Better MENtal Health

In this episode, the guys turn the mic on themselves and discuss the future of the podcast on the podcast.
🎧 Why did we start this podcast?
💬 How can men learn to open up and go deeper?
⚙️ What’s next for Better MENtal Health?
And… some honest check-ins about anxiety, ADHD, overwhelm, grief, and the inner critic.

👇 Timestamps & Chapters

00:00 – Why men struggle to talk deeply
00:46 – Intro: The podcast about the podcast
02:00 – What are we trying to do with this?
03:10 – Finding focus vs chasing ideas
05:00 – The pressure to say something meaningful
05:45 – The goal: being examples of vulnerability
07:00 – How to help men open up
08:45 – The “Double-Click” analogy
09:30 – Feeling into the body (somatic awareness)
11:00 – Can we actually do that on a podcast?
12:20 – Learning to reflect feelings instead of asking questions
14:00 – The “I don’t know” defense and how to go deeper
15:00 – Listener feedback: patriarchy, masculinity & nuance
16:30 – The Christian Science episode and deconstruction
18:30 – Living differently as men
19:30 – Real check-ins: how are we actually doing?
20:00 – Overwhelm, distraction, and avoidance
24:00 – ADHD, shame, and medication talk
27:30 – Feeling like society isn’t built for our brains
29:00 – Why the system rewards the grind
32:00 – Jamie’s anxiety and imposter feelings in grad school
35:00 – Searching for balance as dads, partners, and students
39:00 – Blake’s family loss and grief
42:00 – The gym, body connection, and emotional health
43:30 – The inner critic and negative self-talk
46:00 – A compliment worth remembering
47:00 – Gratitude, mindset, and reframing positivity
49:00 – Final thoughts and listener invitation

Leave a comment, share your thoughts, and let us know what you want us to talk about next.

🔗 Follow us on Instagram: @bettermentalhealthpod

❤️ Subscribe for new episodes.

#mensmentalhealth
#realtalk
#vulnerabilityisstrength
#mindfulnessformen
#healingjourney
#mentalhealthpodcast
#deepconvos
#mensgroup
#podcastclips
#bettermensmentalhealth

#mensmentalhealth

#mentalhealthformen

#menswellness

#mensupportingmen

#vulnerability

#mentalhealthmatters

#destigmatizementalhealth

#healingjourney

#talkaboutit

#bettermensmentalhealth

In this episode, Jamie, Blair, and Blake sit down with their good friend Matt, who just became a dad. We dive into the real highs and lows of new fatherhood — from sleepless nights and baby-led weaning to mental health struggles, identity shifts, and the surprising ways relationships change after bringing a baby home.

This conversation is raw, honest, and full of stories that every dad (and partner) can relate to. If you’ve ever wondered what the first six months of parenthood really look like, this one’s for you.

⏱ Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Why we’re talking fatherhood

00:50 – Matt’s sleep training success

02:00 – Starting solids & scary first foods

05:00 – Baby looking like dad? Reflections on identity

06:30 – Biggest unexpected changes in daily life

08:00 – Balancing freedom, hobbies & parenting

11:20 – Good enough parenting & self-reflection

13:30 – Coming home from the hospital: reality check

16:00 – Building love & attachment over time

18:00 – Baby milestones & finally having fun

20:00 – Jamie’s emotional first moments as a dad

22:00 – Postpartum depression & men’s mental health

25:00 – Therapy, life coaching, and support systems

28:00 – Parenting schedules: the freedom paradox

30:00 – Emotional ups & downs as a new dad

33:00 – Anger, frustration, and healthy outlets

36:00 – Tolerance for chaos & crying

39:00 – Partner communication & tactical teamwork

41:00 – Shifts with friends & family dynamics

43:00 – Parenting with grandparents’ help

46:00 – Looking forward: what dads get excited about

48:00 – Closing reflections

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations about men’s mental health, fatherhood, and becoming the best version of yourself.
💬 Share your parenting stories or struggles in the comments — we’d love to hear from you.

In this episode of Better Mental Health, we feature an in-depth and raw discussion with Nate Landingham, a musician and producer based in Austin, Texas, known as Nathaniel Earl on Spotify. Nate joins hosts Blake, Jamie, and Blair to talk about his experiences growing up in Christian Science, his struggles with addiction and suicidal ideation, and how these challenges have shaped his mental health journey. We delve into intense topics like family dynamics and the psychological impacts of a religious upbringing, alongside the complexities of navigating sobriety and self-acceptance. 00:00 Trigger Warning and Introduction00:19 Meet the Hosts and Guest Introduction01:03 Nate's Upbringing in Christian Science04:21 Running Away and Homelessness07:07 Struggles with Addiction and Mental Health12:41 Therapy and the Road to Sobriety20:22 Finding Spirituality and Sobriety24:05 Reflecting on Rock Bottom and Ego Death26:25 Reflecting on My Father's Legacy30:06 Navigating Family Dynamics After Loss32:30 Music as a Tool for Emotional Healing37:02 Balancing Light and Dark: Embracing Emotions37:35 Overcoming Addiction and Finding Balance40:50 Pre-Performance Anxiety and Coping Mechanisms46:42 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this episode of Better MENtal Health, we sit down with coach and Enneagram expert Josh Lavine to explore the Enneagram not just as a personality tool, but as a tool for mental health, growth, and authenticity.

Josh breaks down the 9 Enneagram types through the lens of body, heart, and mind, and shares his own journey of discovering what authenticity meant to him.

Whether you're brand new to the Enneagram or deep in the work, this conversation is full of insights into identity, therapy, and how we accidentally forget who we are, and how to come back home.

⏱ Timecodes

00:00 – Intro & Meet Josh

01:20 – What is the Enneagram?

02:10 – Why We Start With Type 8

04:00 – Body Types: 8, 9, 1

08:42 – Heart Types: 2, 3, 4

12:10 – Mind Types: 5, 6, 7

17:00 – All Three Hosts Are 9s!

18:20 – Growing Up Disconnected from the Body

21:00 – Josh’s Breakdown & Burnout at Princeton

26:00 – The Search for Authenticity

27:00 – How the Enneagram “Found” Him

33:40 – The Bermuda Triangle: Type 3/6/9

36:50 – Finding Yourself Again (and Again)

39:00 – Why the Enneagram Is So Effective for Mental Health

42:00 – What Does It Mean to Live From Essence?

44:10 – Nines and the “Accidental Blankness”

47:00 – Enneagram in Executive Coaching

48:40 – Why You Need the Whole System

50:00 – Wrap-Up + Where to Find Josh

—

 Links mentioned in the video

joshlavine.com

theenneagramschool.com

Subscribe for more honest conversations around men’s mental health: relationships, identity, healing, and self-leadership.

#Enneagram #MensMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #PersonalityTypes #SelfDiscovery #TherapyForMen #HealingJourney #SelfAwareness #EmotionalWellness #InnerWork #BetterMENtalHealth #PodcastForMen #MensHealthPodcast #EnneagramCoach #JoshLavine

In this raw and honest episode of Better MENtal Health, we open up about the insecurities we've carried, from being a late bloomer and feeling small, to hair loss, social anxiety, public speaking fears, impostor syndrome, and everything in between.

We dive into:

• How comments from others (even years ago) still shape our self-image
• Why some insecurities live in silence for too long
• How opening up can rewire shame
• And what we’re learning in therapy and life about reclaiming self-worth

Subscribe for weekly episodes that destigmatize men's mental health and build connections through real, vulnerable conversations.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro: Why We’re Talking About Insecurities

1:06 – Blake: “I was always the small one”

4:30 – Jamie: Middle school, puberty, and height anxiety

7:55 – Blair: No body hair, skinny arms, and internalizing comments

10:48 – Humor as a shield & deflecting with jokes

12:12 – When external comments land as deep shame

14:30 – Blair: Being a “late bloomer” emotionally and physically

16:00 – Jamie: Balding, over-fixating, and identity shifts

19:20 – Blake: The shame of public speaking and insecurity in group settings

22:05 – Blair: "Am I smart enough?" and math anxiety

23:30 – Insecurity in non-monogamy and comparison culture

25:55 – The power of voicing insecurities out loud

27:00 – Letting go of shame and rewriting internal scripts

#MensMentalHealth #Insecurities #BetterMENtalHealth #HairLoss #BodyImage #ImposterSyndrome #SocialAnxiety #TherapyForMen #MentalHealthAwareness #VulnerabilityIsStrength

In this episode, Blair and Blake (Jamie’s out this week) get personal about their own therapy experiences: the good, the awkward, and the deeply human.

We talk about:

- How hard it can be to find a therapist you actually connect with

- What it’s like to leave a therapist when it’s not working

- Why in-person vs. virtual therapy hits differently

- Our own mental health struggles around things like insecurity, imposter syndrome, and hair loss

- The difference between individual therapy and group therapy

- Why therapy isn't just for "big" trauma — and how "little" traumas affect us too

- What to look for in a therapist (even if you're not totally sure what you need yet)

- And how opening up can feel terrifying — but also completely life-giving

This episode is for the guy who’s thought about therapy but doesn’t know where to start. 

🎧 Got a therapy story or question? Drop it in the comments or DM us — we want to hear from you.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Welcome and Jamie’s absence

0:45 – Why we’re sharing our therapy journeys

1:56 – Finding a therapist through the “No More Mr. Nice Guy” community

3:08 – Individual therapy vs. group therapy experiences

6:34 – Ending a therapy relationship: Blair’s story

10:00 – Do we prefer in-person or virtual therapy?

13:10 – When therapy just isn’t clicking

15:00 – The “dating” analogy of finding a therapist

17:00 – Why opening up feels risky, especially for men

18:45 – Balding, confidence, and internalized shame

22:00 – Ketamine-assisted therapy and future mental health tools

26:00 – Imposter syndrome, self-worth, and men's identity

30:47 – Why we sometimes stay too long with the wrong therapist

34:00 – What a first therapy session actually feels like

36:00 – “Are my problems big enough for therapy?”

38:40 – Big T vs. little t trauma explained

41:00 – Nuance, invalidation, and why most people carry trauma

45:00 – “You’re just paying someone to care about you” myth

47:50 – Why most therapists do genuinely care

50:30 – The emotional toll of suppressing vs. expressing

54:00 – Why therapy takes courage — and why it matters

#BetterMentalHealth #MensMentalHealth #TherapyForMen #MentalHealthPodcast #FindingATherapist #MenInTherapy #DestigmatizeTherapy #VulnerabilityIsStrength #EmotionalHealth #GroupTherapy #KetamineTherapy #LeavingYourTherapist #TalkTherapy #NiceGuySyndrome #MensSupport #MentalHealthAwareness #MensHealingJourney #PodcastForMen #SelfWorth #ImposterSyndrome #TherapyJourney #HairLossConfidence

In this episode of Better MENtal Health, Blair, Jamie, and Blake dive into one of the most controversial corners of the internet: the manosphere. We explore how red pill rhetoric, alpha male myths, incel forums, and influencer culture have built an entire ecosystem that both addresses and manipulates male emotional pain.

This conversation examines how we ourselves could have been pulled into this world, what makes it appealing, and how we can create healthier spaces for men to be seen, heard, and supported.

00:00 – Intro: What is the Manosphere?
01:30 – Red pill ideology explained
03:10 – Jordan Peterson, fitness influencers & the gateway effect
06:00 – How “science” gets twisted to justify misogyny
08:20 – False sense of community vs true connection
10:00 – Why some men turn anger into ideology
12:00 – The algorithm’s role in radicalization
14:30 – How we almost got pulled into it
17:00 – The teen male experience & sex-driven content
20:30 – High stakes masculinity & social status obsession
22:00 – When manosphere content turns violent
24:00 – Critical thinking, empathy & manipulation
27:00 – “Simp” culture & shame around emotional connection
30:00 – Alpha male myth debunked
32:00 – The Joe Rogan dilemma: curiosity vs controversy
35:00 – Why men need to speak to men
38:00 – Group therapy as antidote to manosphere
40:00 – Rage clicks, influencers, and the business of anger
42:00 – Victimhood, MRA, and backlash to feminism
45:00 – Why patriarchy harms everyone
48:00 – Final thoughts + call to action

Let’s talk: Are you a former manosphere follower? Just learning about it? Curious?

Drop your thoughts in the comments—we welcome every perspective.
Referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgO25FTwfRI&t=5716s&ab_channel=m%C3%BCnecat

#MensMentalHealth #Manosphere #RedPill #AlphaMaleMyth #BetterMentalHealth #AndrewTate #JoeRogan #JordanPeterson #FreshAndFit #Masculinity #IncelCulture #PodcastClip #MentalHealthAwareness #EmpathyNotAnger #RedPillDebunked

Why is anger the only emotion many men feel safe expressing? In this episode of Better MENtal Health, we dive into the role anger plays in men’s lives—from suppressed emotions to explosive outbursts. We share vulnerable personal stories (yes, even punching walls and slamming doors), explore the influence of figures like Andrew Tate, and discuss how childhood, trauma, alcohol, and societal norms shape how men express (or hide) their rage.

Whether it’s righteous anger or misdirected pain, this episode helps unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface—and what we can do about it.

⏱️ Topics include:

Why anger can be healthy (or harmful)

Righteous rage vs. reactive outbursts

The link between embarrassment, control, and anger

The role of therapy, physical outlets, and parenting in managing anger

00:00 Introduction to Better Mental Health Podcast

00:24 Blake's Anger Triggered by Andrew Tate

03:05 Righteous Anger and Making Change

11:23 Jamie and Blair Discuss Anger Management

14:30 Personal Stories of Anger Outbursts

27:13 Intergenerational Anger and Trauma

32:46 Small Frustrations vs. Big Issues

33:56 Therapy and Anger Exploration

34:35 Sports as an Anger Outlet

37:18 College Memories and Anger

40:42 Healthy Outlets for Anger

52:43 Alcohol and Anger

56:17 Recognizing Anger Triggers

59:38 Conclusion and Call to Action

#MensMentalHealth #Anger #BetterMentalHealthPodcast #RighteousAnger #AndrewTate #ToxicMasculinity #EmotionalHealth #TherapyForMen #MaleVulnerability #MentalHealthAwareness #Fatherhood #EmotionalIntelligence #breakingthestigma

In today's episode, Jamie, Blake, and Blair come together in person for the first time to discuss a heavy but essential topic: death. They share personal experiences, their beliefs about death, and how these experiences have shaped their lives. Blair delves into his direct encounters with the sudden loss of his parents and how these affected his mental health journey. The conversation also touches on the fears and unknowns surrounding death, the impact of experiencing someone else's death, and how to support friends going through such grief. The episode emphasizes the importance of community and the non-linear nature of grief.

00:00 Introduction and Hosts' Reunion

00:19 Today's Topic: Death and Personal Experiences

00:39 Blair's Personal Story of Loss

01:26 Discussing Relationships with Death

02:22 Christian Science and Death

03:42 Blair's First Experience with Death

04:52 Near-Death Experiences and Beliefs

09:03 Coping with Loss and Grief

16:27 Supporting Friends Through Grief

25:35 Therapy and Grieving Process

31:12 Facing the Unknown

31:26 Differing Views on the Afterlife

32:37 A Personal Experience with Signs

34:37 Mushroom Trip Reflections

37:45 Ayahuasca and Ego Death

39:48 Parenthood and the Fear of Death

46:15 Witnessing Death

57:34 Concluding Thoughts on Death

If you've ever struggled with loss, grief, or making sense of death, you're not alone. We hope this conversation helps you feel a little more seen.

👉 How has grief or loss shaped your own mental health journey? Share your story in the comments — we’d love to hear from you.

🧠 Subscribe for more real conversations about men's mental health, emotional growth, and building community.

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

🎥 YouTube:   

 / @bettermentalhealth-89    

📸 Instagram:  

 / bettermentalhealthpodcast    

🌐 Website: www.better-mental.com 

#Grief #MentalHealth #BetterMENtalHealth #Death #ChristianScience #MensMentalHealth #NearDeathExperiences #HealingJourney

In this episode of Better Mental Health, hosts Blair and Jamie delve into their friend Stefan’s powerful and personal story. Stefan opens up about his mental health journey, focusing on his experiences and challenges with family dynamics, parentification, and therapy. He discusses growing up in a small, isolated community in Northern California, dealing with a hair-picking disorder (trichotillomania), and the difficult process of setting and maintaining boundaries with his parents. The conversation emphasizes the importance of therapy, emotional fortitude, and breaking free from childhood patterns to build a healthier adult life. Stefan also shares insights on the impact of his own path to understanding mental health and how it is shaping his approach to parenting his young daughter. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of personal growth, the complexities of family relationships, and the value of creating a supportive community around men's mental health.

00:00 Introduction to Better Mental Health Podcast

00:09 Meet Stefan: A Journey into Mental Health

02:00 Stefan's Background and Upbringing

04:07 The Struggle with Trichotillomania

06:01 Therapy and Emotional Unlearning

08:22 Blair's Therapy Breakthrough

12:08 Childhood Emotional Dynamics

17:52 Navigating Family Boundaries

25:27 The Challenge of Setting Boundaries

34:25 Learning About Parenthood

34:35 The Power Dynamic in Parent-Child Relationships

35:18 Acceptance and Parenting Decisions

36:22 Personal Stories of Acceptance

41:48 Therapy and Emotional Growth

43:13 Exploring Different Therapy Techniques

53:35 The Impact of Family Therapy

57:27 Finding the Right Therapist

59:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mentioned in this episode:

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129659-adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents

Share Your Thoughts, drop a comment, and give us a follow!

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bettermentalhealth-89  

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettermentalhealthpodcast  

🌐 Website: www.better-mental.com 

#BetterMentalHealthPodcast #MensMentalHealth #TherapyJourney #BreakingGenerationalCycles #FamilyDynamics #Parentification #TrichotillomaniaAwareness #EmotionalHealing #CycleBreakers #ConsciousParenting #MentalHealthMatters #VulnerabilityIsStrength #ShareYourStory #SupportEachOther