Kathryne Imabayashi shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Kathryne, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Who are you learning from right now?
I’ve been learning from the young men and fathers I’ve been interviewing for Season 3 of my podcast, Unlocking The Parenting Code: All About Boys. Each conversation offers me something new to ponder — a perspective, an experience, or an emotion that challenges me to look again at what it means to be male today.
As I listen to their stories, I find myself reflecting deeply — mulling over their words, comparing them with what I’ve come to understand through years of working with boys, and noticing where my own assumptions might need to shift. These discussions help me connect the dots between the lived experiences of men and the ways we guide our sons.
It’s a continuous cycle of learning — from listening, reflecting, and integrating those insights into how I support parents and educators. I’m realizing that understanding today’s men is essential if we want to raise tomorrow’s remarkable men.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, I’m Kathryne Savage Imabayashi, a Canadian educator and parent coach based in Itoshima, Japan. After more than 40 years in education — teaching, leading schools, and founding a few preschools — my focus today is on helping parents/caregivers understand the emotional world of their boys in order to improve communication and have deeper connection.
Through my work with Sonhood Coaching, I create awareness of the challenges and gifts of boys, share knowledge and experience on gender issues, and give parents practical strategies and tools to improve their life and find more joy in parenthood.
I share these ideas through my podcast Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys, my book Raising Boys Who Become Remarkable Men, and workshops like The Secret Life of Boys and From Chaos to Cooperation. A variety of independent online courses and a membership are also available on the website.
What makes my work unique is the combination of decades of hands-on experience and research into understanding the male world and the role of society and environment, and a deep belief that nurturing boys’ emotional worlds is key to creating a more compassionate future — one remarkable man at a time.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is with my son.
Raising him taught me more about compassion, the meaning of unconditional love, and the wisdom and beauty of seeing the world through the eyes of a child. He became my greatest teacher.
As he grew, his encounters and our conversations deepened my perspective on masculinity. Hearing his experience of the world — what felt liberating, what felt constraining — pushed me to question cultural assumptions I’d absorbed as a woman, teacher and a parent. He reinforced that boys aren’t a problem to be fixed but humans to be understood; that insight is at the heart of Sonhood Coaching.
Through him, I’ve come to understand that guiding a child’s growth is inseparable from discovering your own. The insights I’ve gained from raising him inform my work with parents and educators every day, reinforcing that nurturing boys’ emotional worlds creates a better future for all.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
There was a moment when everything I believed felt shattered. I was swallowed by frustration, anger, guilt, and shame, and for a brief time, I almost gave up entirely. But in that darkness, I realized failure wasn’t the end—it was a mirror showing me where I needed to grow. With effort and reflection, I climbed out of that hole, carrying the lessons with me, and returned to my path with renewed determination—and a reminder that hope and optimism are not naive, but necessary companions on any journey.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe that when we follow our passion, live in service, and act from love, the people who need what we have will find us. We may not know when or how, and we can’t prove it, but our role is simply to keep showing up, shining our light, and trusting that it will reach the right hearts at the right time.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in nature. Long, leisurely walks along the seaside or winding mountain paths make it feel as though time slows down. The beauty and magic around me can be almost overwhelming—the sunlight sparkling on the water at sunrise, the quiet rhythm of the waves, the subtle shifts of wind through the trees. In these moments, I feel most myself, and also closest to the vast power and wonder of the universe. Nature has a way of grounding me, inspiring awe, and reminding me of the connection between all living things.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sonhoodcoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonhoodcoaching/https://www.facebook.com/sonhoodcoaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryne-imabayashi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonhoodcoaching
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sonhoodcoaching
- Other: https://feeds.captivate.fm/unlocking-the-parenting-code/
Image Credits
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