From Broken to Beautiful: Care and Repair of the Father Wound with Keith Kahle and Tom Butler

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using an adhesive mixed with powdered gold or silver. Rather than hiding the damage, Kintsugi highlights it––embracing flaws as part of the object’s history. The result is a piece made more beautiful and unique by its imperfections.

As we learned from spiritual writer, Richard Rohr, father-hunger and father-wounding are extremely common, especially among males, and there is abundant evidence that the wounds we carry from childhood are the ones that quietly shape us for life. Adult sons and dads of all ages are invited to join facilitators Keith Kahle and Tom Butler for a four-session exploration of the journey from parent-related childhood trauma to wherever you are on the spectrum of healing.

This isn’t a lecture series or therapy. We’ll mostly sit in a virtual circle with other good men and tell stories. Think of community as glue and love as gold. You’ll be invited to share your metaphorical broken pieces and works of art, or you can quietly hold space for others. We’ve found that unexpected and wonderful things tend to happen when men gather with open hearts in a safe and confidential space. All you’ll need is a willingness to be surprised. We’ll also offer suggestions for things you can do between sessions to integrate whatever comes up for you.

All sessions will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays from 7:30 – 9:00 PM (Eastern), 6:30 – 8:00 PM (Central), 5:30 – 7:00 PM (Mountain), and 4:30 – 6:00 PM (Pacific). The set dates are: Session 1 on September 8, 2026, Session 2 on September 22, Session 3 on October 6, 2026 and Session 4 on October 20, 2026.

Registration is free of charge. To register, simply email Keith Kahle (wkeithkahle@gmail.com) with your name, email address, and phone number. This will insure that you receive all Zoom links and emails related to the program.

Facilitators:

Keith Kahle is a beloved husband, son, father, grandfather, friend, elder, retired orthopedic surgeon, and author of Return to Joy: The Lifelong Impact of Father-wounding and Pathways to Healing.

Tom Butler is a member of Illuman having gone through his EROP at Ekone Ranch, Washington State in 2023. Today, Tom continues to meet in Councils addressing – On Becoming Elders (OBE) and the Art of Storytelling. He has just completed his manuscript for his personal spiritual memoir – The Bow Tie Boy – Portrait of a Life in Shadow, addressing a number of the issues relevant to this passion circle.

We look forward to hearing back from you. Once we know you wish to commit to this program we will be sending the zoom link information and further updates for each session.