Children who do not have consistently-engaged fathers can experience profound economic, social, and emotional fall-out. For boys who have been rejected, abandoned, or abused by their fathers, feelings of anger can become overwhelming and lead to destructive behavioral patterns. These patterns may be compounded by negative stereotypes, aggression, and societal expectations of “manliness.”
This session highlighted how addressing fathers’ emotions is key in any fatherhood program. The session began with a screening of brief excerpts from the documentary Spit’in Anger: Venom of a Fatherless Son, which tells the story of Kenneth Braswell, executive director of Fathers Incorporated. Braswell’s journey moves from anger to healing through the guidance of several experts. Then, in a group conversation, participants reflected on the documentary and the traumatic impact of father absence. The discussion focused on the intimate connection between emotions and promoting responsible fatherhood.