🤗 The Male Hug: Creating a Different Way to Reach Men I was joined by Tony Rabah, Founder and CEO of The Male Hug, for two hours talking about men, health, connection and what it takes to reach men earlier. Tony arrived in Australia from Lebanon when he was four, having spent his earliest years with his grandparents while his parents established a life here in Australia. We talked about his father, what he absorbed about being a man, and a message familiar to many boys of his generation: “You don't show weakness. You take in, but you don't let out.” Years later, Tony found himself doing exactly that as his businesses came under enormous pressure during the GFC, his marriage ended and his father was dying from cancer. He still saw himself as the man who could handle everything, until he couldn't. That part of Tony’s story helps make sense of The Male Hug, his commitment to reaching men early and the work now happening through 1800 MY BUDDY, Talktober, the Buddy program, and its network of volunteers, partners and ambassadors. Our conversation also took us into the men who can be “missing in plain sight”, particularly those whose work has become intertwined with identity and purpose, what happens when that disappears, why behaviour can speak before words do, and whether we are creating the conditions for men to engage rather than simply telling them to talk and seek help. There was plenty of laughter too, with football, family, some questionable cryptic song clues and a misunderstanding before we even went to air that became a rather fitting lesson in the value of responding rather than reacting. Thank you Tony for such an open and generous Sunday morning, for everything you continue to give to The Male Hug and the people it reaches. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nwunw1rki76U3MsKe2Hoh?si=de3f05dd086343d2 | YouTube: @raebonney7846 | Podbean: https://rae6z.podbean.com/ What Does It Feel Like, Being You, Today? www.raebonney.au 94.1FM 3WBC #TheMaleHug #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #Connection #WhatDoesItFeelLikeBeingYouToday #3WBC

🤗 The Male Hug: Creating a Different Way to Reach Men

I was joined by Tony Rabah, Founder and CEO of The Male Hug, for two hours talking about men, health, connection and what it takes to reach men earlier.

Tony arrived in Australia from Lebanon when he was four, having spent his earliest years with his grandparents while his parents established a life here in Australia. We talked about his father, what he absorbed about being a man, and a message familiar to many boys of his generation:

“You don't show weakness. You take in, but you don't let out.”

Years later, Tony found himself doing exactly that as his businesses came under enormous pressure during the GFC, his marriage ended and his father was dying from cancer. He still saw himself as the man who could handle everything, until he couldn't.

That part of Tony’s story helps make sense of The Male Hug, his commitment to reaching men early and the work now happening through 1800 MY BUDDY, Talktober, the Buddy program, and its network of volunteers, partners and ambassadors.

Our conversation also took us into the men who can be “missing in plain sight”, particularly those whose work has become intertwined with identity and purpose, what happens when that disappears, why behaviour can speak before words do, and whether we are creating the conditions for men to engage rather than simply telling them to talk and seek help.

There was plenty of laughter too, with football, family, some questionable cryptic song clues and a misunderstanding before we even went to air that became a rather fitting lesson in the value of responding rather than reacting.

Thank you Tony for such an open and generous Sunday morning, for everything you continue to give to The Male Hug and the people it reaches.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nwunw1rki76U3MsKe2Hoh?si=de3f05dd086343d2 | YouTube: @raebonney7846 | Podbean: https://rae6z.podbean.com/

What Does It Feel Like, Being You, Today?

www.raebonney.au

94.1FM 3WBC

#TheMaleHug #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #Connection #WhatDoesItFeelLikeBeingYouToday #3WBC

Hypothetical Harry – the story behind the story.

Every month I'm reminded what an extraordinary privilege this humble little show is and that people, often complete strangers, trust me with stories they've often never spoken out loud.

For this episode, one man did something incredibly courageous and told his story on global radio. I first met this version of Hypothetical Harry after one of my presentations, when he quietly walked up and said, "Hi... I'm Hypothetical Harry. You just told my story." Choosing to remain anonymous, he joined me to share his experience, not because he wanted people to know who he is, but because he wanted others to know they are not alone.

As we spoke, I was reminded yet again that people rarely break because of one catastrophic event. More often, it's the accumulation of ordinary experiences that quietly become too much to carry.

There were so many moments that stayed with me...

💬 "I've heard FIFO described as 'Fit In Or F** Off.'"*

💬 "If you have a really crappy cook in that camp and the meals are rubbish, that can really make the two weeks quite hard."

💬 "I had the lovely four-bedroom house... the beach shack at Inverloch... but I had a hole in the soul."

💬 "Do we talk about fatigue? Do we talk about impairment? Do we talk about men's health? You won't find that in your glossy binders."

💬 "Safety is what you're doing when no one's watching."

To Harry... thank you for trusting me, for your generosity, and for your willingness to share your story so openly. I have no doubt there will be people listening who hear parts of themselves in your experience, just as you once heard yourself in Hypothetical Harry.

What does it feel like, being you, today?

#WhatDoesItFeelLikeBeingYouToday #MensHealth #PsychosocialSafety #WorkplaceHealth #FIFO #Leadership #3WBC

I recently sat down live in the 3WBC Studios with David Maywald - governance specialist, board director and author of The Relentless War on Masculinity - for a robust and, at times, uncomfortable conversation.

David flew in from Canberra to join me in person, and we covered a lot of ground: fatherhood, policy, education, family law, suicide prevention and the cultural narratives shaping how we see men and boys.

He spoke about what moved him to write his book, particularly the shifting political and cultural landscape overseas, and his concern that many boys and men feel unheard in public debate.

“There’s a wave coming back toward balance. People want to be able to speak without being shut down.”

We explored male suicide, the need for more targeted approaches in prevention, and whether current strategies are genuinely meeting men where they are.

“If we can’t decide our compassion without knowing the sex of the person involved, that tells us something.”

There were moments where we agreed and others where we challenged each other and the conversation stretched both of us, which is part of the beauty of interviews like this ... we can agree to disagree.

One line that stayed with me was this:💙 “Small wins matter - cultural change doesn’t happen in a day.”

Whether you agree with David’s framing or not, the issues we discussed, suicide, family breakdown, boys’ education, institutional design are real and complex.

Conversations like this are not about taking sides.They’re about widening the lens.If you’re working in policy, education, leadership, community health or simply raising sons and daughters, this episode invites reflection.

What does it feel like, being you, today?

www.raebonney.au#MensHealth #PsychosocialSafety #Leadership #SuicidePrevention #GenderResponsiveSystems #PublicPolicy

Grant Fuller on men, mental health & the cost of unsafe worksites

Last week, on What Does It Feel Like, Being You Today?, I sat down with Grant Fuller, Health, Safety & Wellbeing Principal at Alchimie and co-founder of Wellness in Infrastructure, for awe inspiring conversation - perfectly timed in the lead-up to International Men’s Day.

Grant spoke candidly about growing up in Montana, losing his father at age five, and learning early that men and feelings, weren’t a great relationship.

💙 “I didn’t see the men around me show emotion. I want my boys to be able to.”

We traced the pathway that shaped him — being raised in a small Montana town marked by addiction and loss, finding freedom and purpose on fishing boats of Alaska, and eventually building a life in Australia.

Grant also spoke candidly about what it cost him to stand up to unsafe cultures and bullying on a major project — a long period of union harassment that left a deeper mark than he realised at the time.

💙 “Two years of harassment… being filmed, edited, posted online… told ‘you’re a liar’ for hours. I thought I was fine. Then I realised: I wasn’t.”

Grant described the moment he understood the emotional impact:

💙 “I was told, ‘take the emotion out of it’, and I said, ‘I don’t know how.’”

That experience fed directly into the beginnings of Wellness in Infrastructure. Grant talked about Professor Luke Downey’s 2018 research, which found burnout at almost 50% in construction and depression and stress four to five times higher than the general population.

💙 “People were hurting. Enough wasn’t being done. We wanted to change those statistics.”

One line stayed with me, well after the show:

💙 “This isn’t about being nice for the sake of it. The way we treat people at work can push them over the edge or pull them back from it.”

For anyone who works in infrastructure, construction, or mostly male environments — this episode is a powerful reflection on what real prevention looks like: clarity, safety, leadership, and environments that don’t break people.

Grant’s honesty, insight and lived experience bring a rare depth to a conversation workplaces (and beyond) desperately need.

What does it feel like, being you, today?

www.raebonney.au

#InternationalMensDay #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #Infrastructure #ConstructionIndustry

#WorkplaceMentalHealth #PsychosocialSafety #SafetyLeadership #MentallyHealthyWorkplaces #BurnoutPrevention #BullyingAndHarassment #LivedExperience

What Does It Feel Like, Being Michael Wilson?

The Human Side Of Men's Health Research

The world loves a good stat 📈.

We quote them, post them, argue about them, and use “the research” to support our opinions.

But how often do we stop to ask, where does the data come from? Who are the people behind the research? What drives someone to commit years of their life to a PhD? .... and who supports them along the way?

Back in October 2023, I was joined by Michael Wilson, Research Fellow in Men's Mental Health at Orygen and one of the new generation of men’s health researchers, helping shape what “evidence” really means in the lives of men.

His work explores why some men face higher suicide risk after relationship breakdowns, especially how emotion dysregulation and loneliness can collide in the months post-separation.

We unpacked the why behind Michael’s PhD - the purpose, persistence and curiosity that fuels his work, and how good support is essential in making it all possible.

Then… enter the room (by phone), Michael’s super-supportive supervisor, none other than Dr. Zac Seidler - global men’s health icon, Movember leader, and champion of the next generation of researchers, shared what it takes to nurture rigorous, human-centred research and why great supervision can influence the trajectory of a PhD (and a researcher).

What does it feel like, being you, today?

Involuntary Male Childlessness with Dr Robin Hadley.

On Sunday 21 September, I aired a very special conversation with Dr Robin Hadley - researcher, advocate, poet, and all-round diamond 💎.

Timed perfectly with World Childless Week, Robin and I explored the often overlooked reality of involuntary childlessness in men - the grief, the stigma, and the silence.

Some of Robin’s words that stayed with me:

💔“It’s grief without a death ... a disenfranchised grief because there’s no ritual, no structure, no recognition.”

🔢“If you’re not counted, you don’t count. And if the people who do the counting won’t count you, then you’re excluded twice over.”

🐥“I thought I was the only one who felt so broody, who felt like there was a cloud over them. Then I discovered there were many men like me.”

We also spoke about:

✨ The ache of Father’s Day for men who longed to be dads

✨ The policy blind-spots that leave childless men invisible in planning and services

✨ Aging without children and who advocates for you when family isn’t there

✨ Male vulnerability - why it needs to be understood on its own terms

✨ Robin’s very personal health update about how a routine check led to an early prostate cancer diagnosis

This is an interview I absolutely loved. Robin’s ability to weave his own lived experience with groundbreaking research is rare and powerful. I have enormous respect for his work and I’m grateful he shared it with me .. and now, all of you ☺️.

What does it feel like, being you, today?

www.raebonney.au

#InvoluntaryMaleChildlessness #MensHealth #Fathering #ProstateCancer #GetChecked #MensHealthResearch #MensHealthPolicy #WorldChildlessWeek

Last week I was joined live in the studio’s of 3wbc, by the unstoppable Anna Feringa - one of Australia’s most no-nonsense voices in workplace mental health, psychological safety and wellbeing.

Hilarious & Hard-Hitting Highlights:

⭐Anna’s racy take on psychosocial health (“it’s a mess, but a good mess”)

⭐An entertaining kitchen appliance showdown: Thermomix vs. sandwich press (who knew you could cook salmon in one?)

⭐The importance of meeting people where they are—because “just reach out” often isn’t enough

⭐Why “we’re like a family here” is a massive workplace red flag 🚩

⭐Stories from Dubbo to boardrooms, bullies to board papers—and what it really takes to create safe and caring workplaces

⭐Plus, a little detour into perms, chili jam, and why laughter belongs in mental health conversations

Anna doesn’t just cut through the BS, she brings heart, humour, and hard truths that every leader and workplace needs to hear.

❤️ Come for the laughs, stay for the goosebumps. 🪿

What does it feel like, being you, today?

www.raebonney.au

#MensHealth #MentalHealth #WorkplaceWellbeing #PsychologicalSafety #Kindness #Care #WorkplaceMentalHealth #Thermomix #CreativeCooking #PopFilters #LiveRadio