Claim OwnershipMid-life Men: the mental health podcast
Subscribed: 24Played: 461
Subscribe
© 2026 Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast
Description
Have you ever felt like you’ve become lost in your own life?
Many men struggle to talk about their problems and mental health and grew up believing that to do can be perceived as a sign of weakness or failure. There is also a lack of open discussion in society around men’s mental health, especially aimed at mid-life men. As a result, at times many men can feel alone and lost in their own lives.
In this podcast series, I talk to mid-life men about their stories; the challenges, the turning points, and the support received to help them find their way so that others who may be suffering in silence or don’t know what to do next, realise that they are not alone and there is help available.
Stories will cover a whole range of challenges faced by mid-life men mainly relating to the causes of mental health issues including feelings of isolation, depression, job dissatisfaction, addiction, PTSD, and long-term illness.
The podcast is NOT a replacement for professional support and we signpost to organisations and their contact details by episode.
If you have a story you would like to share or any feedback on the podcasts, please email me: midlifemen01@gmail.com.
84 Episodes
Reverse
You won’t hear many life stories like this. Jerzy Gregorek’s life spans teenage alcoholism and suicidal thoughts, elite Olympic-level weightlifting, political exile from communist Poland, serious injury and paralysis, underground resistance work, and the long, unglamorous process of starting again in a new country. More than once. What makes this episode different is that Jerzy doesn’t romanticise any of it. He speaks plainly about the cost of bad choices, the patience required to rebuild, an...
What happens when you grow up in chaos and just learn to get on with it? In this episode, I talk with filmmaker and speaker Lee Greenhough about growing up around loss, addiction, and instability and how those early years quietly shape the choices men make later in life. Lee shares what it’s like to carry things you never dealt with, how that weight can surface through drinking, anger, or restlessness, and why change rarely comes from big moments or sudden insight. Instead, this conversation ...
A lot of men don’t think they have a problem with intimacy. They just feel a bit distant. A bit shut down. Less connected than they used to be to their partner, to sex, or to themselves. This episode goes right into that space. I’m joined by Dr. Dan Sneider. Dan is a therapist; however, this isn’t a lecture or a list of techniques. It’s a conversation grounded in his own lived experience and how he learned early on to shut parts of himself down, how that showed up in his relationships, and wh...
In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Rice, a bioarchitect and the founder of Mentorus. Michael approaches men’s lives the same way he approaches buildings: by looking at foundations, structure, and whether what’s been built is actually fit for purpose. After years designing physical spaces, his work now focuses on helping men understand why a life that looks solid on the outside can quietly stop working from within, and how to rebuild it with intention, clarity, and honesty. We talk about w...
In this episode, we talk to Mordy Gottlieb, a men’s therapist whose work - and life - has been shaped by one quiet, corrosive belief: “Whatever I do, it’s never enough.” Mordy shares how perfection became his survival strategy as a child and how striving without self-compassion led to years of numbing, self-criticism, and chasing relief through behaviours that slowly escalated rather than resolved the pain. What makes this conversation different is its honesty about how these patterns actuall...
What happens to a man when he loses his father and no one shows him how to grieve? In this honest, darkly funny, and deeply human conversation, we hear from John Colbert, a writer and former advertising creative who turned the loss of his father to prostate cancer into Damaged Goods, a memoir made up of short, sharply observed stories about grief, masculinity, mental health, and what happens long after the funeral ends. John was just 20 when his father died after a six-year illness. What foll...
What do you do when you look in the mirror and no longer recognise the man staring back? When the weight you’re carrying - physically and mentally - feels impossible to shift? In this powerful and frank conversation, we speak with Jonathan Boulware, a man who went from years of obesity, shame, and hopelessness to completely transforming his life, but not through fad diets or quick fixes, but by rebuilding his mindset, his habits, and his sense of self. Jonathan shares the story of losing his ...
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Brian Livesay, a trauma therapist and Director of Clinical Research at Arise Alliance, and we explore how men can heal from unspoken trauma, not by suppressing or avoiding it, but by facing it differently. Drawing from his personal story of loss, military service, and years working with veterans and first responders, Brian introduces a groundbreaking approach to healing called Critical Memory Integration (CMI). It’s a way of helping people re-engage with the...
What happens when the work stops, the job title is no longer relevant, and the role that defined you disappears? In this episode, Nick Shelton tells the story so many midlife men silently live: achieving everything you thought you wanted… only to find yourself fading, drifting, or feeling strangely empty once the structure and purpose of working life falls away. Nick retired young, thinking it would feel like freedom. Instead, it felt like slowly disappearing, like waking up one day and reali...
What if midlife wasn’t the beginning of decline, but a second chance to feel alive again? In this episode, my guest is Louis Bezich, men’s health advocate, and author of Saving Men from Themselves. After years of juggling leadership, divorce, and single parenthood, Louis discovered that taking care of himself wasn’t selfish - it was survival. Louis shares how purpose, relationships, and everyday rituals can transform men’s health, longevity, and happiness. He speaks honestly about the lies we...
In this episode, Merlin Matthews, founder of Man Academy, explores how men can move from isolation to connection, from being “lone warriors” who suppress emotions to connected men who grow through community and accountability. From childhood trauma and dissociation to running a global charity and now creating a movement to halve the male suicide rate, Merlin’s story is as complex as it is hopeful. He shares what he’s learned about breaking free from conditioning, such as the pressure to...
In this powerful conversation, transformational coach Anthony Cudjo shares a no-excuses roadmap for men who are tired of living small, disconnected lives. With the passion of a preacher and the precision of a scientist, he explains how to reclaim your physical, emotional, and spiritual power by aligning with the natural laws that govern human performance. Coach Cudjo doesn’t sugarcoat a thing. His message is simple but radical: It’s his job to tell the truth. It’s your job to decide. Fr...
In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Gary Jader, a lifelong advocate for men’s mental health, talks about growing up in a house full of conflict, the long shadow of a verbally abusive father, and how that early pain became fuel for a life spent helping others heal. Gary’s story is not one of overnight transformation. It’s about persistence, learning to “dance with our imperfections,” as he puts it, and finding the courage to speak the truth about what’s really going on inside. Tog...
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains references to suicide, which you may find distressing, so please listen with care. So many men grow up hearing the same messages: figure it out yourself, don’t cry, just get on with it. The result? A lot of us go through life carrying heavy stuff on our own, even when it’s slowly crushing us. In this conversation, I talk to Tom Karrell about what happens when you stop pretending and actually start connecting. Tom shares openly about losing three close fr...
What happens when a successful career suddenly disappears overnight? In this frank conversation, we explore the hidden reality of job loss in today's brutal employment market and its devastating impact on mental health, identity, and self-worth. Joe built a thriving career as a copywriter for major brands before being made redundant alongside thousands of others in the tech industry bloodbath. What followed was an eye-opening journey through the modern job market that would challenge everythi...
TRIGGER WARNING This episode contains a reference to suicidal thoughts, which you may find distressing, so please listen with care. In this powerful episode, we hear the remarkable story of a man who turned years of bullying into fuel for resilience and achievement. Ben shares how relentless bullying at school - much of it focused on the way he ran - left him feeling isolated, stripped of confidence, and battling despair. What started as taunts from a friend escalated into years of cruelty th...
In this episode of the Mid-Life Men Podcast, I sit down with career strategist Mike Dwyer to tackle one of the biggest midlife challenges: how to stay relevant, employable, and fulfilled in a world of shifting technology, corporate upheaval, and age bias. Mike brings decades of experience helping men navigate uncertainty, and he shares practical strategies for fighting back against the forces that can leave midlife professionals feeling sidelined. We explore: Why so many sea...
TRIGGER WARNING : This episode contains a raw and honest account of a suicide attempt. Some of what you will hear may be distressing, so please listen with care. What happens when life strips you of everything - family, security, even the will to live? Jack Muldoon knows. From losing both parents as a child to battling addiction, homelessness, and a suicide attempt, Jack’s story is raw, brutal, and ultimately inspiring. In this conversation, Jack opens up about how he rebuilt hims...
What happens when fame fades, money runs out, and identity slips away? In 2005, Anthony Hutton became an overnight celebrity after winning Big Brother. aged just 23. Within days, he had agents, photo shoots, and hundreds of thousands of pounds in the bank. But when the cameras switched off, eventually life unravelled into drink, drugs, and even passive thoughts of suicide. Today, his story looks very different. As a barber, keynote speaker, and founder of the Never Throw In ...
What happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels like the life you’re meant to live? At 54, Erik walked away from a long marriage, left the country he’d called home for 25 years, rebuilt in Spain, survived a stroke, and is now creating a new business in AI. His story isn’t one of reckless reinvention, but of deliberate choices, awareness, and courage to face change head-on. In this conversation, Erik and I talk about: Letting go with respect - how to end a marriage wi...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States