Man Down: The Anti-Man-Up Movement

Join Zak and I as we discuss his new track 'Less of a Man', which explores our relationship with masculinity and what it means to be a man in today's society. We also chat about Zak's experiences of mental health, his exceptional table tennis talent, mental health within the music industry and the impact of our mums in our lives. To me, Zak is a true example of authenticity and vulnerability, in his ability to share this truth openly and from a place of curiosity. About Zak: Zak Abel is a British singer / songwriter, who first rose to fame after supplying guest vocals on Gorgon City's UK Top 20 hit single ‘Unmissable'. Born in London, Zak's journey into music was not predetermined, as despite this always being where his true passions lay, he once ranked Number 1 in England and had a position on the Olympic Squad for Table Tennis. Travelling around the world to train and play games, Zak's earliest musical memory is listening to Magic FM in the car and being brought up on a diet of Ray Charles, Amy Winehouse and James Brown – soul music in the most classical sense. The depth and feeling that those artists packed into their lyrics were never lost on Zak, who started penning his own songs as a 14-year-old and uploading videos of his work to YouTube, which eventually led to him signing a record deal in 2014 and meeting influential electronic music producer, Joker. Zak and Joker released the four-track EP, ‘Joker Presents: Zak Abel', in 2015 – a record Zak credits with opening his mind to new ways of thinking about music and a gateway for meeting other creative minds to collaborate with like in the career-defining tracks ‘Beautiful Escape' with Tom Misch and Kaytranada on 'Say Sumthin'. Through these early collaborations, Zak felt both emboldened as a writer and confident as a performer, setting him up perfectly for the release of his 2017 debut album, ‘Only When We're Naked'. This body of work saw him channel his creativity into pop spheres for the first time and it was a record that significantly increased his stock as a writer too – being asked to pen hit records for the likes of Kygo (‘Freedom') Avicii (‘Ten More Days'), ZAYN (Flames), Paloma Faith and John Legend (I'll Be Gentle) and Don Diablo (Bad). Now signed to Vertigo Berlin (Universal Music Germany) and Island Records in the US, his own music never fails to disappoint, too: blending soulful vocals with R&B and pop, the smokey 2021 release “Be Kind”, which made it into AirPlay Charts in various European countries and Top 40 HOT AC in the USA has been the defining direction for his upcoming second album. Alongside music, Zak is an Ambassador for mental health charity CALM and speaks openly about issues surrounding this topic as well as channeling themes of identity and mental struggle into his lyrics.

This week's very special episode of Man Down is with the brilliant Mo Gawdat. Mo is the former Chief Business Officer of Google X (Google's so-called 'moonshot factory' responsible for off-the-wall ideas such as self-driving cars and a balloon-powered internet) but for many years, despite his success, he found himself deeply unhappy. After experiencing the tragic loss of his son, he set out to find out what it truly means to be happy and to share the teachings of his son with the masses. Mo is the author of Solve for Happy and host of the Slo Mo Podcast, and his most recent book, Scary Smart, a call to action for all of us to wake up to the reality of Artificial Intelligence. Mo and I discuss what it means to be truly happy, the role of masculinity within this and of course, the rise of A.I and what we all need to be thinking about when it comes to the so called 'rise' of the machines. I hope you enjoy it! Mo's new book, Scary Smart, is now available for pre-orders. Pre-order your copy from Amazon and send an email titled 'Man Down' with a screenshot of your order confirmation to win@mogawdat.com. Mo will pick 50 winners over the course of the next few weeks who will all win a signed copy of the limited edition pre-lease copy. It gets even better, if you can come to London, UK, you may win an invitation to spend the evening with Mo, myself, and a small group of 3 other readers as he buys us all dinner in London in September. Spread the word and tell others to preorder too!

This week's episode is with the brilliant Lars Wilde, co-founder of Compass Pathways. We talk about Lars' own journey with mental health, which led him to his first experience with psilocybin (the active ingredient in 'magic' mushrooms), as well as the incredible work that's being done in the psychedelic therapy space in relationship to changing the game in mental health treatment. Lars is an active serial entrepreneur in tech and biotech and a business angel, and has helped to successfully build several companies. Before joining COMPASS, Lars was the founder and CEO of Springlane, a leading European direct-to-consumer kitchen and BBQ brand and the largest German cooking magazine. Lars previously worked as an investor at Waterland Private Equity, one of the world's best performing private equity funds. Amongst other buy-and-build investments, he focused on building VivaNeo, the largest European in-vitro fertilisation group, providing patients with cutting edge medical solutions. Lars has also spent time with Boston Consulting Group in Munich and São Paulo. Lars holds a master's degree in Finance from IE Business School in Spain and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands. He spent exchange semesters at the University of Münster, the Copenhagen Business School and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Russell Kennedy specializes in the art and neuroscience of helping people recover from anxiety disorders. He knows anxiety from the inside out, as he developed his own anxiety disorder as a result of growing up with a dad with severe schizophrenia. Dr Kennedy has degrees and advanced training in medicine, neuroscience and developmental psychology — but it's not all science, as he is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher and was a professional stand-up comedian for over a decade (no joke!) In his award winning book, ANXIETY RX, he shows a practical, actionable program for anxiety relief that incorporates the grounding wisdom of the unconscious body to alleviate the anxious thoughts of the conscious mind. Using a combination of neuroscience (think "The Body Keeps the Score") and blending that science with a more artistic approach he learned through living at a temple in India, taking psychedelics, and being a natural and gifted intuitive, Dr Kennedy gives a unique and never before seen understanding of what anxiety truly is, and further, exactly how it can be successfully treated. Dr Russ wants to make sure that nobody has to suffer with anxiety as he did. I speak with Dr. Russ about his own experiences of anxiety (and some of mine!), a new approach to healing, psychedelics, breathwork, neuroscience and much more!

This is the trailer for episode 52 of Man Down. Dr. Russell Kennedy specializes in the art and neuroscience of helping people recover from anxiety disorders. He knows anxiety from the inside out, as he developed his own anxiety disorder as a result of growing up with a dad with severe schizophrenia. Dr Kennedy has degrees and advanced training in medicine, neuroscience and developmental psychology — but it's not all science, as he is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher and was a professional stand-up comedian for over a decade (no joke!) In his award winning book, ANXIETY RX, he shows a practical, actionable program for anxiety relief that incorporates the grounding wisdom of the unconscious body to alleviate the anxious thoughts of the conscious mind. Using a combination of neuroscience (think "The Body Keeps the Score") and blending that science with a more artistic approach he learned through living at a temple in India, taking psychedelics, and being a natural and gifted intuitive, Dr Kennedy gives a unique and never before seen understanding of what anxiety truly is, and further, exactly how it can be successfully treated. Dr Russ wants to make sure that nobody has to suffer with anxiety as he did. I speak with Dr. Russ about his own experiences of anxiety (and some of mine!), a new approach to healing, psychedelics, breathwork, neuroscience and much more!

Welcome to episode 51 of Man Down with Asa Baav & David Chambers. As coaches and educators, they guide couples to experience new depths of intimacy, deepen their relationship with themselves and their partners, and discover new levels of pleasure by teaching powerful communication techniques, intimacy practices and the importance of prioritising your relationship. In this episode we discuss their relationship, the individual work they have done on themselves and the work they have done together and how that feeds into their relationship. As well as this we talk about the process of opening up their relationship and some of the rituals that helps them maintain a healthy and fulfilling partnership. Asa Baav is a matchmaker, female coach, educator and founder of Tailor Matched. David Chambers is men's dating & intimacy coach and the founder of The Authentic Man. For 10% off your first month of online therapy head to betterhelp.com/mandown @tailormatched @theauthenticman_ @coachwithasa

Welcome to the trailer for episode 51 of Man Down with Asa Baav & David Chambers. As coaches and educators, they guide couples to experience new depths of intimacy, deepen their relationship with themselves and their partners, and discover new levels of pleasure by teaching powerful communication techniques, intimacy practices and the importance of prioritising your relationship. In this episode we discuss their relationship, the individual work they have done on themselves and the work they have done together and how that feeds into their relationship. As well as this we talk about the process of opening up their relationship and some of the rituals that helps them maintain a healthy and fulfilling partnership. Asa Baav is a matchmaker, female coach, educator and founder of Tailor Matched. David Chambers is men's dating & intimacy coach and the founder of The Authentic Man. For 10% off your first month of online therapy head to betterhelp.com/mandown @tailormatched @theauthenticman_ @coachwithasa

Andrew Waddell is The MidLife Coach specialising in supporting men struggling with stuckness in their midlife. After 20 years in the world of marketing and experiencing turbulent times in his 40s, Andrew retrained and now works helping men refind their purpose and passion for life. We talk about Andrew's own experiences with mental health, fatherhood, leaving corporate work and so much more - a truly incredible guy, doing amazing work! www.midlife-coach.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/midlifecoach www.facebook.com/andrewthemidlifecoach

This is the trailer for episode 50 of Man Down! Andrew Waddell is The MidLife Coach specialising in supporting men struggling with stuckness in their midlife. After 20 years in the world of marketing and experiencing turbulent times in his 40s, Andrew retrained and now works helping men refind their purpose and passion for life. We talk about Andrew's own experiences with mental health, fatherhood, leaving corporate work and so much more - a truly incredible guy, doing amazing work! www.midlife-coach.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/midlifecoach www.facebook.com/andrewthemidlifecoach

Welcome to The Break Down, where today's focus is on CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Lorna Devine. We'll be talking about what CBT is, what it can help with and what the process actually looks like. Lorna is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and an accredited Coach. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and a Diploma in Life Coaching and Personal Performance Coaching. Lorna specialises in empowering high performers and overachievers to improve their psychological wellbeing and performance so that they can flourish in their personal and professional lives. She adopts an integrative approach to client work, combining different tools and techniques from coaching and evidence-based psychological models of therapy to specifically meet clients' needs; enabling transformational and lasting changes. In addition to offering 1:1 online therapy and coaching, Lorna delivers a range of masterclasses, emotional wellness workshops and group programmes; and consults for companies, start-ups and wellness brands. Lorna has worked with and been featured in leading brands such as BBC News London, Harper's Bazaar, Sweaty Betty, SheerLuxe and many more.

Ryan Carter is a registered nutritional therapist, personal trainer, breathwork coach and has many more specialised qualifications under his belt. Ryan utilises a unique approach that encompasses multitude of practises which does not believe in protocols nor paradigms. He genuinely listens to his clients, applying his knowledge and wisdom in an individualised method. As a result, Ryan had successfully created his brand, “Live Vitae” that continues to uphold his vision: to ignite people's inner light through asking better questions which lets people think for themselves first hand about taking back control of their own health. Ryan and I chat about men's groups, nutrition, mental health and much more! Instagram: @livevitae Website: https://www.livevitae.com/

This is the trailer for #47 of Man Down with Ryan Carter. Ryan Carter is a registered nutritional therapist, personal trainer, breathwork coach and has many more specialised qualifications under his belt. Ryan utilises a unique approach that encompasses multitude of practises which does not believe in protocols nor paradigms. He genuinely listens to his clients, applying his knowledge and wisdom in an individualised method. As a result, Ryan had successfully created his brand, “Live Vitae” that continues to uphold his vision: to ignite people's inner light through asking better questions which lets people think for themselves first hand about taking back control of their own health. Ryan and I chat about men's groups, nutrition, mental health and much more!

An impromptu solo episode that I recorded this morning on the value and power of self inquiry and self awareness as a path to finding purpose and happiness in your life. A big shout out to the brilliant Naval Ravikant and the book 'The Almanack of Naval Ravikant', for helping me find the words to express this.

Today I am joined by Dan Murray-Serter, Co-Founder of Heights and Founder & Host of Europe's top business Podcast www.secretleaders.com. Dan and I talk about the importance of taking care of your brain, how we can do that and his own journey with his mental health and insomnia that led him to start Heights.

This is the trailer for Monday's episode of Man Down with Dan Murray-Serter, Co-Founder of Heights and Founder & Host of Europe's top business Podcast www.secretleaders.com. Dan and I talk about the importance of taking care of your brain, how we can do that and his own journey with his mental health and insomnia that led him to start Heights.

Welcome to the first episode of Man Down Presents: The Break Down, in partnership with BetterHelp. In this episode of The Break Down, I wanted to run through my experience with therapy, anti-depressants and much more to give you the full picture of where I've been and where I'm currently at, to show you that you're not alone in finding the right type of support! For 10% off your first month of therapy head to www.betterhelp.com/mandown

Mark Whittle is a former athlete turned lifestyle coach, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and productivity / bio-hacker - the founder and host of the UK's No.1 peak performance podcast 'Take FLIGHT', and the host of the unique 'Take FLIGHT' events and seminars. Mark is on a mission to help you find your inner strength, pursue your true purpose and take that leap of faith towards the life you've always dreamed of living. Mark built a very successful career in the city with two of the biggest companies in the world, but after 10 years found himself searching for his true purpose. After hitting rock bottom, in one enlightening moment, he realised happiness and fulfilment will never arrive through the accumulation of material things - and it is only felt when you are aligned with your true purpose. He has been helping people pursue their purpose ever since. Mark and I chat about his journey through physical and mental health, fatherhood, his work and the role spirituality in his life. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Mark Whittle is a former athlete turned lifestyle coach, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and productivity / bio-hacker - the founder and host of the UK's No.1 peak performance podcast 'Take FLIGHT', and the host of the unique 'Take FLIGHT' events and seminars. Mark is on a mission to help you find your inner strength, pursue your true purpose and take that leap of faith towards the life you've always dreamed of living. Mark built a very successful career in the city with two of the biggest companies in the world, but after 10 years found himself searching for his true purpose. After hitting rock bottom, in one enlightening moment, he realised happiness and fulfilment will never arrive through the accumulation of material things - and it is only felt when you are aligned with your true purpose. He has been helping people pursue their purpose ever since. Mark and I chat about his journey through physical and mental health, fatherhood, his work and the role spirituality in his life. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

I've been putting off doing a solo episode for exactly 1 year and I figured it was probably time to tell you all a little bit about me, why I started the podcast and my own mental health journey! There will be more solo episodes to come and I'm excited to share them with you. Jamie x

I've been putting off doing a solo episode for exactly 1 year and I figured it was probably time to tell you all a little bit about me, why I started the podcast and my own mental health journey! Here's the trailer! There will be more solo episodes to come and I'm excited to share them with you. Jamie x

This week I'm joined by the incredible Tom Odell. Tom and I had a great chat and covered: - Life as a musician in a pandemic - The role of social media in mental health and connecting with fans - Tom's mental health journey and his battles with anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately led to him to create his new album, Monsters, which is out in July 2021. Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to like, subscribe, rate and review! https://tomodell.com/ https://www.beder.org.uk/

Welcome to trailer for episode #42 of Man Down with the incredible musician and songwriter, Tom Odell. This is the first episode of Season 3 of Man Down and I'm so excited to share this with you. In Monday's episode, Tom and I discuss: - Life as a musician in a pandemic - The role of social media in mental health and connecting with fans - Tom's mental health journey and his battles with anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately led to him Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to like, subscribe, rate and review!

We are back for a brand new season and I am so excited to share it with you! This season has more incredible guest interviews, solo episodes from yours truly and a brand new part of the Man Down family - The Break Down - the break down is a series of mini episodes with mental health practitioners, breaking down their line of work so that you can learn more about the different types of support that are available. If you love the podcast please subscribe, rate and review - it really does go a long way!

In today's episode, I sit down with Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Michael Brown, Partner at UM. The two recently partnered on new research highlighting the impact COVID-19 is having on the mental health of young men, and how unhelpful media representations of male ‘strength' (predominantly ads, TV, socials) are making problems worse. Since becoming CEO of CALM in January 2017, Simon has pursued a strategy of growth that has seen the charity transform its brand and operations, and more than double its helpline service provision to reach more people in crisis. Prior to CALM, Simon led the digital, marketing and commercial divisions of Virgin Media TV, EMI Music, the BBC, Bacardi and BBH. Michael helps UM's clients understand their audiences and marketplaces by leading the agency's consumer insight department. After five years at UM, Michael has recently taken on the additional responsibility of leading the agency's Better World vision, which is their strategy for ensuring the agency makes a positive impact on the world we operate in. Michael has a particular passion for using traditional research methods to give a platform to marginalised voices in society and for understanding the role and responsibility of ads in creating and tackling stereotypes. Michael is founder and chair of #MRSpride, the market research sector's LGBTQ+ network. Watch The Mandate here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eNuXf5_Q0Y

Steve is the Co-Founder of Reframe Coaching, a not for profit organisation which provides after care coaching to individuals ‘in recovery' from a Gambling Disorder and individuals who have been adversely affected by their loved ones Gambling. He also has a consultancy business which works with other organisations to reduce Gambling Related Harm and improve elements of the Criminal Justice System. Steve uses his unique blend of knowledge and lived experience to help and support others. Steve's lived experience saw him go from being an Executive Director, Husband and Dad of 2 who had never been in trouble before to suffering from poor mental health, a Gambling Disorder (staking £19.9m and stealing £1.1m) and ending up with a 4 year prison sentence. During his time in Prison he had to step outside of his comfort zone, this allowed him to work on his self-development, as well as training and working as a Samaritan and Mentor to support other inmates

Lawrence Price is an ex Welsh rugby player and personal trainer of 14 years. He is a FiiT Trainer, Lucozade Sport ambassador, cover model and presenter hosting his own podcast 'Walk with Lawrence'.  Lawrence is an amazing guy, with an incredible positive energy that is clear for all to see. We spoke about his experiences with mental health, his 'toolkit', fatherhood and also our own concepts of masculinity and what it means to be a man. I'm so grateful for Lawrence's vulnerability and his raw ability to share his experiences openly and eloquently. I'm sure you're going to love this one.

8 years ago Charlie King burst onto ITV2's TOWIE. Quickly becoming a cast favourite he built a solid fan base with his calm, genuine nature which was a refreshing change for the reality tv show. Following TOWIE Charlie has openly discussed his own issues with struggling with his mental health & sexuality. In 2014 Charlie came out publicly on ITV's This Morning and from then on has been an advocate for the importance of authentic conversation and openness. A major turning point for Charlie was working with mens health magazine for a fitness shoot which gave him the fitness bug. The connection between mental and physical health became extremely evident for him & is now a big feature in his career as a coach & media personality. I spoke to Charlie about life on TOWIE, being in the public eye and his journey with his mental health and sexuality.

NSFW - A very, very special episode with some of my favourite men in this space and people I'm lucky enough to call my friends. In this episode we dive deep into an open, honest and frank discussion about the world of sex. We cover a whole range of topics, including why men don't talk about sex, sexual difficulties, what a healthy relationship with masturbation and porn looks like, kink, BDSM and much, much more.  I am so grateful to these guys for being part of this and for sharing so openly, please check them out on social media and support the incredible work that they're doing. David Chambers: @authenticdatingseries Ben Bidwell: @thenakedprofessor James Walsham: @thehonestbloke

Daniele is co-founder of Utopia, a culture change business that creates more purposeful, inclusive and entrepreneurial cultures for clients. Utopia's top-to-bottom, boardroom to factory floor approach has clinched household names including Coca-Cola European Partners, Google, Schneider Electric, Spotify and Universal Music. He also co-founded The Great British Diversity Experiment in 2015 and Token Man a year prior; the latter is an initiative that gives men a better understanding of gender inequality in the workplace and inspires them to become change-makers. He was named one of Management Today's Top 30 Male Agents of Change, and in 2019 was on the Advisory Board for Inclusion Matters. Prior to Utopia, he held positions as head of innovation and managing partner at Cheil Worldwide, and was CEO at Profero, where he helped increase annual revenue from £0.5m to £16m over the course of a decade. He continues to nurture a number of communities he co-founded, including Brand Social and Culture Social, which focus on accelerating culture change and creative thinking. He has also co-authored a number of books including Creative Superpowers: Equip Yourself for the Age of Creativity and is a podcast host on Soho Radio. In his spare time, Daniele loves travelling the world (he's racing his friend to hit 100 countries visited) and indulging his passion for watching cinema. His favourite film is Cinema Paradiso, in case you were wondering. Links mentioned: Masculinity in the Workplace report - https://www.weareutopia.co/towards-utopia/publications/ Davy Lazare's Island Men - https://soundcloud.com/weareutopians/island-boy-by-davy-lazare Token Man - https://www.tokenman.org/ Utopia - https://www.weareutopia.co/

Loui Blake is a London-based entrepreneur, speaker & angel investor. Starting out in football & then nightlife, a switch to a plant-based diet in 2015 caused Loui to refocus his attention on businesses that make a positive impact on the world. He is the founder of the U.K's largest vegan restaurant, amongst a number of other hospitality concepts & sports businesses. A popular speaker on conscious business & personal development, Loui has spoken at London school of economics, NEMO Amsterdam & University college London, amongst other conferences & events around the world. I spoke to Loui about his life in business, burning out, fear and what he does to look after himself. https://www.louiblake.com/

Sam Portland is a performance consultant and over the last decade he has spent his time working with many elite and grass roots organisations including Wasps Rugby, Ealing Trailfinders, Kenya Sevens, Burnley FC and NFL players. Sam now operate as a consultant and provides mentoring and educational programs to coaches. As a former rugby player myself (definitely not pro) I loved chatting to Sam about the world of elite sport, rugby culture and where mental health fits into all of this. Sam also shares an open and honest account of his own experiences with mental health, the grief of losing his brother and shares some incredible wisdom from what he's learnt along the way. Thank you Sam!

Richie runs Fella, a Y Combinator startup to help men tackle binge eating. Fella is a community-driven digital health platform: software to guide you through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), supported by other men going through the same thing. Before Fella, Richie's first company (an AI transport startup working with the UK government) was acquired. He's a self-taught data scientist, studied economics at Cambridge University, and dropped out of a masters at Peking Uni in China. In this episode we discuss the amazing work Richie and the team are doing over at Fella, his own journey with binge eating, life as a founder with a YC startup and what helps him look after his own mental health. joinfella.com Instagram: @richiecartwright_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-cartwright/ Twitter: @rich_cartwright

In this episode I'm joined by Ed Cunningham, the founder and host of A Need To Read, a podcast designed to give you a deeper, honest and more engaging book review with none of the bullsh*t. I speak to Ed about his experiences with mental health, what led him to start the podcast and everything in between. I've been lucky to get to know Ed virtually and I can honestly say his passion for books is infectious and he's already helped numerous people help themselves through reading. Here are some of the books mentioned in the podcast: Essentialism - Greg McKeown Lost Connections - Johann Hari Susan David - Emotional Agility Stealing Fire - Steve Kotler

Nektarios Liolios is the co-founder of The Future Farm and the host of the NAKED podcast. Over the last 10 years, Nektarios has worked closely with hundreds of entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses. He co-founded Startupbootcamp FinTech to address the relationship between corporates, startups and investors in London, New York, Singapore, Mumbai, Mexico City, Dubai, Amsterdam and Melbourne. He also co-founded Rainmaking Innovation, the global cooperative of entrepreneurs and led SWIFT's Innotribe Startup Challenge, the first global FinTech startup competition, facilitating interaction between startups and financial institutions. We sat down to discuss mental health in entrepreneurship and explore how we can do things better, while still building successful, thriving businesses. Nektarios is driven by entrepreneurship, collaboration and the desire to improve the lives of the people driving change in this world. a global nomad, travel geek, and sneaker-head.

Dr Antonis Kousoulis is Director for England and Wales at the Mental Health Foundation. He is an experienced public health professional and a leading thinker on mental health and prevention, promotion and inequalities in the UK. Antonis is a doctor with an academic background in public health, having spent time in academia, the third sector and government. His experience includes leading the development team at the data research centre of the UK Department of Health, and numerous academic collaborations, including the Harvard School of Public Health and Imperial College London. He has published, peer reviewed and presented extensively, held editorial appointments for multiple publications, engaged widely with mainstream media, and held various visiting teaching appointments, including at Oxford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. We discuss Antonis' work at the Mental Health Foundation, working with the government to inform policy, the importance of prevention in mental health and much more!

Matt lives in London with his wife and daughter. He runs a small consultancy, Noctis (https://noctis.co/), offering commercial advisory services to charities and startups and investigation work focusing on the impact of oil extraction in the Niger Delta, Nigeria where he used to work. He is a trustee of two charities, Catch22 (https://www.catch-22.org.uk/) and the Anti-Racist Social Club (https://www.theantiracistsocial.club/), and co-creator of sidekick (https://www.sidekick.org.uk/), a non-profit empowering people to support their own mental health. He is also a Chartered Accountant and is currently undertaking a part-time PhD in Quantum Chemistry. I speak to Matt about his own experience with mental health and how he came to launch the brilliant non-profit, sidekick, which is empowering people to support their own mental health through a comprehensive offering of tools and tips within their app.

Kate Moyle is an Accredited Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist, and EFS & ESSM Certified Psycho-Sexologist. She specialises in working with those who are struggling with difficulties with their relationships and sex lives; and works with the view that these challenges have roots in psychology, emotions, the physical body, and a person's history and culture. Ultimately her aim is to help people get to a place of relationship and sexual health, happiness and wellbeing.  We discuss the issues men face when it comes to the realm of the psychosexual and what impact gender roles and conditioning has in the bedroom. Kate hosts The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast and is a regular media contributor on the subject of sex and relationships; and is passionate about having open, honest and realistic conversations to break the taboo around these topics. She is the UK Sex Expert for luxury sex toy brand Lelo, and was a therapist on the 2019 BBC TV series Sex on the Couch. The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sexual-wellness-sessions/id1527311547 www.katemoyle.co.uk Instagram @KateMoyleTherapy

Mark is a film director, cinematographer, editor, colourist and photographer driven by his love for the natural world. Over the past 10 years he has travelled to around 50 countries to explore life as it naturally appears to be. His curiosity and love for life has inspired him to find ways to frame these insights to share a fresh perspective. His most recent project, “Chasing the Present”, took an unconventional approach, pushing the boundaries of the documentary form, whilst framing an extremely important message. The spontaneous idea arose in 2016, that sent him and some filmmakers on a 6 month trip to see if the film could develop organically by immersing themselves in the present. Six months turned into three years, and “Chasing the Present” evolved into a deeply immersive feature film, exploring the root cause of mental suffering, the mystery of consciousness and the nature of the Self. Mark is an amazing man with so much wisdom and I hope you guys enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

In this week's episode I sit down with James Walsham, AKA The Honest Bloke. James is a fellow ambassador and advocate for men's mental health and does an incredible job of making the conversation about emotional wellbeing for men incredibly accessible. I absolutely loved speaking to James, not just because we're on the same page, but also, as you'll hear in the episode, we realise we have near identical stories and experiences around anxiety, abandonment, and our love lives.  You can find out more about James on Instagram @thehonestbloke.

Hector is the co-founder of Unplugged, a startup aiming to help people disconnect from their devices by providing a digital detox at beautiful cabins in the countryside around London. Having plied his trade in high-paced, high growth startups, Hector began to question whether this life of heavy drinking and investor pressure was for him. Hector had been trying to get into mindfulness and meditation but found it tough to make anything stick, which is an all too familiar story for many of us. A friend suggested that he try a meditation retreat in the Himalayas, an idea he initially found hilarious, but suddenly seemed like the right option. This retreat, it's fair to say, changed Hector's life and when he got home, he quit his job, started working on an idea that is now Unplugged and also began his journey towards sobriety.  I absolutely loved talking to Hector, he offers an incredibly accessible and warm insight into his life and what has helped him along the way. www.unplugged.rest

Michael Maisey is an Author, Actor, Motivational Speaker, Host of The C.I.P Podcast, Founder of The CIP Project and if that list isn't enough he is a husband and father and currently expecting his third child. I first heard Michael speak at a men's event last November and although he only spoke for a couple of minutes, the energy and wisdom he put into that room of over 100 men stuck with me and I'm absolutely buzzing and honoured to have him on Man Down. Michael has an incredible story that has led to him being the man he is today, leading the way for conscious and emotionally intelligent men and I can't wait to share this with you all. Michael shares his incredible journey through gang involvement, prison, drugs and a suicide attempt and shows incredible vulnerability and wisdom in explaining how he turned his life around. You can find Michael's most recent book, Young Offender, here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Offender-Mr-Michael-Maisey/dp/1529005477

James Sebastiano Jr. is the protagonist and producer of the incredible new documentary, Chasing The Present. The film follows James' own mental health journey as he seeks to dive deep into why he is suffering with anxiety and how to move past this and truly understand who he is. I am a huge fan of this film and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. In this episode, I discuss with James the trials and tribulations of releasing a film in lockdown, the story behind the journey and what he learnt along the way. James is an incredible guy and I loved getting the chance to chat to him. Check out the film: www.chasingthepresent.com Unplugged: www.unplugged.rest

David Birtwistle is the Founder and Head Coach at Endeavour Life Personal Online Coaching, a contestant on the Netflix show Too Hot To Handle, a car and bike enthusiast, a qualified Petroleum Engineer and a Personal Trainer for over 10 years. As a PT and entrepreneur, David always had a strong presence on social media and used these platforms to build a following. However, when he found himself on the Netflix show Too Hot To Handle, his following grew astronomically to over 1 million followers on Instagram. David and I discuss the world of social media and the impact these platforms and being in the public eye can have on your mental health, how he stays true to himself in a world where people expect him to act in a certain way and also how he manages his mental health on a day to day basis. This is a fascinating conversation and insight into David's life and a look behind the scenes of what life can be like in the public eye!

Ben Bidwell, AKA The Naked Professor, is a mindset & purpose coach, a writer and a public speaker who is on a mission to change the stigma about mental Health & masculinity and as a result, seems like a pretty perfect fit for Man Down. I first met Ben at a men's event in London in November 2019, where he was sharing his own journey through mental health, vulnerability and masculinity. His raw and honest vulnerability was unlike anything I'd heard before and had a huge impact on me in embracing my own vulnerability and through this episode I am sure you will see exactly what I mean.  We cover Ben's own journey, as well as diving into masculinity in more depth, exploring the realms of relationships, sex, personal growth and a whole lot more. You can find Ben at @thenakedprofessor on Instagram and I really encourage everyone to follow his work!

Michael Edward Stephens Michael is a mental health and LGBTQ+ advocate. He spent over 10 years working in creative leadership positions for some of the world's most respected British brands within the fashion, travel and retail industries - including i-D Magazine, Vice Media, Liberty London, Ted Baker and Virgin Atlantic. He now runs his own retreat and workshop business, Create Space Retreats, promoting the importance and value of self-care, specifically within the creative and LGBTQ+ communities.

Josh Connolly is one of the UK's most influential mental health advocates he regularly speaks on BBC, ITV & Channel 5 news. Josh has also spoken in the House of Commons, contributed to mental health policy and even advised the scriptwriting team on Hollyoaks. He has run resilience workshops for village schools and global brands alike. Additionally, he is an ambassador for Nacoa – a national charity supporting people affected by a parent's drinking. Josh shares his own personal story whilst also shedding light on some of the issues with our existing mental health narrative. We discuss male suicide rates, childhood trauma and how we can create spaces where people not only real comfortable reaching out for help, but also reaching in to offer help.

For a guy who started out doing discos at the age of 10 Will Manning has risen to be the host of the UK's biggest chart show, The Official Big Top 40. He's also heard daily on Capital weekdays from 10am bringing sass and his spin on the day to the nation. Will has been the BGT digital presenter, toured the UK with his DJ-ing, been called up by X Factor to host their parties, hosted to 10,000 people at the O2 Arena, voiced adverts for the likes of Drake, Barclaycard and Channel 4 plus, gets the goss from the biggest stars in the world every single week. He's a ‘go to' for artists such as Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo and pretty much every other name you can think of. Will's brand partnerships include TikTok, Virgin Media, NOWTV, TFL and more. We chat about Will's own experiences with mental health and some of his learnings along the way.

Harry Liddell is a Men's Coach and Masculinity Educator determined to bring healing and peace to men's lives through the use of Archetypal Embodiment, Mental Freedom Techniques, and Emotional Reconnection. For the past year Harry has been learning all there is to know about Masculinity through the lens of Jungian Psychology, after resonating strongly with the book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover during a time of severe chronic illness. Through that book he realised that a great deal of his limitations were in relation to how he viewed himself as a man, and through a journey of reconnection to self, has managed to alleviate many of those limitations and heal his chronic illness. He now wants to help other men do the same after realising how powerful the work is. Harry strongly believes that the men of today are deeply wounded, and if we can help them heal, the cascade for the whole of humanity will be huge.

Marvin Sordell is a producer, writer, public speaker, entrepreneur, and former professional football player having played in the Premier League, as well as representing England at U20 & U21 level, and Team GB at London 2012 Olympic Games. Since retiring in July 2019, Marvin's focus has turned towards the video production company he co-founded in early 2019; 180 Productions, and spreading awareness for mental health. He is often involved in TV/Radio interviews and panel discussions around the increasing importance of wellbeing, with a particular focus on sport, and is an ambassador for mental health charity, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) and the Man Down partner charity, Beder.

Richard L. Blake combines breathwork with holistic counselling and biohacking. His mission is to assist in the upgrade in human consciousness and see a new model for mental health in the West that includes breathwork and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Richard has a PG Certificate in Psychotherapy as well as training in Clarity, Conscious Connected and SOMA breathwork and even a Masters in Commercial Real Estate. Whilst working in the corporate world Richard thought that commercial success and appearing in Men's Health as a fitness model would cure his depression and anxiety. Instead, it lead to a Binge Eating Disorder and a suicide attempt. It was only when he discovered breathwork and ayahuasca that he was able to feel truly alive and free from his past traumas.

Joel Bravette is an entrepreneur, activist, recording artist, media personality and much, much more. Most recently Joel founded the BITO Institute, an organisation focused on creating social, systemic and sustainable change through the use data and metrics. We cover a huge range of topics relating to racism, toxic masculinity and mental health through the lens of Joel's own story.