health Urgent Care, the intentional design of the space, and how it differs fr
Sick Day with Dad [Episode 24]
Marlon Fisher's sons Percy and Malachai were recently sick, so they stayed home from school with their dad. Having some time on their hands, Marlon brought out the podcasting gear and recorded this episode with his boys. The trio discuss how to take care of each other when someone is sick and how Marlon "cooks" on the basketball court at Dad Guild basketball on Tuesday nights. Percy and Malachi al
Info for Caregivers about OPCs [Episode 23]
Dan Castrigano chats about Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs) with Bella Fearn. Bella is a member of the Vermont Harm Reduction Advocates and a community organizer with the BTV Clean Up Crew. Dan and Bella discuss the current status of an Overdose Prevention Center in Vermont, services provided by OPCs, and the community impacts of OPCs. Dan and Bella also share age-appropriate language that Dads
Equal Partners (with Kate Mangino) [Episode 22]
Dan Castrigano and Keegan Albaugh speak with Kate Mangino about equal partnership in the household. The conversation includes the concepts of physical, cognitive, and emotional labor; the difference between King of the Castle, Hands-on Husband, and Equal Partner; weaponized incompetence and the "buffoon husband"; gatekeeping; and benevolent sexism. We are so grateful to Kate for visiting Vermont a
Raising Boys (with Kate Mangino) [Episode 21]
Dan Castrigano and Keegan Albaugh speak with Kate Mangino about raising boys. The conversation includes the concept of "performing masculinity," how algorithms on social media specifically target boys, what it means to be a man, and how young men are not regularly accessing health care. We are so grateful to Kate for visiting Vermont and sharing her wisdom with us. Kate Mangino is a social scienti
Chatting With Dave Greiner [Episode 20]
Dan chats with Dave Greiner about moving to Vermont, finding Dad Guild, and working as Dad Guild's Franklin County Dad Fellow. Dan and Dave also discuss parenting tips for long road trips, Dave's Dungeons and Dragons character, and the best Dad Guild events out there. Dave Greiner is the Franklin County Dad Fellow for Dad Guild. In his role, Dave organizes and facilitates Dad Guild events througho
Teaching Consent [Episode 19]
Dan speaks with preschool teachers Eden Hubert and Beck Morrow about consent and bodily autonomy. Their conversation includes the importance of teaching consent, strategies for introducing consent to toddlers and preschoolers, and how this work dismantles systems of harm and oppression in our society. Eden Hubert (she/her) and Beck Morrow (they/them) are preschool teachers at The Schoolhouse Learn
What Does Dad Guild Mean to You? [Episode 18]
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 throug
Gordon's a New Dad! [Episode 17]
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...co
We've All Got Big Feelings! [Episode 16]
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,
Let's Talk About Sex (Part 2) [Episode 15]
Keegan discusses sex, relationships, and parenting with Olivia Sanders, licensed counselor and sex therapist. Keegan and Olivia continue their discussion, covering topics such as patriarchy, erections, sex initiation, and sexual trauma. Then Olivia answers questions from members of the community, including topics related to body image, pleasure, and rejection. This is part two of a two-part series
Let's Talk About Sex (Part 1) [Episode 14]
Keegan discusses sex, relationships, and parenting with Olivia Sanders, licensed counselor and sex therapist. Topics covered include desire discrepancy, responsive vs. spontaneous desire, sexual expectations, and emotional intimacy. This is part one of a two-part series. If you'd like to get in touch with Olivia, you can find her at oliviasanderscounseling.com.
Navigating Screen Time [Episode 13]
Patrick Lucey discusses screen time with Sarah Domoff, assistant professor of psychology and licensed psychologist at University at Albany, SUNY who researches media use in childhood. They discuss how context and content of screen time are what caregivers need to keep in mind, less a set daily time limit. Sarah also explains the benefits of parents watching programming together with their children
Kids and Biking [Episode 12]
Dan Castrigano chats with bike enthusiast and father Evan Gould. Dan and Evan discuss biking with their small children, bike safety, and their fears and excitement as their kids learn to ride bikes in their neighborhood.
Keegan Chats With His Daughters [Episode 11]
Dad Guild's Executive Director and Founder Keegan Albaugh chats with his daughters Coraline (age 9) and Penny (age 6) about Dad Guild. Coraline and Penny have been around since the beginning of Dad Guild in 2019. They share insights about their own experience as kids in Dad Guild. The trio cover the impact of Dad Guild, making friends within Dad Guild, and their hopes and dreams for the future of
Navigating Relational Conflict [Episode 10]
Marlon Fisher chats about relational conflict with Traci Cherrier, a professional mediator based in Middlebury, Vermont. Traci outlines specific strategies to move through conflict. These strategies include how to choose the best time to address conflict, the power of "I statements," the importance of listening to understand instead of listening to respond, and the difference between intentions an
Anticipating Fatherhood [Episode 9]
Dan Castrigano is joined by soon-to-be father Seth Olson. Seth and his partner Katie are expecting their daughter in September 2025. Conversation topics include naming the baby, navigating paternity leave at work, and finding the best off-road stroller for disc golf.
Managing Anger [Episode 8]
Patrick Lucey discusses anger with Hollis Easter, a psychotherapist, father, and one of the original participants in Dad Guild. Patrick and Hollis explore different manifestations of anger, strategies to cool down when we feel angry, and what it means to do the repair work if harm has been caused.
Racial Learning [Episode 7]
Patrick Lucey discusses racial learning with Jonathan Ahl, Education Programs Manager at Rokeby Museum. Patrick and Jonathan explore research related to racism and children, discuss what it's like talking about race with young children, and urge fathers and masculine-identifying caregivers to talk about race.
Climate Change and Being a Dad [Episode 6]
Dan Castrigano sits down with Dan Batten and Dan Brett—yes, three Dads named Dan—to discuss climate change and how that impacts how they raise their kids. Each Dan has one child, whose ages are currently 3, 12, and 18. The trio discusses their decisions to become fathers, how they navigate climate emotions, and what it means to be a good role model.
Kids and Biting [Episode 5]
Dan Castrigano discusses biting with two incredible early childhood educators, Liz Casey and Sarah Cardarelli.
What Is Dad Guild? [Episode 4]
Dan, Keegan, Marlon, and Patrick discuss Dad Guild, its history, and how you can join this amazing community of fathers and masculine-identifying caregivers.
Parenting Issues [Episode 3]
In this episode we talk about some common themes for parents: sleep issues, juggling "all the things," and relationship with our partners, as well as self-care and quite a bit about...poop.
Becoming a Dad (Part 2) [Episode 2]
In this episode, we talk about competiveness in parenting, finding connection with our kids, and equity in parental leave. We also In hear from another local dad about his story of becoming a father.
Becoming a Dad (Part 1) [Episode 1]
In this first episode, we talk about the transition into fatherhood, and the joys, stresses, and all the other feels that come along with it. We also hear from a local dad about his personal journey. If you're a fan of men being vulnerable and having real conversations about fatherhood, then this podcast is for you. Huge thank you to the Vermont Community Foundation for the support in making this
Recommended
English with Olivia | Slow Conversations & Vocabulary
Stand In The Circle
SLOW ENGLISH PODCAST (A1-A2) With Subtitles | Daily Videos | English With Us Podcast
Learn English A2 with Daily News | Simple English Listening Practice
پلی لیست | PlayList
Conspiracy Files with Paige Carter
Bad Friends
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Dateline NBC
Back to the 80s Radio
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
