Young Blood - Men‘s Mental Health (video): Recent Episodes
None
Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health is an award-winning podcast on a mission to make the mental health of young men a top priority… Did you know suicide is the #1 killer of people aged 15-44 and accounts for three times as many deaths in men as it does women?
A major factor influencing these shocking statistics is men being made to feel isolated and like no one understands them…
That’s why we’ve created a platform for young men from all walks of life to share their stories and open up about what they really go through, because it’s shows we’re not alone.
By promoting strength through vulnerability, we are inspiring men to take pride in their personal journeys, speak up and stand together in breaking the stigma that men don‘t talk…and we want you to join us!
Zac Cannell is a transgender man who lived the first 25 years of his life as a woman. Zac felt like he didn't belong in his body from a young age and it made growing into adulthood very confusing. Fortunately, he was supported by his family when he came out, but the same can't be said for everybody. Research shows people in the LGBTIQ+ community experience a disproportionately high rate of mental health challenges. As an advocate, facilitator and health professional, Zac has seen it all.
Nic Bloom is a mental health trainer and speaker who lives to hit the message home to young people. Nic witnessed his mum's mental health struggles throughout his youth and was fascinated by the problem he couldn't fix... He was there for a close friend throughout his 20's, who ultimately died by suicide after years of distress, a tragedy that's had an immense impact. The last 24 months has been a transformational time for Nic. Motivated by the difficulties faced by those close to him and the desire to something more, he stepped away from an unfulfilling career and took the leap into the mental health space where he's now having an impact at schools and organisations across Australia.
Brendan Walsh is an adventure athlete who holds the Guinness World Record for the Fastest Crossing of America By Bicycle, one of the great feats of endurance he’s taken on in the name of raising mental health awareness. Brendan’s just published a book, 'For Those Who Can't', chronicling his remarkable journey from his long struggle with mental illness and suicidal ideation, to taking on the world on his bike. Brendan’s lost friends to suicide and very nearly lost himself, but he’s still here and he’s on a mission to help make a change.
Damien Rider is a multiple world record holding adventure and extreme sports athlete and a world renowned wellness and mindset coach.
This man recently skydived off the top of a hot air balloon at 7 and a half thousand feet - he’s pushed a 3 tonne truck down the Gold Coast highway - skateboarded for 56 days through the Mojave desert and completed an entire marathon carrying a mattress on his shoulder and that's not all…
Damien pulls off these mind-blowing feats to prove nothing is impossible and he does it all in the name of raising awareness for survivors of complex trauma like himself. Damien suffered horrific child abuse throughout his young life and grew up without the tools to make sense of what happened to him… He abused drugs to try to escape and ultimately made multiple attempts on his life before beginning his truly extraordinary turnaround. He’s been crowned Men’s Health Man of the Year and is a 2 time Australian of the Year nominee. You’d be hard pressed to find a story more worth hearing than this one…
Corey Boutwell is a very different man to who he was not all that long ago… These days Corey’s a professional fitness model, a high performance coach and a content creator dedicated to building and promoting all aspects of health. But when he was 16 he was diagnosed with depression and spent much of his teenage years in a fog. Things spiraled in his early twenties when Corey found himself unable to break out of being suicidal - hiding it from everyone until he told the right person. Corey used to wake up and go to sleep not wanting to be here. Now all he wants is more time to live the life he’s built. No man is free who is not a master of himself…
Sam Koslowski is co-founder of The Daily Aus, Australia’s leading social-first news service, delivering news geared towards a younger audience with an emphasis on positivity. Sam broke away from the the path he was on, feeling like he was playing a role that wasn’t right for him, working as a corporate lawyer and hating it. As someone with his own history of anxiety, the constant negativity and fear mongering of mainstream news was particularly noticeable to Sam and he realised those same feelings were making other young people switch off from the 24 hour news cycle. So Sam and Zara Seidler made the bold move to launch their own news platform - that’s now an Instagram page, newsletter and podcast that reaches a quarter of a million young Aussies each day. The Daily Aus is the disruptor proving it’s possible to stay informed and stay positive.
For decades, Matt Sinkovitz had a porn addiction that hung over his life like a dark cloud, until he found the tools and the discipline to master his compulsion. Now Matt’s on a mission to help men everywhere end their damaging relationship with porn and get their lives back. He’s adopted Buddhism and uses meditation, mindfulness and purpose to help men break free of the habits that hold us back. He’s the host of the making peace with porn podcast and run’s a men’s support group of the same name on Facebook. Porn poses a serious problem for many young guys around the world and its insidious influence is constantly growing. We may not realise it but our relationship with porn flows into the rest of our lives, and can negatively affect us in many different ways - but if its an issue for you, you don’t have to be a victim.
Dr Zac Seidler is a psychologist, a leading mental health expert and the Director of Mental Health Training at Movember. Zac has dedicated his career to better understanding men’s mental health and building programs to reshape how clinicians approach working with men in distress. Zac and Movember’s goal is to reduce the male suicide rate by 25% by 2030. How we create a world with less suicide is highly complex - and it’s going to take research, preventative health strategies, crisis support and the every day person all working together to get us there. November is of course Movember, that special time of the year when the majestic mo’s are flowing, so whether you’re growing one yourself or donating to a great cause, find a way to get involved, and do it for the boiz!
Dylan Conway is the creator of 'Brothers N Books', an Instagram community based on sharing lived experience stories that’s on a mission to make reading cool. Dylan got hooked on books while he was stuck in hospital for over a year recovering from an unlikely condition. Reading gave Dylan something constructive to when he desperately needed it. Unable to work on his body like he always had, he levelled up his mental fitness instead and it’s changed his life. Brothers N Books invites followers to share stories about tough times they’ve been through, linked to the books that’ve helped them overcome their struggles. It’s a great idea and Dylan is great bloke - you can tell I loved recording this one - hope you enjoy it too.
Arman Vestad is Young Blood’s first international guest, hailing all the way from Norway.
He’s been a drug addict, a dealer and all round criminal who was in the game for a decade till he did time in prison after being caught supplying guns used in a murder…
Arman was lost and hopeless till someone showed faith in him and gave him a chance to apply the skills he’d developed in the underworld to business.
Since those dark days, Arman’s gone on to become a family man, a public speaker and a mental health advocate who’s currently running across his home country on tour. Arman’s proof that it’s never too late to change your life.
Jordan Hackett is a Sexologist and Men's Sex Coach who specialises in helping men build intimacy and connection with themselves and their partners.
Like many of us growing up; Jordan didn't know the first thing about how to communicate with girls and felt like he was missing out on a part of life he had a deep need to experience.
After discovering porn as an outlet for his frustrations before his teenage years began, Jordan soon developed a reliance and found himself further away from the kind of real intimacy he was actually chasing.
Jordan's fascinated by everything to do with sex and all the ways humans navigate it. So much so that he's made a career out of it as a somatic sex educator, a trauma-informed, body based form of sex therapy.
Blokes joke about sex all the time, but how often do we really talk about it? and reflect on what it is about who we are and how we feel about ourselves that significantly impacts our sex lives? Yeah, not often...
CML is a rare form of blood cancer that just over 300 Australians are diagnosed with each year. In 2019, Michael Bowen was one of them...
He was on his way to work one day when he got an urgent call to come into the emergency department. Minutes later his life changed in an instant when he was suddenly hit with the diagnosis. The man of the house, supporting a young family, Michael's first thoughts were of his baby daughter, confronted with the question of if he was going to live to be there for her.
No one could be prepared for the hardship in the years that followed. The immense mental and physical difficulty of living with cancer and the self applied pressure to get back to being the man he thought he was, sent Michael spiraling into a deep depression. But step by step and with great support from friends and family Michael slowly dragged himself out of the pit of despair that'd all but swallowed him.
Now Michael's in remission and sharing his story as an ambassador for the Leukaemia Foundation.
September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month so if someone you love is diagnosed with blood cancer, please reach out to the Leukaemia Foundation on 1800 620 420 or visit leukaemia.org.au for help.
You can also join the tens of thousands of Australians impacted by blood cancer by participating in this year’s Leukaemia Foundation Light the Night event on Saturday 16 October.
Jack Nagle was a nice, middle class kid from a supportive, loving family.
Not the background befitting the stereotype of the kind of people who destroy their lives on drugs…but that didn’t matter.
Jack ended his teens and started his twenties as the most hardcore drug addict imaginable and the fact he’s lived to tell the tale defies all probability.
Shooting up ice and heroin and swallowing fists full of prescription pills, he was brought back to life by paramedics after dealers left him to die of an overdose, only to go straight back to those same people for more drugs after checking out of hospital.
He was as hopeless as hopeless gets… but there’s always hope. Not in a fantastical, too good to be true way, but the kind of hope that manifests into a rich rewarding that most in the grip of addiction would think impossible. But it’s not impossible…
Now Jack’s 10 years clean and running drug education and media business realdrugtalk being the person he really needed when he thought he was beyond help.
Dan Pronk served 4 tours of Afghanistan as a Special Operations doctor, spending many days saving and losing fellow soldiers through more than 100 combat missions.
Dan, his brother Ben and veteran, Tim Curtis, have just released their book, ‘The Resilience Shield’ - A mix of enthralling stories and practical instructions breaking down methods we can all use to build genuine resilience.
Dan thrived in the most extreme high stress environments and found the rampant intensity of battle so enticing that he felt he had to keep going back for more.
When he was in the thick of it, witnessing all the death and destruction destruction seemed like water off a ducks back, but Dan’s trauma was building all along till it finally caught up with him.
Dan is a prime example of post traumatic growth, the positive flip side of post traumatic stress we don’t often hear about.
Very few of us have survived the worst of the worst like Dan has, but we all faces challenges in our lives with the potential to break us and we all need a Resilience Shield.
Nick Bracks just published his first book 'Move Your Mind' - it's both his personal story of struggling with mental health throughout his life and a guide on how we can better equip ourselves to handle the challenges inevitably coming our way, all based on countless conversations with experts, advocates and every day people he's had over the past decade.
The son of the former Premier of Victoria, Nick always put a lot of pressure on himself to be exceptional but unfortunately that went hand in hand with a constant stream of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours that drove him to self destruction.
Through sheer repetition and desire, he's built himself up from being a guy who was terrified to speak in front of anyone, to presenting more than a thousands talks on mental health to audiences around the world.
He's an actor, an entrepreneur, a business owner and now an author, but perhaps most impressively, he's managed to still not be up himself.... that's because he hasn't forgotten why he does what he does in the first place.
Nick's a genuine operator and his book is well worth reading, but don't take my word for it,
You can hear for yourself!
TRIGGER WARNING This video discusses suicide.
If you or someone you know is suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the suicide prevention hotline in your country.
“It’s all about the art of separation, just deviate away from those who drain your inspiration...” Those are lyrics Glenn Draper wrote for a friend who was trying to get off drugs. Years later he realised he was writing it to himself. These days Glenn’s a dedicated family man who won’t touch a drink - a total 180 from the wildly destructive life he once lived. Glenn is a recovering drug and gambling addict who used to pride himself on pushing the limits of excess. His relationship with gambling started at a young age and exploded when he entered manhood. He pumped hundreds of thousands through the pokies, lived pay cheque to pay cheque chasing cheap highs and desperately lacked love and purpose in his life. It was a road that was leading to a sad end, but fortunately Glenn found a strong enough reason to change and pulled himself out of a tailspin. There are few mistakes Glenn hasn’t made and many things he’s not proud of...But he’s not shying away from it and doesn’t let it define the man he is today. Glenn’s telling his story because he wants to be an example to others who are in that trap that there’s a way out and he wants to spread the message to young men that gambling isn’t a game
This episode has been made possible by Kookaburra Homes. Kookaburra is a great supporter of the local community and Young Blood's mission to improve the lives of young men.
"The moment I attempted to take my life, I felt instant regret..." Josh Moorhouse is a social innovator, a speaker and a survivor; who's doing everything he can to get the most out of life - so it comes as a shock that just a few years ago he thought he wanted to die... Growing up, Josh always struggled with a deep-seeded feeling that he wasn't good enough - a lack of self worth that grew from persistent bullying. The only place he found solace was at the piano, where he focused all his time and energy from a young age in the hope making it into a career. And he did...Graduating from university with a degree in music and starting his own business teaching piano to school kids. Josh felt like he was doing what an adult was supposed to do, but something wasn't right... Before long he was experiencing episodes of feeling totally overwhelmed, exacerbated by a traumatic car accident that shattered his confidence. He went looking for help to deal with his unresolved trauma and get his life under control, but the supposed solution he was given had the opposite effect... Josh was put on a heavy regime of prescription drugs that made him feel like he was disappearing and gave him a crippling case of akathisia, an unbearable drug induced disorder that contributed to him attempting suicide and being admitted to a psychiatric ward. Thankfully, Josh is still here with us today; a gift he says he owes to finding the support of community, questioning professional opinion and finding new channels for the creativity he's always had.
Chris Blowes is one of the very few people on earth to literally escape the jaws of death... In 2015 Chris was surfing at Fishery Bay in Port Lincoln, South Australia when he came face to face with every surfers worst nightmare - a great white shark Surviving the horrific attack defied near impossible odds that that to this day Chris still can’t fully comprehend. The ordeal deeply affected his mates, his family and everyone who helped save his life that day - not to mention the impact on Chris, who had to learn how to walk, live and eventually surf again. He’s written it all down in the recently published book, titled, ‘caught inside’, an epic tale he’s lived to tell...
SHOW LESS
Brock Bentley is a passionate videographer who hadn't even made it to his twenties when his dreams suddenly came true. He found himself touring the world alongside Timmy Trumpet, one of the biggest names in EDM. The whirlwind adventure lead Brock to more than 40 countries, some of which he stayed in for less than 24 hours. He worked all day and night perfecting his craft and churning out endless video content amid the chaos of the ultimate party environment.
But Brock eventually found out the fantasy couldn't last. Neglecting his mental and physical health caught up with him and sent him on a downward spiral that forced him to put everything on pause to reset. Brock's puts you in his shoes, taking us through his incredible journey that few could accurately imagine. His story is only just getting started but he's learned he needs to work on his health just as much as his career if he's going to get to the top of the mountain and stay there.
Arman Abrahimzadeh is co-founder of the Zahra Foundation and has helped to change the lives of many women and children escaping domestic violence. He and his sisters set up the foundation after decades spent living in an abusive home under their father's violent tyrannical rule, which tragically ended with the brutal public murder of their mother Zahra in 2010. Now a married man himself, Arman has made a point of becoming everything his father was not. He's been a changemaker in shaping public policy to strengthen domestic violence legislation and uses his voice to empower other victims and inspire a shift in the way many men still treat women.
This is crucial work here in Australia where domestic violence is an undeniable scourge on our culture. On average one woman is killed every week by her current or ex partner and one in three women will experience some form of abuse. Arman has been nationally recognised with an Order of Australia medal for taking such an influential stand against domestic violence and making prevention part of his life's work. He's a wonderful speaker with a story that should be heard by all men and women and it was a pleasure to sit down with him for this podcast.
Para-rowers Jed Altschwager and Will Smith are the definition of the champion mindset and were on the cusp of going to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before being derailed by COVID-19. Jed lost his leg in a workplace accident in 2015 and made the decision to take on life like never before. Will has been visually impaired since birth and has had his unshakeable resilience become second nature. Both are role models worth following. It's the lofty peak of a gruelling journey that neither imagined they'd have a very real chance to reach. Jed's world was turned upside down when he lost his leg in a workplace accident in 2015 and made the decision to take on life like never before.
Will has been visually impaired since birth and has had his unshakeable resilience become second nature. While they're at a physical disadvantage, you wouldn't know it on the water. Together they've won international gold and silver medals, quickly becoming a formidable force on the world stage. They're also really down to earth blokes who are able to match humility and self-awareness with a steely focus and determination to be the best. These guys are absolute weapons in the boat, but they don't allow their desperation to win to consume them. Accountability, gratitude and consistency are the core values that make these inspiring men who fundamentally know it's about the journey, not just the destination.
In an instant, Charles Brice's life changed forever when a motorbike accident shattered his spine and left him a quadriplegic. The now 29 year old was 19 when he was told he'd never walk again. His isn't a story of a miracle recovery, but it is one of incredible grit and heart. In October, Charles handcycled 300 kilometres from the site of his accident to Adelaide, where he now lives alone and works.
He raised $130,000 for spinal injury research and further proved to himself and everyone around him what was already abundantly clear - he's never going to quit. Having adapted to his restrictions and rehabilitated himself to the point of near independence, Charles is now striving for more. A full life with friends, family, a career, love, hobbies and even a Paralympic dream are all still his to have and despite his immeasurable struggle, Charles now counts himself lucky. If you've ever felt sorry for yourself, this podcast is for you.
17 year old Flynn Gill is one of less than 4,000 Australians living with cystic fibrosis - a genetic disorder that severely impacts the lungs and digestive system. Flynn was diagnosed with CF just a few weeks after birth and then with CF related diabetes (CFRD) at age 12. It’s a limitation that’s made his life complicated and often uncomfortable. COVID-19 has made things even tougher for Flynn, forcing him out of school and into isolation with the threat heightened for those with CF. Flynn’s been in hospital more times than he can count and has to take dozens of medications every day to try and stay healthy. It's stunted his growth and his social life and left him battling anxiety and depression. But Flynn’s not letting all the obstacles stop him working towards being the man he wants to be. He’s about to finish school, he’s already started his own business and with the help of his family and organisations like Cure4CF, he’s optimistic of finding a cure. --------- This episode is proudly brought to you by Beyond Bank Australia, one of Australia’s largest customer owned banks. Beyond Bank has a strong focus on supporting some of the broader challenges that impact our community and young people today - like cystic fibrosis, together with their customers they support Cure4CF to help them find a cure.
Zaine Schmidt is one of the hundreds of thousands of Australians living life on the autism spectrum. As a child, he was diagnosed with a high functioning form of the disorder known as Asperger's syndrome. The developmental disability has had a profound impact on Zaine's daily life, making him a target for bullies through his schooling days and leaving him feeling like he's never going to fit in.
He's been down many times, but not out. Rather than let all the voices keep him down, Zaine is following his passion of running a business while working on becoming the best version of himself - a man who aims to be an inspiration to others who share his condition. Z
Zaine's outspoken about mental health and his own battles and it was brave of him to come on the podcast with a stranger and lay it all out there. He's made mistakes in the past and acknowledges he's far from perfect but he's doing everything he can to be better and not let his setbacks define his life.
Teddy Briggs is a reality TV personality and influencer who's life has been a weird and wonderful rollercoaster since appearing on the show 'Love Island'. He loves an audience and is confident being in the public eye but it wasn't always that way. Teddy is an open book telling his story of going from being a lost kid with low self esteem, desperate for acceptance, to choosing the path he wanted to follow and manifesting his success. We talk navigating fame, the disconnect between reality vs online, mindset, masculinity, materialism, relationships, creating yourself and more..
At 8 years old Taylor Harvey was diagnosed with Transverse Myleitis, a rare neurological disease, that initially paralysed one of his legs. Doctors said there was a chance it could’ve left him quadriplegic, but through rehab he regained partial function in the damaged leg and eventually found himself back on the sports field - competing against the able bodied without even realising he had a disability. Through his teenage years, Taylor was frustrated by his lack of athletic progress and as countless hours of practice failed to pay off, he viewed his leg as something to be embarrassed about. His life changed the day he was told he could qualify for paralympic sport...He soon excelled at soccer, rising through the ranks to play at international level and for the first time in his life, found somewhere to belong. But living with a disability is never easy. Taylor is very open about his struggles with body image and low self esteem that stems from living with a part of himself he doesn’t like. He’s the first to admit he hasn’t got it all figured out, but he’s working on it...
Dyl Buckley is a former AFL player who's life has gone down a path he never imagined... Since his school days, Dyl believed he was destined to play professional footy and that belief turned into a reality when he was swept into the league as a teenager. With his self worth totally wrapped up in his on-field performance, he found himself struggling to keep it together when he wasn't playing up to his standards and didn't know who he was beyond the game. Eventually he was de-listed by Carlton after 4 years with the club and having put all his eggs in one basket, there was no back-up plan to turn to.
Dyl was soon picked up by another club only to be de-listed again, but by that time he'd discovered an unlikely passion that would lead him on to bigger and better things - becoming the host of what is now one of the top podcasts in Australia, Dyl & Friends. His twenties have been a rollercoaster of self discovery and it turns out he's not who he thought he always had to be... He's better
Shane Mitchell is one of Australia's most dangerous men in the octagon with a 12 and 4 professional Mixed Martial Arts record. In the cage he's known for his savage knockout power...not what anyone expected from a shy kid growing up without much confidence in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Shane's been a pro fighter since 2013 and now touching 30, he's still grinding to realise his dream of making it to the UFC.
He's had to overcome more than his fair share of adversity on the hard road to becoming a champion; it's taught him what matters and what he needs to stay focused. From the outside looking in, we only see the glory or failure in the end result; when years of work boils down to a moment that can be over in minutes and sometimes even seconds... But rarely do we get to see inside the heads of those who have what it takes to put themselves in the arena.
Jack Jones is Program Director at The Banksia Project, a free men’s mental health service built on training up every day blokes to help the men in their local communities. Jack’s come a long way in a short time...In his early twenties, he was in crisis, suffering from clinical depression that drove him to be suicidal. Growing up he relied on his sporting prowess for the validation and associated his identity with being that person who was always there to help others - the problem was he didn’t know how to look after himself. Through years of work Jack’s shifted his perception of what true success is and what a man should be. He’s changed from someone who hated being left alone with his thoughts to someone who’s at peace with who he is - on a mission to put others in touch with their own personal power.
Ilan Kidron is an ARIA award winning singer-songwriter responsible for writing the hit anthems for aussie dance music pioneers, the Potbelleez and plenty of tracks for big name artists. Ilan has lived the dream, enjoying an action packed life on the road for many years that’s brought him great success. But he’s also had to endure immeasurable pain... Ilan’s wife took her own life in 2017, leaving he and his two children to pick up the pieces. Coping with such trauma while being a father has been confusing and unimaginably difficult for Ilan, but despite it all, he still focuses on all the good in the world, passionately living a full life with the belief that nothing is impossible.
TRIGGER WARNING This content discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the suicide prevention hotline in your country.
Ben Stamatovich is a man who's lived the kind of life many wouldn't survive... Growing up without either of his birth parents, Ben was sleeping rough on the streets from the age of 13 and stealing just to eat and stay warm, soon finding himself trapped in a cycle of homelessness that would dominate his young life. His resourcefulness, the will to survive and the hope that things would one day get better is all that kept him alive when the pressure of life brought him to his knees time and time again. He finally found his feet in his early twenties, only to become a drug addict and lose it all to meth - a crippling habit he eventually kicked by going cold turkey in a tent. Ben's thought about giving up too many times to count over the years but he's hung on...and dragged himself back out of the abyss that's always threatened to consume him. In the face of all the pain, he's found true love in his partner, his family and his surprising passion for drone photography - a hobby that came out of nowhere and has since grown to become one of Ben's biggest motivators -his work much loved by a huge following. He'd be the first to tell you he's not all fixed, life isn't that simple - though all the pieces have been glued back together. It's hard to put Ben's story into words... but he's given it a bloody good crack.
SHOW LESS
Romance ain't dead but it can be tricky and according to love expert Jane Donovan young men these days need all the advice they can get... Luckily she's here to help! Putting a much needed woman's touch on this Valentine's Day episode, Jane is our guide through the murky waters of modern dating and into the world of relationships. She has the answers to what we need to do to find the love we deserve and the actions we've got to take to keep it growing.
Communication is key!
Thousands of Australia's volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line to defend our communities this summer, battling relentlessly through one of the worst bushfire seasons the country has endured. It's hard not to be awestruck by the bravery and selflessness of these men and women and many might question what compels them to voluntarily put themselves in danger to protect others. The way senior CFS firefighter Thomas Fogg tells it, it all comes back to pride in serving the communities that mean everything to them. It's a service that can have a deep impact on the mental health of those who are confronted with death, destruction and extreme danger and they've got to have each others backs. We call them heroes...but they say it's just the right thing to do.
In 2011 Luke Adamson was a Lance Corporal in the Australian Army serving as a Combat Engineer on a tour of Afghanistan. That's when he died...
While on patrol, Luke suddenly collapsed from what doctors could only describe as an anxiety induced heart attack. He flat lined for more than two minutes but miraculously survived. From that day on he was never the same. Luke returned home suffering from post traumatic stress. It ended his defence career, caused the breakdown of his marriage and led him to turn to alcohol and prescription drugs to numb the pain.
It’s the kind of story that’s all too common among the men and women transitioning out of defence to civilian life and part of the reason there’s been more than 400 ADF veteran suicides since 2001. But Luke’s story doesn’t end there... He’s bravely gone on to run his own charity ‘Heroes On The Homefront’ - helping veterans connect to the services and community that’s vital to their wellbeing at home. It’s the mission that’s given him renewed purpose and a reason to live, after almost losing everything.
Tom Cronin is a world renowned meditation master and exactly the kind of guy you want to hear words of wisdom from when facing an unprecedented global catastrophe. Everywhere you turn there are triggers for anxiety, stress, pain and more reasons to be fearful and uncertain than you're likely to have ever had before.
The last thing many of us are at the moment is calm and that's perfectly natural when confronted by a pandemic and economic crisis that's turned life as we know it on its head. BUT there are simple things we can do to adjust our mindset and practices we can adopt to ease what can feel like an overwhelming burden baring down on us. Tom is the man to show us how and it all starts with controlling something we're all already doing...breathing.
In late February, Joe Patterson had just landed in an overseas country ready to start the next chapter of his life. Nothing could've prepared him for what came next... Just a few weeks later he was coughing up blood and gasping for air, quarantined alone in a room the size of a prison cell, battling the full force of Coronavirus after a mercy dash home. Joe got as sick as he's ever been, quarantined in a hotel room for 3 weeks with no face to face human interaction and nowhere to go. He went through hell and verged on losing his sanity but despite the monumental challenge to his physical and mental health, HE MADE IT. And now Joe's back in business with a helluva story to tell.
Most of us are having a harder time than usual being happy right now and it can feel like that’s largely out of our control. But as my guest Dr Happy says, we shouldn’t rule out happiness, even with the odds against us. Dr Tim sharp is the man in positive psychology. He’s got a PHD and is the Chief Happiness Officer of the Happiness Institute, which he founded. That makes him him an internationally sought after authority when it comes to understanding and talking about happiness, he’s written well known books on the subject including ‘habits for happiness’ - basically it doesn’t get more happy than this guy - but even he gets depressed... Dr Happy might just have the prescription for your woes as you navigate this weird and troubling time - or if not a remedy, at least some reassurance and practical advice to lighten the load.
The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows... and neither is Zane Munro. But he is as genuine as they come. The West Auckland native never met his birth father and grew up putting on the tough guy front as he struggled to define his identity. Charging into young adulthood, Zane moved away from everyone he knew and found himself very much alone. He rapidly developed addictions to drugs and gambling in an attempt to fill the hole. It led him down a dangerous path that he believes would've been the end of him if he hadn't crashed so hard into rock bottom and met the woman who made him want to be a better man.
Facing his demons and finding a positive way out of the darkness that once consumed his life was so inspiring to Zane that he started his own movement to help other men going through their own adversity. 'For All The Brothers' is built around finding strength in vulnerability, encouraging men to front up to their feelings and take responsibility for their health and the health of their mates. He's a rough diamond with a heart of gold, but as he tells it, he's just another brother.
Ben O'Toole was the victim of a coward punch attack that left him minutes away from permanent brain damage and death. He's one of many young men whose lives have been changed forever by the split second decision of another to use violence - turning a night on the town into a tragedy.
To the amazement of his surgeon, Ben eventually recovered from his shocking head injuries and was so deeply affected by the trauma, he decided to dedicate his time to helping other men avoid experiencing such pain. For years he's toured Australian high schools telling his story to the next generation, in the hope it'll be the difference between throwing a punch and walking away.
What do you say when someone tells you they're having suicidal thoughts? This isn't something that was taught in school and it can be an understandably intimidating and even overwhelming to confront.
There's no one size fits all solution when dealing with these situations but there are ways you can approach it that will make that person feel like you're really there for them, and as psychotherapist, Jackson Goding explains, trust is the foundation. Running his own practice, Find Reason Therapy, Jackson specializes in reconditioning men to love themselves and live better lives. It's a mission that, like many, was sparked by personal tragedy, in his case a friend's suicide. The pain he experienced inspired Jackson to want to be a changemaker and serve struggling men. He's overcome his own demons dealing with depression and anxiety and now uses what he went through to inform his important work.
Through years of volunteering at Lifeline, he's taken countless calls from suicidal men and often felt the pressure of being the only support between life and death. As someone who has been faced with the suicide conversation on more than one occasion, I found Jackson's practical advice invaluable. It's knowledge that will stay with me and no doubt help me show up in a real way as a friend in the future. Everyone should take note of these simple tips that could help you save a life.
There's a misconception that people only get depression when something terrible happens to them... But for some depression slowly takes hold for no obvious reason at all. What would you do if all the experiences and people that have always brought you joy suddenly didn't anymore? How would your view of yourself start to change if every inconvenience that never used to bother you started to cause overpowering frustration? And how would you find the strength to carry on if every minute of the day became a debilitating battle in your mind that you couldn't understand?
This is the nightmare that became Luke's reality. He'd always been happy and healthy. He grew up in a good home with a loving family and friends and he had a bright future ahead of him. But none of that made any difference to depression quietly seeping into his life and becoming a dark filter over everything he'd ever known. Luke is a proud survivor of the darkest chapter in his life that no one ever saw coming and now that he's on the other side, he's never been more grateful to be alive. This is his story.
Half Fijian and half Australian, Alipate 'Bobby' Carlile grew up in Victoria confused about where he fit in... With no obvious cultural group to belong to, he felt like he was missing something; and he went looking for it in footy. From the moment he stepped on the field he started to gain the identity he longed for. As part of the team, it didn't matter what his background was, it only mattered that he could play the game... and Bobby proved himself a special talent, making it all the way to the AFL and playing for a decade with Port Adelaide Football Club.
But his pro career almost didn't make it past the early stages when he found himself lost and searching for meaning. It was at this make or break moment that his undiscovered Fijian heritage called to him and led him on a journey of self discovery that enriched his perspective on life and reinvigorated his love of the game. Since hanging up the boots in 2016, Bobby has gone on to lead PAFC's Multicultural Program and empowered hundreds of multicultural youths to embrace the strengths in their culture and love all of who they are.
Dave Oliver has always lived and breathed rugby, a game known as one of the roughest and most hyper masculine on earth. He’s also gay and from the time he was a teenager until his early thirties, he hid his sexuality from everyone - horrified that he’d be found out and ridiculed by the community that means everything to him. Dave describes the burden he carried for the best part of two decades as 'toxic shame' - a form of self loathing that drove him to abuse drugs and self destruct. Dave’s since been through rehab more than once and has done a huge amount of work on acceptance and learning to love the man he truly is. Now he’s on a mission to help change the face of sexuality in male dominated sports by sharing his story with clubs, codes and men around the country them its time to change the game.
Dave Oliver has always lived and breathed rugby, a game known as one of the roughest and most hyper masculine on earth. He’s also gay and from the time he was a teenager until his early thirties, he hid his sexuality from everyone - horrified that he’d be found out and ridiculed by the community that means everything to him.
Dave describes the burden he carried for the best part of two decades as 'toxic shame' - a form of self loathing that drove him to abuse drugs and self destruct. Dave’s since been through rehab more than once and has done a huge amount of work on acceptance and learning to love the man he truly is. Now he’s on a mission to help change the face of sexuality in male dominated sports by sharing his story with clubs, codes and men around the country them its time to change the game.
Youth detention is institutionalizing young men from an early age - feeding a cycle of incarceration that repeats over generations. Although only around 5% of Australians aged 10-17 are indigenous, they account for around 50% of those being kept in youth detention nationwide - and in the Northern Territory it’s close to 100%.
Jye Cardona grew up being conditioned to hate authority and watched his friends go in and out of the youth justice system. Now he works in detention centres running programs to get through to the kids who feel just as angry and neglected as he did. Jye has had to deal with post traumatic stress from his young life and learn how to reshape his perceptions. It’s been a tough journey that's fueled the fire within him to be there for others facing similar struggles.
Exercise physiologist and former rugby league player Joshua Tree was bullied, beaten and belittled throughout his young life and found himself in desperate need of health support that wasn't readily available. He managed to survive his darkest days and it inspired him to be that support for others... Now he's the ‘Blokeologist’ and if there’s one thing he knows, it’s blokes. Young Blood is all about looking after yourself - and when we talk about taking care of our health, that has to include all aspects of it. Our mental, physical and emotional health all feed each other and when we can balance all 3 we set ourselves up to flourish.
But as we know that’s not that simple... Fortunately Josh is a jack of all trades in men’s health, with a unique understanding of how we can set up those important pillars of health so they work together to support our lives. Josh coaches pro-athletes and average joes alike and focuses on what we all share in common - wanting to be better. ----- This episode has been made possible by Kookaburra Homes. Kookaburra is a great supporter of the local community and Young Blood's mission to improve the lives of young men.
Matt Newlands is a former police officer turned ‘R U OK? Day’ ambassador and mental health advocate. During his decade in the force, Matt faced pain, distress and violence on a daily basis as he sought to protect the community.
The job revealed an insight into the ugly side of humanity that only those who work in the emergency services can’t fully comprehend. It also led him to the worst day of his life and the unthinkable moment that will never leave him - being called to a suicide and finding it was his own mate... The horror sent him on a downward spiral that got almost ended his own life - but with the love of family and friends at his back and the calling to do something about the state of mental health in his heart - he rose from the abyss to become the man he is today...A light in the darkness guiding others towards a brighter future.
"I'd be in my room and it'd be blacked out. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I'd miss birthdays, I'd miss events...I just didn't want to see anyone, I didn't want to talk to anyone and I had to ask myself why am I feeling like this? I think I just had to face every single insecurity, every single fear about myself that I'd been putting off..." These aren't the words you might expect to hear from Elia Mitani aka Krunk, a DJ and producer known for big time bangers and bringing a whole lot of good vibes...But it's the truth. Elia's spent much of his young adult life riding the EDM wave into a fully fledged music career that’s allowed him to live the high energy lifestyle he loves. Enjoying years of success, he got used to performing and being on the scene - getting on flights every weekend, playing at clubs and festivals all over australia and overseas. Its been his release and his main source of connection to the fans he creates for. In 2020 it's all been taken away - and he’s been forced to come down off that high and face all the fears and insecurities he’d always been able to distract himself from. This period of deep reflection has dragged Elia through some dark moments and made him question everything - but its also ultimately made him a better man. He’s sharing his story for all the other artists doing it tough and showing that true strength comes from the finding the bravery to be vulnerable. ————— This episode has been made possible by Kookaburra Homes... The home builder that cares about the community. Kookaburra is big on investing in projects that support mental health and is an awesome supporter of blood’s mission to improve the lives of young men by opening up these conversations that we need to have
SHOW LESS
Kelvin Shone and Dan McDonald may be better known by their stripper names Jock Hardy and Taylor Mac, but there's a lot more to these guys than meets the eye. They've have been in the adult entertainment industry for 15 years combined and as you can imagine it’s been wild. But all that action comes at a cost...
This line of work goes hand in hand with being objectified, degraded and pressured to perform in more ways than one. There’s a lot going on under the surface in this world and as the boys say, it can get ugly... They’re Beyond Blue advocates who've been through major ups and downs and are now all about bringing a strong mental health focus to an industry in need of change.
Heath Black is a former AFL veteran who spent 12 years as a midfielder for the Dockers and the Saints. On paper it sounds like every player’s dream, but the reality is he struggled greatly with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, anxiety and ADHD, conditions he didn’t know he had until he was 30. Through the second half of his career, Heath suffered through constant anxiety attacks and lost his love for playing the game. Off the field his life unraveled as his mental illness intensified, going untreated. It got worse before it got better...Heath’s marriage family life took a major his and he turned to drinking to numb the pain. At rock bottom, he narrowly avoided going to jail after a string of misdemeanours and assaults landed him before a judge. It took Heath years of work and the love of his family to get his life back on track and when he did, he had a new mission...Using everything he’s been through to help others overcome their mental health struggles. It hasn’t been pretty, but against the odds Heath’s turned his life a success story more meaningful than he could’ve imagined.
SHOW LESS
Justin Westhoff is a former AFL star, but that’s not why he's on the podcast... For the past 5 years Westy and his business partner Scott Rogash have been working on a revolutionary concept that could completely change the lives of many people experiencing homelessness. They’re building compact, minimalist homes known as pods that can be placed together in vacant blocks of land to form micro-communities. But it goes much further than accommodation - these communities will be fully sustainable and host all the services necessary for someone to meet their needs and change their life for the better.
Sean Weir is the man behind The Shaka Project, a movement that shares Young Blood’s mission to ignite the tough conversations around men’s mental health. It’s based on a clothing line stamped with the shaka hand gesture, symbolising the wearers willingness to be open about their own mental health and be there for their mates. Sean started the shaka project. thinking it’d just be for his home town, but the power of the project resonated so much, its quickly spread interstate and overseas. Sean’s now a young father, a successful business owner and an all around calm and compassionate bloke. The polar opposite of who he was not all that long ago. He still struggles from time to time, but 'it's all good bro' - so do we.
Hesh Fernando is the founder of Melbourne start-up 'The Model Man' - a business dedicated to improving the lives of businessmen and doing something about the corporate world's traditional lack of regard for men's mental health. Hesh runs 'The Model Man' alongside his dad; and interestingly, the difficult relationship he had with his father throughout his young life has played a big role in bringing them together on this journey now.
As a kid, Hesh was full of rage brought on by experiencing his dad mistreat him and his mother; and being powerless to stop it. Because of this, He grew up putting pressure on himself to try to fix problems that weren't his to fix, a trait that ultimately led to him getting bottled and put in hospital. Hesh deeply believes he's found his purpose in working with men and seeking to bring about organisational change. He's evolved in many ways as an individual since hitting rock bottom in his early twenties, but it's the total reversal of his relationship with his Dad that's even more inspiring.
Marc Ryan is 'The Beautiful Bogan' and he’s not your typical standup comedian... He blends light hearted laughs with mental health advocacy - using his gigs as a platform to show people they’re not alone in the struggle. In between jokes, Marc shares the story of the abuse he suffered at the hands of a family member as a teenager and speaks openly about the trauma it caused him - damage he still deals with every day. Marc is a brave man who’s living for his kids and for his mission to let as many people as he can know that no matter how bad it gets, you’ve got to keep fighting.
Back in 2014 Hunter Johnson and a mate created The Man Cave, a program that supports adolescent boys on their journey to becoming men. It was in response to the toxic culture they had all been exposed to over the years and wanting to change things for future generations. Since it started, the man cave has grown to reach more than twenty thousand boys across Australia and is now established as a driving force, ushering in a new era of positive masculinity. There’s no doubt the seeds being planted in young minds by the program are changing how the men of the future view themselves and each other for the better. And the massive effort in making it all happen has turned Hunter into the man he needed to be. He’s also launched a personal care brand for men called, ‘stuff’, to help take care of the outside as well as the inside. This is a chat about boys, men and how we become who we are.
John Denholm is the founder of South Australia's huge volunteer run men's support network 'SA Brothers'. John started the group back in 2017 on the back of going through his own mental health struggles and coming to the realisation that the men around him needed a platform to support each other. He never intended for it to be a big deal, but with so much demand, the network quickly ballooned out to include more than 25,000 active members. John now carries the massive workload of keeping SA Brothers running, alongside his right hand man Jarrad Wadmore, with help from a crew of lads who put their blood, sweat and tears into actively serving the community through volunteer work based on helping men locally. They also have the full time job of monitoring the Facebook page that's a constant stream of men looking for advice and support for everything from their mental health to needing help finding work or just looking for a chat. SA Brothers is the only group of its kind in the country and is a shining example of what's possible when men band together for no other reason than to help each other. The group makes a massive difference to thousands of lives each year, yet still struggles immensely to find the funding needed to cover costs. Sometimes the drive to do the right thing at all costs takes a heavy personal toll, but for these guys, it's simply too important to quit.
Michael Shafar is a glass half full kind of guy who's such a good comedian, he's been able to make his own harrowing battle with cancer funny.
In 2017, Michael was busy making his mark as a stand up comic, when he made the costly decision to ignore one of his testicles growing to more than double the size of the other. By the time he went to the doctor, the testicular cancer had already spread throughout his body and he was only given a 50% chance of making it.
But he was determined to make the most of that chance and never stopped performing throughout the grueling rounds of chemo. Comedy gives him purpose and surviving cancer has given him plenty of material. Michael's been in and out of remission and still isn't totally out of the woods, but he's not letting that hold him back.
Men in construction have a history of struggling particularly badly with managing their mental health and as graduate psychologist and former construction worker Simon Tyler says, that’s due in part to the stereotypical hyper masculine culture that exists on work sites - now the focus of his PhD. Simon’s good mate Richie Welch has been in the construction game for more than two decades and both men have lived experience of going through immense struggle and surviving - becoming stronger and more sensitive to the need to reach out for help. After recently enduring a devastating spate of suicides within their tight knit community, they decided enough is enough and have gone above and beyond to create a new service called ‘the next step’ - a messaging service run through Instagram that connects men who are struggling to the help they need. Having personally witnessed so much need for more mental health help and awareness within male dominated industries, they’re now dedicated to serving that cohort that’s notoriously tough to reach. There was a time that both men were saved by a single conversation and they know as well as anyone the power of speaking up and being heard.
If you heard Nathan Lymn's story from someone else, you'd be forgiven for thinking he's making it up... His life so far has been such a random series of events that it's hard to imagine all this stuff could happen to one person - but it's all true. Nathan was a self described 'street kid' living a chaotic life in and out of crisis housing through teenagehood, due to his parents mental illness leaving them unable to care for him. He was faced with the threat of extreme physical violence on a constant basis, growing up in a world where a looming sense of despair was the norm. He's survived by any means necessary and found work everywhere from helicopter hangars, to oil rigs to selling real estate and solar power - all while trying to find his elusive place in the world. Nathan's learned lessons from his life experience that can't be taught, he's a deep thinker, a philosopher and a young man with a heart of gold who's finally realised the meaning of his life - to serve.
Matt Morris is co-chair of the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance Inc working for the rights of the LGBTIQ community. Matt realised he was bisexual/pansexual in his teens, but it took him years to work up the courage to come out. Fortunately his sexuality was accepted by his friends and family but that hasn’t been the case for others he knows. Matt’s always felt called to help those who really need it, he’s worked the phones for Lifeline in suicide prevention, advocated for the homeless and was fired up to step into his current role after witnessing the damaging impact of homophobia and transphobia during the marriage equality debate.
SHOW LESS
When it comes to aussie culture, punting has traditionally been right up there with having a cutla cold ones, watching the footy and chucking snags on the barby...
In fact, 39% of Aussies gamble on a regular basis and Australia leads the world in gambling losses per capita, totaling around $25 billion per year.
The pokies do the most damage overall, but in recent years the percentage of young men betting on sports and horse racing has also been increasing at an exponential rate. One of them was Luke McLean who was controlled by a gambling addiction he couldn't escape for over a decade.
Luke got hooked after his first big win at the TAB as a 17 year old and went on to spend just every cent he ever earned on sports betting. The habit made him hate himself and very nearly claimed his life, before he found the therapy that allowed him to finally break free.
Now a Men's Coach, Luke is dedicated to helping give other men the tools to beat their own demons.
Nathan Bolton is a former soldier who served two tours of Afghanistan as a Special Operations Engineer in the Australian Special Forces.
His primary objective was to find and clear improvised explosive devices planted across the battlefield by the enemy and it led to him to coming within literally an inch of death. Surviving such horror caused Nathan significant trauma, but he didn't know it at the time.
Having never learned to process his emotions, he'd instead been conditioned to bottle it all up and get on with the job. After getting home from his second tour, Nathan wasn't the same. Suddenly he was experiencing fits of rage and being overwhelmed by a whirlwind of feelings and deep pain he couldn't understand.
He was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depression. Another battle that almost claimed his life... But he held on - and through years of intense self-work, eventually rebuilt himself as a new man, capable of more than he ever imagined.
Now the co-owner of Bolton Brothers psychology practice for men and a champion of positive mental health, Nathan shares the story of who he was, what he went through and who he's become - A stunning example of personal transformation.
Mitch McPherson lost his younger brother to suicide in 2013 and living through that tragedy was a major turning point that would come to define his future career.
Mitch was a glazier by trade, but for the past 7 years he's been touring the country, sharing his lived experience story with thousands of people at hundreds of events, teaching everyone how to spot the warning signs when someone's at risk of suicide and inspiring organisations to change the way they think about mental health.
Mitch founded his business, SPEAK UP Stay ChatTY to spread this crucial message as far and wide as possible and now leads a team of people delivering mental health programs at schools and sporting clubs.
He was the 2017 Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year and his passion for saving lives is only burning brighter as the impact of his much needed work continues to grow.
TRIGGER WARNING This episode discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 14 11 or the suicide prevention hotline in your country.