Mental Health
How does suffering impact men according to the Modern Day Knights program?
According to Program Instructor Steve Eckert, suffering is a transformative catalyst for men who have lost their edge and become stuck in life's routines. When men experience suffering, it unlocks what he describes as 'superpowers' - essential qualities and strengths that may have become dormant or underdeveloped. The program recognizes that many men have 'lost that fire' and need challenging experiences to rediscover their purpose and vitality. This philosophy forms the foundation of their approach, suggesting that controlled adversity is necessary for men to break free from stagnation and reclaim their sense of drive and power.
Watch clip answer (00:06m)
NBC News
00:31 - 00:37
How did Michael Chernow's childhood experiences influence his participation in the Modern Day Knights program?
Michael Chernow's participation in the Modern Day Knights program was significantly influenced by his traumatic childhood, particularly his violent and abusive relationship with his father. This difficult experience motivated him to search for father figures elsewhere and ultimately led him to embrace challenges that put him in vulnerable positions where he could explore his deeper issues. Chernow describes having an "inherent warrior mindset" that drives him to run toward difficult things in life, believing that these challenging situations allow him to access his most vulnerable state where real personal growth can occur. Despite being a successful businessman with a stable family life, he was drawn to the program to address and work through his unresolved childhood trauma.
Watch clip answer (00:43m)NBC News
01:51 - 02:35
What is the Modern Day Knights project and what does it offer?
The Modern Day Knights project is a high-intensity boot camp for men seeking personal development, offered once or twice a year at a cost of $18,000 for a three-day program. The rigorous experience includes hand-to-hand combat, water hosing, and crawling across railroad tracks as part of its challenging physical regimen. The program promises transformational outcomes for participants, claiming they will become better friends, fathers, and leaders through this intensive experience. This boot camp represents a specialized approach to masculinity and personal growth through physical and mental challenges.
Watch clip answer (00:30m)NBC News
00:00 - 00:30
How did going through the Modern-Day Knights program help Michael Chernow address his long-standing trauma?
The Modern-Day Knights program helped Michael Chernow bring to light deep trust issues that he had been carrying. Through rigorous activities designed to create vulnerability, participants engage in physically and emotionally demanding exercises, including lying in self-dug graves within body bags as a symbolic practice for personal growth. The program requires participants to experience a physical breakdown as part of the healing process, deliberately pushing them to their limits. This intensive approach allowed Chernow to confront and begin addressing years of accumulated trauma, creating space for transformation and healing through structured, challenging experiences.
Watch clip answer (00:22m)NBC News
02:40 - 03:02
How did going through the Modern Day Knights program help Michael Chernow address his childhood traumas?
Michael Chernow explains that the program helped bring to light some of his deep-seated trust issues stemming from his traumatic upbringing. Having experienced a very violent and abusive relationship with his father, Chernow was motivated to look elsewhere for father figures, which unfortunately led to another abusive relationship with a mentor. The Modern Day Knights program, designed to address trauma and promote healthy masculinity, provided Chernow with a space to confront these painful experiences. Through intense activities and male bonding, he began recognizing how these early traumas had shaped his ability to trust others, marking an important step in his healing journey.
Watch clip answer (00:23m)
NBC News
02:27 - 02:50
How does the Modern Day Knights (MDK) program compare to traditional therapy?
According to therapist Dr. George James, programs like MDK offer benefits for men's personal growth, but they should not be considered a replacement for actual therapeutic treatment. While the program creates challenging experiences similar to ultra marathons or tough mudder races that may promote personal transformation, these intense boot camp-style approaches have limitations. The program provides physical and emotional challenges that might help participants process trauma, but mental health professionals have mixed reviews on such extreme approaches to healing and redefining masculinity.
Watch clip answer (00:13m)NBC News
03:09 - 03:23