Man Talk

In this episode, the last of season 2 of Man Talk, I return to the format of series 1, as I talk to Alex Galbally, otherwise known as @daddy_to_triplet_girls on Instagram about his issues with anxiety and body dysmorphia. Whilst Alex is well-known online for being a father to triplets, another area he’s becoming more open about is his mental health. In this episode, Alex is incredibly open and honest about his struggles as he describes his darkest moments, whilst also detailing the help he’s received. I’m hugely grateful to Alex for opening up like this as this is not a topic that’s been discussed on Man Talk before, but I think we can all agree, as with anything that impacts on our mental health, it’s hugely important that it’s talked about.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit https://mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

In this episode of Man Talk, I meet with Ben Eine (@einesigns) in Shoreditch, London. Ben is one of the most successful street artists in the world and is regarded as a pioneer in the exploration of graffiti letterforms. His distinctive letters spell words and phrases across walls from London to LA, Florence to Tokyo as he continues to use street art to engage the public. Our chat was actually in a pub as he took a break from finishing his piece on Old Street that spells ‘Stop Knife Crime’.

We talk about his struggles with his mental health, which he openly admits are elevated by drugs and alcohol and go back to his teenage years. We discuss his coping mechanisms and counselling, and delve into the incredible work he does with charities. Using his art, he’s helped multiple charities such as Movember and Shelter.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

In this episode of Man Talk, I meet with Dan Keeley (@iamdankeeley) in London. Dan is a Mental Health Activist, a keynote Speaker and the founder of @areweokuk. You’ll hear about his incredible story which will leave you inspired by the journey he’s been on. From preaching in the middle of an Italian motorway and being diagnosed with bi-polar in 2012, to five years later returning to Italy and then running alone to London over 65 days to mark his incredible progress.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit https://mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

This week I’m in London with Natalie Pennicotte-Collier. Natalie is a game changing mind coach and sleep expert and one of the few performance mind coaches who work in elite sport looking to change the mental wellbeing of athletes, but is also a working clinical therapist.

Natalie has a unique experience in the human performance space and crucially has a powerful personal journey; from despair into resilience. She’s a survivor of teen trauma and suicide attempts, plus she’s overcome PTSD and clinical depression and has since become a top performance coach and frontline mental health therapist and campaigner determined to share performance wellbeing for the many, not the few.

During this episode Natalie details lots of the incredible work that she does, but there’s a wealth of information still to be explored. To find out more about Natalie, find her on Instagram @Natalie_PerformanceMindCoach plus visit her site www.mindtonictherapy.com where you can read about the Speakers Collective, her schools’ mental wealth programme ‘Calmerama’, her sleep expert role, her campaigning and her future workshops and retreats.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit https://mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

This week I’m in Maidenhead with Louise Saxton. Louise is a Clinical Support Specialist in a Neuroscience Medical Affairs Team at Janssen. Louise has been in the mental health space as a psychiatric nurse for 28 years, so we talk about the changes she’s seen in that time including the public’s perception of mental health and the support that is on offer. Louise is full of helpful information and also details some useful advice if you’re struggling with your mental health.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit https://mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

This week I’m in Camden with Kenny Mammarella-D'Cruz. Kenny is a personal development consultant, men’s coach and is also known as the ‘Man Whisperer’ (@themanwhisperer).

Kenny’s story with mental health comes from the dramatic beginnings of his childhood; death threats, refugee camps, paternal abandonment and racism. His journey took him to the UK, and now, years later, his experiences and learning have shaped his 1 to 1 and group sessions that embody men’s potential.

This episode is sponsored by Mahabis, who produce footwear for time well spent. Underpinning their brand ethos is the core idea of ‘me time’ and the importance of self-care, all of which plays a key part in fostering and maintaining a healthy and positive sense of wellbeing. A discount code is available in the show (for T&Cs visit https://mahabis.com/pages/terms-conditions).

The show is produced in support of the Movember Foundation, a high-profile charity who are changing the face of men’s health on a global scale and who fund life-changing mental health projects around the world.

In this bonus episode of Man Talk, in collaboration with Southern Rail, I travel by train to meet up with Connor Magee again. My relationship with Connor has transformed from 'Instadads' to real friends, and now mental health advocates. I think you can hear in our manner and tone just how relaxed we are in each other's company and how far we've come in talking about our mental health - a huge transformation. Thanks to Southern Rail, who are the basis for many other transformative journeys, for providing the opportunity to record this bonus episode...

In this bonus episode of Man Talk, for World Mental Health Day, I take the opportunity to reflect on the first series of Man Talk, my plans for the future of the show, and I also speak about how I'm doing at the moment in addressing my own mental health…

In this episode, the last in Series 1 of Man Talk, I meet with Sean Jones (@seanj_1987). Sean reached out to me in the early days of Man Talk and expressed a desire to talk about his issues with PTSD. Sean served in the army for over 15 years, during which time he was awarded the Military Cross. Sean’s experiences in the army have left him close to ending it all, twice. He speaks openly about his mental health, his relationship with his wife, the army, alcohol and those suicidal episodes. Sean is now on the road to recovery and intends to use his experiences to help others who may be in his position…

In this episode, I meet with Dan Jones (@dad_of_flo) in a café in Oxford, a city which might possibly have the loudest buses in the world, so apologies for any sound issues. Dan is a father of one and has recently married his long term partner, Emily. I first became aware of Dan’s issues with anxiety after I read a blog he’d written detailing his struggles, so I’ve always wanted to hear more, especially as he talked favourably of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a mental health treatment that hasn’t been covered much during the first series of Man Talk....