Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health

The quality of our mental health is intertwined with our sense of connection to each other and the world around us.
Humans are social creatures; we need community wherever we can find it, and being lonely makes us more likely to be mentally ill.
Ben is a musician on a mission to create connection his own way. Since April, he's been taking his guitar down every single street in the Adelaide CBD singing and striking up conversations while raising money

You might be shocked to hear a third of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by another child...

It's not the stereotype that comes to mind when this topic gets brought up, but it's what happened to Shannon Molloy from the age of five...

An accomplished journalist and author, Shannon investigated male child sexual abuse for his book 'You Made Me This Way', interviewing experts

Viciously tormented by bullies over his sexuality during his school days, Shannon's younger years were coloured by shame, secrecy and self-loathing. Despite always having felt broken in some way, he's gone on to create happy life for himself and his family, while building a successful career and bringing crucial light to ugly issues

This is Shannon Molloy...

Grinding out a successful career as a young lawyer, Brian thought he knew the path laid out before him, until one particularly confronting case changed everything…

Back then Brian had no idea embarking on his mental health journey would ultimately lead him to create a unique mental health support service called BCognitive.

Brian’s got a great story, he’s doing phenomenal work and listening to him talk will put a smile on your face.

This is Brian Njuguna...

Most of us have had times in our lives when we’ve felt like we don’t fit in, but what if you always felt out of place no matter where you are? That’s the reality for many people on the Autism Spectrum, who are known as 'neurodivergent' a name given to those whose brain processes information in a way that’s different to the majority.

At 28, Callum Reid is only now accepting the reality of living life as someone who’s not neurotypical. It’s taken a lifetime of self-torment, trying to force a square peg in a round hole, for him to realise everything that’s great about being just the way he is.

He works a 9 to 5, but his true passion is producing electronic music under the name ‘Lezen’.

This is Callum Reid…

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is often misunderstood. We commonly think of OCD as a need to keep things in order or being a germaphobe, but the reality can be far more life altering.  

Matt’s experience of OCD was coloured by a constant barrage of intrusive thoughts so intense that it drove him to make an attempt on his life. It was the peak of the crescendo in his story, but thankfully not the climax.

It's been a hard road for Matt since that dark day in 2020, but he's come a long way thanks to therapy, his fiancé and the coping strategies he’s put into practice.

Now he’s earned himself a psychology degree and he’s on a mission to help people.

This is Matt Forrester...

Countless young Aussies grow up playing sport, dreaming of life as a professional athlete.

Making a career out of playing the game you love sounds perfect; but as Tom Jonas will tell you, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

The former Port Adelaide captain's 13 season AFL career came to an end in 2023 after a rollercoaster year of inner turmoil. Tom's had to come to terms with hanging up the boots, and figure out how to evolve after footy. 

We chat about the AFL's ongoing shift in mental health culture and the broader impact of players showing vulnerability. Plus, Tom gives his insight on managing the mental and emotional side of professional sport.  

This is Tom Jonas...

Many of us go through life believing we’re the ones in control; that nothing is going to go terribly wrong if we do the right thing and look after ourselves. But sometimes, when we least expect it, life can be cruel and wildly unfair, reminding us of the fragility of our existence.  

Everything was ticking along nicely for Kish, enjoying a night out with friends last October, when out of nowhere he started feeling overwhelmingly sick. Like anyone of us might, he brushed it off as food poisoning, but the reality was unfathomably more sinister…

Since his diagnosis, Kish has been through hell, enduring weeks in the ICU, gruelling chemo and needing to have his bowel totally removed.

Now he faces the daunting prospect of a bone marrow transplant to save his life; and despite everything he’s going through, he’s courageously campaigning to raise awareness and funding for the Leukaemia Foundation. 

The Leukaemia Foundation encourages all Australians impacted by blood cancer, and those interested in finding out more, to go to bloodcancer.org.au where stories and resources will be shared during Blood Cancer Month in September.

You can donate to Kish's appeal here: https://gofund.me/41b3d3d2

This is Kish Modi’s story…

How much porn are you watching? And how much sex are you having?...
They're questions that'll get your guard up like nothing else; and although sex and porn are experienced by most people on Earth, when it comes to taking a frank look at our own sexual behaviour, many of us feel the

In this episode we're putting porn and sex addiction under the microscope; how to recognise if you've got a problem, the potential psychological damage it can do to you and others, and what can be done about it. 

We also discuss stigma, secrecy and the ever evolving integration between A.I and real life. 

Here to help us piece all this together is Dr Paula Hall, a psychosexual therapist specialising in helping people reclaim their lives from these addictions.

Paula’s published multiple books on the topic, and developed her own self-help recovery program, Pivotal Recovery, which is now available at pivotalrecovery.org

This is Dr Paula Hall...

Raising two daughters with his wife in a happy home, Warren Gunns never could’ve predicted the devastating chain of events that would befall his family.

His eldest, Maddie was 13 years old when she was sexually assaulted on a holiday, a trauma that led to a life-threatening eating disorder, which put pressure on her parents relationship. 

Maddie had a special bond with her dad, who would’ve been 63 this August if he hadn’t taken his life…

Desperate to escape the pain, Maddie turned to meth to cope; with the drug sweeping her up in an addiction that nearly took everything. 

This episode shows how the ripple effects of suicide can forever alter the lives of those left behind in ways you’d never expect. 

In the face of soul crushing hardship, Maddie’s become a great mum, business owner, marathon runner, and a shining example that it’s never too late to turn your life around.    

In May 2025, she’s running 21 half marathons in 21 days to mark the 10 year anniversary of her dad’s passing. 

Partnering with The Outback Mind Foundation, Maddie’s ‘Steps 4 Strength’ campaign aims to raise 210k to fund community mental health initiatives and a

This is Maddie Mortimer’s story…

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You can support Maddie's cause here: https://donorbox.org/steps4strength

Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health is the award-winning volunteer video podcast dedicated to young men's mental health.
This life-changing archive of lived experience exists to share authentic stories of hardship, resilience and recovery, told by men under 40 and their loved ones from all walks of life; proving that no matter what you're going through, you're not alone!
Jump in and let host, Cal MacPherson guide you on a journey that goes right to the heart of being human, with relatable guests who will leave you feeling inspired and informed.