Dora Gilreath is the communications assistant at Good Dads. She joined the team in 2024 and has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in creative writing at Missouri State University. She loves reading, writing and anything related to theater.
Mark Sanson
“My wife says (Good Dads) changed me, and I’m a different man,” said Mark Sanson, a graduate of the New Pathways for Good Dads (NPGD) program.
NPGD has been the perfect opportunity for fathers of all walks of life to come together and learn valuable skills to build safe homes for their families. For Mark, who graduated from the program in 2024, it’s about the opportunity to learn valuable lessons on fatherhood.
Before Mark learned about Good Dads, he’d been struggling for more than two years to gain 50% custody of his children. From divorce to child support payments to seeking the help of an attorney, Mark had a lot on his plate, causing him to feel depressed, angry and anxious.
An employee at a child support center first introduced Mark to Good Dads. Mark resides in Jefferson City, and at the time, Good Dads classes weren’t available in the area.
Mark continued seeking fatherhood resources in the Columbia, MO, area. He later received an email from New Pathways class facilitator Toni DeVolder. He talked to her and signed up for a newly formed Good Dads class in the area. This was the beginning of Mark’s journey of learning and self-improvement.
“When I started the program, I was a little skeptical, like everyone else,” Mark admitted. However, Mark has no regrets when it comes to being a part of the program. Being present every week for class helped him to begin dissolving feelings of stress, sadness and loneliness.
“I would look forward to the meetings,” he said, “hearing my peers also feel the same way. (They) would talk about it the same way I was thinking about it and reassure me that I was doing the right thing—going to the right place for the right reasons.”
He saw the class sessions with his cohort of dads as “a good place to vent, knowing a lot of the guys were going through the same thing.”
Mark has seven children: five from a previous marriage and two stepchildren from his current marriage. With ages ranging from 14 to 25, Mark knows a thing or two about raising kids of differing age groups.
When interacting with your teen and young adult children, Mark emphasized the value of respect.
“We have to respect our children,” he said. “Give them the same respect that we want. Don’t belittle or disrespect children. Treat them like (a person). They will see a difference—because I have.”
Respecting your children also means having honest conversations. Mark said that through Good Dads, he feels he’s become a better dad by being a better listener and communicator. The program’s lessons on communication and listening skills have helped Mark both on the job as a foreman as well as his relationship with his children.
“My kids come to me to talk to me and confide in me,” he said. “(Communication) has to be open, whether it’s boys or girls.”
Another helpful aspect Mark has found with the Good Dads program is the growing support system in his life. His main support system comes in the form of his wife, Dana, through frequent and open communication.
“She’s my rock,” he said. “We both support and listen, never go around (a problem) and come up with a plan or find a solution.”
As Mark continued to attend NPGD classes, he grew to appreciate how supportive his peers were of each other. This support began to grow into a tight bond. But the friendships formed didn’t end when the classes did. In fact, Mark and a group of fathers continue to meet nearby the Love Columbia nonprofit for fellowship on the first Friday of every month. There, fathers can network, provide life updates and seek advice and support. He described this interaction with fellow fathers as crucial and important.
“It’s not just finding support, but the right person to support you,” he said. “If you’ve found Good Dads, you’ve found a good place.”
Several fathers continue to be enrolled in the New Pathways for Good Dads program. Many feel skeptical like Mark did when first starting out. These feelings are perfectly normal. Mark said the key is to be patient.
Mark isn’t alone in his success story. Hundreds of other dads have experienced positive changes in their lives because of their hard work with Good Dads programs, but that change didn’t come immediately. It takes conscious and consistent effort paired with the desire to improve. Some fathers will only attend one class and feel as if the class isn’t for them because they aren’t seeing immediate change. To this, Mark said: “You have to be patient, give it time and don’t be judgmental from the get-go.”
“Don’t judge it for the very first meeting,” he advised. “One meeting isn’t enough. It’s like going to the chiropractor. They have to work on you, it’s repetitive. If you give up, you’re missing something good, something that can change your life. Don’t give up, trust in it, be patient, give it some time.”
Mark never stopped attempting to gain 50% custody of his children. Now, Mark is happy to say, he’s achieved his goal. Over the past few years, many changes in Mark’s life have occurred. Through the New Pathways for Good Dads program, Mark’s support system has increased, his communication skills have improved, and his relationships continue to grow stronger. It was far from easy, but Mark is glad he stuck it through.
“You think you’re alone, but you’re not,” he said. “It’s helped me a lot, I recommend it to anyone. I hold Good Dads highly. It made me evolve into a better person overall.”