“I had a car crash where I was lucky to survive. My best friend was in the car, and we were very fortunate we didn’t die. It was a period where I was very off the rails and I was using alcohol to cope - a drunk driving incident where the whole car was crushed in half. It became the biggest news story in the country.” - Nick Bracks

Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Nick Bracks. Growing up in one of the most famous political families in Australia, Nick was exposed to life in the public eye since he was 12 years old. Struggling to cope with depression and anxiety through substance abuse, Nick first gained notoriety in his early 20s through a publicly documented car crash that nearly killed himself and his best friend. The drunk driving incident became a catalyst for Nick to turn his life around, exposing his mental health issues and allowing him to get the help he desperately needed. Since then, Nick has developed a successful public speaking career dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental illness through storytelling.

(0:55) Ashanti’s introduction.

(8:50) Nick introduces himself, his childhood in the media, and how struggling in the public eye prepared him for the mental health work he does now.

(10:50) Nick and Ashanti make their masks together.

(14:30) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - funny, serious, passionate.

(17:35) Nick shares the front of his mask - vulnerability, empathy, passion.

(19:50) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - fear of…, self-doubt, what’s next - success or failure.

(22:40) Nick shares the back of his mask - failures, don’t always speak my mind/people pleasing, not enough, money - and he and Ashanti discuss how they both tend to people please more than they’d like.

(29:55) Nick looks back on his life and childhood in the spotlight, how it conditioned his behavior, and how he eventually reclaimed control of his narrative.

(37:10) Nick tells Ashanti about a life-saving speech he delivered.

(43:50) Nick shares a final message with the audience and how you can get in touch with him.

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Connect with Nick Bracks:

Website: nickbracks.com

Nick’s Newest Venture: moveyourmind.io

Instagram: instagram.com/nickbracks

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Create your own mask anonymously at millionmask.org

Email us questions and comments at [email protected] 

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

Instagram: instagram.com/branchspeaks

Facebook: facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

Twitter: twitter.com/BranchSpeaks

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch

Website: branchspeaks.com

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/support