Breaking the Silence

“How are you?” It’s a simple question, one that we tend to lob out casually in our day-to-day language. You run into an old acquaintance on the street: “How are you?” You’re catching up with your parents on the phone: “How are you?” You’re not sure what to say to the cashier checking you out at the grocery store: “How are you”?

However, when said intentionally, with a listening ear and desire for an honest answer, these three words can be life changing. To someone who is struggling, “How are you?” can be a door swung wide, a hand extended, a question that has the power to shatter the perception of being alone in the world.

For local business leaders Taylor Draper, Mike Regennitter and Jonathan Liebert, it is now more important than ever to create a community where these kinds of questions can be asked and received. Through INHERENT Self, a new nonprofit based in Colorado Springs, these three men aim to tackle the rising crisis of men’s mental health by fostering an environment of connection and radical vulnerability.

The statistics speak for themselves. In the U.S., suicide is the 12th leading cause of death and 80% are men. Men’s mental health is such a common issue that one in five men are expected to struggle this year alone. However, despite the frequency, the crisis of men’s mental health remains a mostly unspoken need, simmering under the surface of our relationships and society.

“It’s such a prevalent problem in the male community,” Taylor, the founder of INHERENT Self, said. “For women, it feels like vulnerability is almost expected. It’s okay for a woman to share how she feels. But for men, that’s not expected. And that tends to lead us down a whole different path.”

In a culture that has taught men over the decades that vulnerability is weakness, many men today don’t know how to ask for help. This has led to an environment of silence and loneliness among male communities as well as a shortage of safe spaces to express emotions without the threat of stigma or judgment.

“There is a cultural pressure for men to show up as unshakable providers,” Taylor explained, “but that expectation can isolate us from the support we need. There’s a constant fear of failure, but that doesn’t take into account the basic human experience of emotions. No one is saying to men that it’s okay to cry.”

INHERENT Self, which launched in October 2025, was founded to facilitate such conversations — a lifestyle movement designed to address men’s wellness in Colorado Springs and provide a space for men to be seen, heard and known by one another.

“We want to break down the barriers preventing men from thinking outside of what they’ve been conditioned to think by society or how they were raised,” Mike said. “The best way for us to do that is to display it. Nobody’s perfect, and nobody has all the answers. But we can go through it together.”

Offering community, mentorship and accessible wellness resources, INHERENT Self provides a range of opportunities for involvement, including events where men can come together to share and listen to one another’s stories. The nonprofit also provides solution-based resources, such as connections to local mental health providers and a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Taylor, Mike and Jonathan, which discusses each of their lived experiences and the realities of facing men’s mental health issues in today’s world.

“The long-term vision is a community ecosystem where men can find support for every stage of their journey, whether that is through a conversation, a workshop or a trusted resource,” Taylor said. “The solution we are proposing is cultural as much as it is structural: to make wellness a shared, visible and celebrated part of being a man.”

Taylor, Mike and Jonathan each bring their own unique backgrounds and experiences to the table as they work collaboratively to address the men’s mental health crisis in Colorado Springs. The strategic visionary behind INHERENT Self, Taylor bridges the gap between awareness and action, creating environments through community, fashion and conversation where men can show up as their whole selves. Mike, publisher of “Colorado Springs Magazine” and author of “UNSPOKEN: The Real Issues Men Face Daily,” aims to leverage his personal and entrepreneurial experience to address men’s issues. With a background in psychology, Jonathan serves as the chair of INHERENT Self to support men’s wholeness through organizational development.

“Talking about these things makes me healthier,” Jonathan explained. “This is the passion that Taylor has, that I have and Mike has. There’s an overlap. So, we knew we should team up, given our shared vision. Because we are better together.”

For Taylor, Mike and Jonathan, changing the conversation around men’s mental health isn’t just a cause; it’s personal. From witnessing family members and friends struggle with suicidal ideation to feeling the heaviness of depression and anxiety, each man has felt the impact of mental health and how it impacts their families, workplaces and beyond. “As someone who has experienced the quiet weight of trying to hold it all together, I’ve seen firsthand how men often struggle to find spaces where they can be vulnerable and still feel strong,” Taylor said. “I care deeply because I have lived what happens when men do not have that space, and I have also seen the incredible growth that happens when they do.” At its heart, INHERENT Self is about redefining what it means for men to be well and to be honest about what they’re feeling. By normalizing open conversations around mental health, Taylor, Mike and Jonathan hope to replace silence with solidarity and stigma with understanding. It’s a shift that begins small, in everyday interactions such as asking how a friend is and getting a vulnerable answer in return.

“The human experience is to have a range of emotions, to have anxieties and depression, but also joy and confidence,” Taylor shared. “All of those emotions are created equally, and they are created to be felt. It’s okay to talk about. It’s okay to not be okay.”

For More Information: iNHERENTself.org If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, call 988.