Five years ago, Andrew Bryan was lying in a hospital bed, having hit what he calls ‘rock bottom’. Today, from his garage gym in Mount Martha, he’s changing the lives of fathers and sons who are struggling to connect in a world that seems designed to keep them apart.
“I grew up in a home full of chaos, violence and fear,” Andrew says simply. It’s this brutal honesty that has become the cornerstone of the Powerfulman Project, the mentoring programme he created after his own breakdown in 2020.
Andrew’s journey to the peninsula began 17 years ago when he and his wife packed up their three children and left Melbourne behind. “My eldest daughter was going into Year Six, and we knew that if we didn’t make the move then, we’d probably never do it,” he recalls. The decision was influenced by childhood memories: his grandparents had a house at Rosebud, his parents owned a place at Blairgowrie, and summers were spent on these beaches.
It wasn’t until his own mental health crisis that Andrew found his true calling. After spending time in hospital, he realised he wasn’t alone in his struggles. “A lot of dads came to me; I was very open about what happened to me. And they said they felt the same. We feel disconnected from our wives and children; we feel lost. We lost purpose,” he explains.
What started as conversations with struggling fathers has evolved into a structured programme that tackles the epidemic of disconnection between fathers and sons. From his gym – a commercial setup without mirrors, because “it’s not about being buff” – Andrew runs 10-week programmes where boys train twice weekly to help them develop their purpose, passions, values and establish their own identities.
Of the challenges facing today’s youth, “Mobile phones and gaming are the big ones,” Andrew says. “Then there’s never wanting to be at school, and also social anxiety. Social anxiety is linked to mobile phones and the fear of missing out.” His observation cuts deeper: “They’re so over-protected in nature and under-protected in the virtual world.”
His approach is refreshingly practical. Rather than simply telling boys to get off their phones, he works with families to rediscover what brought them joy before screens took over. “What did you enjoy doing when you were five or six, or before you got your phone? They might say ‘I loved LEGO’ so I say to the dad, let’s get back into LEGO,” he says. “It’s connection. You’ve got to start reconnecting with your son and doing LEGO, not lecturing him.”
It’s about training our mind and our spirit and our physical health
The physical training is just the vehicle for his messages. “I use physical training as a vehicle. I’m a PT, and I teach them how to train their body, but we don’t focus on having six-packs,” Andrew says. “It’s about training our mind and our spirit and our physical health.”
Andrew’s experience as a father of three to Charlotte (30), Ethan (28), and Josh (24) has shaped his understanding of the complexities that families face.
The programme isn’t just about the boys. Andrew works intensively with fathers, many of whom arrive believing they’ve failed. “That gives me an idea on the dynamics and how the boys communicate with their dad. Is dad encouraging the journey, or is he very critical of the journey? Because if we’re only celebrating the win with our son, and we’re not encouraging the effort he’s showing along the way, that boy is going to be very critical of himself.”
Andrew’s connection with the boys is mentoring with a gentle approach. “I’m like one of them. I don’t lecture them. We just talk about it, and it makes them feel better because there’s someone in their corner who understands,” he says. This understanding extends to knowing when to talk and when to simply be present. “Boys don’t always want advice. They just want someone to listen.”
Andrew emphasises the importance of hearing what’s being said. “We do a lot of stuff around active listening. What is active listening? It’s about absorbing conversation and listening to the content, not just waiting to respond.”
One of Andrew’s key teachings is about mateship, but not the version often sold to boys. “Mateship is about having that conversation with a mate when you’re at a party. Should he be drinking that extra half a bottle of vodka because he wants validation amongst his peers? Or is there a moment you can pull him aside and say, ‘Hey, mate, you know that’s not going to serve you well’?” he asks.
He doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. “We never really arrive as men. We’re all a work in progress. I have some really s..t days,” he admits. “Sometimes it’s harder when you’ve done the work, because you’re held more accountable, especially by your kids and wife.”
For families drowning in the chaos of modern life, Andrew offers hope through connection. His weekend activities might involve fathers and sons spending three hours in nature, mapping out a bike ride, sharing lunch, and asking each other questions about their childhoods. “It promotes vulnerability. Dad has to talk about some stuff that happened in his childhood,” he says. “You don’t have to be this man of armour that’s all good. You have to share your feelings.”
The Powerfulman Project isn’t about creating so-called ‘perfect’ fathers or sons. Andrew understands that change is messy, difficult, and sometimes means admitting you’re lost. It happens in small moments of genuine connection and if you’re open to it, that’s where the magic happens.
Find out more about Powerfulman Project online.