Aging, Legacy & Chosen Family

The heart of Chosen Family Wellness; My hope is to create a space that feels like a warm embrace, a familiar smile, and an extra set of hands and heart. A relationship that makes the later years feel less isolating, more connected, and deeply seen.

I just spent the weekend with my father and mother. They're both in their seventies now. My dad will turn 75 in January, if he can make it. I'm not sure he will. His body is slowly being claimed by cancer. My mom is more frail these days too—less certain on her feet, yet still carrying herself with quiet strength and determination.

I'm deeply grateful they aren't alone in NY. My sister, nephew, and niece live nearby and check in often, offering love, support, and the everyday help that becomes so important as we age.

Aging itself isn't complicated.

When we're young, we celebrate every birthday. We can't wait to grow up, gain our independence, and build a life of our own. But witnessing my parents enter what is likely the final chapter of their lives has reminded me that our priorities naturally change.

The career. The achievements. The endless work.

Those things slowly lose their grip.

What remains are the people we love, the stories we've lived, the legacy we've created, and the moments we still have left to share.

My parents are no longer defined by their professions. They are grandparents. Parents to children now in their fifties. People who have settled into the simple things that bring them joy. For my dad, it was hunting and ice fishing. For my mom, it's her church, her faith, and a lifetime of serving others.

In just a few days I'll be welcoming a gay, bi and queer men attending my Queer Escape & Reboot retreat in Spain. One of the things I'm most looking forward to is bringing together GB&Q men from different generations.

Creating space for them to breathe together. To connect. To laugh. To tell their stories. To remember that none of us were ever meant to do this life alone.

Spending time with my parents also deepened something I've been feeling for quite a while.

As I look toward my own future, I feel called to create meaningful support for older gay, bi, and queer men here in the St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay community.

During our retreat outside Barcelona, we'll experience something special—a temporary chosen family living together, supporting one another, sharing meals, conversations, breathwork, and moments of genuine connection.

Why should that only exist for one week?

So many older GB&Q men live alone or without nearby family. Sometimes what they need isn't medical care. Sometimes they simply need another caring human being.

Someone to help with the to do list.

Someone to to help them to get from A to B to C to D.

Someone to share a meal or attend a chosen event together.

Someone to help manage the house and day to day.

Someone to sit, listen, laugh, or simply offer a warm hug.

Watching my parents this weekend reminded me that there are simply things they can no longer do on their own. Having an able-bodied 51-year-old around made an enormous difference—not because I fixed everything, but because I was there.

That is the heart of Chosen Family Wellness.

My hope is to create a space that feels like a warm embrace, a familiar smile, and an extra set of hands and heart. A relationship that makes the later years feel less isolating, more connected, and deeply seen.

This feels like the next chapter of my wellness practice.

A beautiful complement to the work I already have the privilege of doing through wellness coaching, breathwork, and my Tantra Touch practice. Different services. The same intention.

Helping people feel more connected—to themselves, to others, and to the life they're still here to live.

I'll be traveling in Spain from August 9–30, but I'll begin offering in-person Discovery Sessions in the St. Petersburg–Tampa Bay area during the first week of September.

If you're a gay, bi, or a queer man looking for regular connection, emotional support, companionship, and whole-person wellness, I'd love to meet you.

Let's explore what's possible together.

Until then, shine brightly.

The world needs your particular kind of magic.

Chad Putman, holds a professional background in social work, with years of experience in clinical work, program development, and leadership within the addiction treatment and recovery field.

Breathwork and Tantra: He has studied under seasoned tantric and energy gurus and offers individual services like Intimacy Coaching and Tantra Touch, which incorporate grounding, breathwork, and guided meditation.

Queer-Inclusive Retreats: He has led and co-facilitated group massage, kink, and "sacred temple" workshops, and his offerings include queer-inclusive international retreats.

Approach: His background and empathic nature create a supportive, affirming, and safe environment for insight, growth, and healing, with an intentional focus on personal discovery.