Best Livedexperience Podcasts (2025)

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“I’m desperate for work...redundancy triggered a mental illness in me”, with Joe Emery 34:17

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1h ago34:17

34:17

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 thous…

1
From Bullied Teen to Marathon Warrior, with Ben White 30:25

2d ago30:25

30:25

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…

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How to Future-Proof Your Midlife Career, with Mike Dwyer 35:37

10d ago35:37

35:37

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 st…

1
Kill the Coward: Reclaim Your Life, with Jack Muldoon 47:49

16d ago47:49

47:49

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 …

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Fame to Rock Bottom: Never Throw in the Towel, with Anthony Hutton 51:50

25d ago51:50

51:50

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 pas…

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A Family's Journey from Crisis to Stability – Part 1 23:29

27d ago23:29

23:29

A Family's Journey from Crisis to Stability – Part 1 In this episode, Archway’s CEO Michelle Lennon, one of the co-authors of the Family Threads Curriculum, speaks with a family who successfully completed the program. Marina and Star share their journey from experiencing homelessness and active addiction to finding stability and hope. They discuss …

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Midlife Reset: How to Let Go and Begin Again, with Erik ten Have 44:06

1M ago44:06

44:06

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, an…

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Why Recovery Advocacy Matters – Part 4 27:51

2M ago27:51

27:51

A Conversation with Carina Raya – Part 4 In this episode of Archways' Threads, we conclude our four-part conversation with Carina Raya and Archways' CEO, Michelle Lennon. They explore the intricate process of integrating one's past self with their current identity in recovery, emphasizing that recovery is a dynamic and evolving journey rather than …

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Why Humility is a Superpower for Midlife Men, with Simon Moss 36:41

2M ago36:41

36:41

What if the root of many problems faced by middle-aged men - burnout, broken relationships, anxiety, aggression - stemmed from something hiding in plain sight: entitlement and narcissism? In this fascinating conversation, psychologist and Dean of the University of Wollengong in Australia, Simon Moss explains why our culture's emphasis on status, do…

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My Midlife Reset: Four Hours That Changed Everything with Tik Maynard 42:18

2M ago42:18

42:18

Tik Maynard is an internationally respected horseman, author, and dad who hit midlife before realising that life is less about striving and external validation and more about understanding who you truly are and how to live from that place with honesty and purpose. Through his journey training wild horses for a high-stakes competition, Tik uncovered…

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"I'm not Done Yet": Reinventing Life After 50, with Andrew Middleton 38:14

3M ago38:14

38:14

What happens when the big job ends and no one’s lining up to offer another? For Andrew Middleton, that moment sparked an identity crisis, financial panic, and ultimately, a radical reinvention. In this honest and hopeful episode, Andrew shares how it felt to be “airlifted out of relevance” in his 50s, facing ageism, self-doubt, and the loss of stru…

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On the surface, I had everything; inside I was unravelling, with Mike Flynn 32:38

3M ago32:38

32:38

In this powerful and quietly revealing episode, Mike Flynn talks about a mid-life experience that will sound painfully familiar to many men: ticking all the boxes, doing everything “right”, yet feeling completely disconnected inside. Mike describes how success masked an emotional emptiness he didn’t fully understand until it almost broke him. He sp…

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Why Recovery Advocacy Matters – Part 3 27:22

3M ago27:22

27:22

A Conversation with Carina Raya – Part 3 In part 3 of our discussion with Carina Raya, we explore the complexities of recovery and why building supportive communities is so crucial. We discuss how nonjudgmental interactions significantly impact a person's recovery journey. Carina shares her personal experiences, highlighting how genuine connections…

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Survival Isn’t Living: Learning to Breathe, with Kenny Mammarella-D-Cruz 45:33

3M ago45:33

45:33

In this extraordinary episode, Kenny Mammarella-D’Cruz - known as The Man Whisperer - opens up about a life that began in chaos and fear: fleeing Idi Amin’s Uganda, growing up in a refugee camp, and becoming the emotional crutch for his family at just seven years old. He shares how these early traumas buried his identity and left him riddled with c…

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It’s Not Over: Finding Strength in Your 40s, 50s & 60s, with Waldemar Franco 42:08

3M ago42:08

42:08

What happens when the body that carried you through life starts to break? For Waldemar, an architect and explorer from Mexico City, who built his identity around physical endurance, the answer wasn’t to stop moving but to start moving differently. In this powerful conversation, Waldemar shares how knee surgeries shattered not just his meniscus, but…

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Having It All and Still Asking: Is This It? with Josh Fineman 44:34

4M ago44:34

44:34

In this episode, we're joined by Josh Fineman. Josh had the career, the young family, the success but behind it all was exhaustion, self-doubt, and a relentless voice asking, “Is this it?” In this honest and revealing conversation, Josh shares how growing up as the ‘good boy’ in a high-achieving North London household shaped his adult identity. He …

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Why Recovery Advocacy Matters – Part 2 27:48

4M ago27:48

27:48

A Conversation with Carina Raya – Part 2 In this insightful episode of Archways' Threads, host Michelle Lennon continues her compelling conversation with Carina Raya, delving deeper into the critical issues surrounding addiction, harm reduction, and public health policy. They shed light on the stark realities of the overdose crisis and challenge co…

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Feeding Others, While Falling Apart, with Adam Smith 53:33

4M ago53:33

53:33

Trigger warning: This episode includes honest discussions about suicide attempts, mental illness, domestic violence, and trauma. Adam Smith’s story is unlike anything you’ve heard - and exactly what so many men need to hear. Sectioned at 11. In prison by 21. Found unresponsive in a car after trying to end his life. This could’ve been the end - but …

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Stand Up to Anorexia Because Comedy Can Save Lives, with Dave Chawner 40:32

4M ago40:32

40:32

Trigger warning: includes frank discussion of eating disorders, body image, and mental health. How do you find laughter in something that nearly kills you? In this episode, comedian and mental health advocate Dave Chawner takes us on a bold, brutally honest - and often hilarious - journey through his experience of living with anorexia. But this isn…

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Can I Just Go Back to Bed Forever? - Living with Depressive Illness, with Mark Lawry 46:21

5M ago46:21

46:21

In this episode, we’re joined by Mark Lawry, a former lawyer and long-time stay-at-home dad, who offers a frank and considered account of what it’s like to live with depressive illness across much of adult life. Mark brings a calm, articulate perspective to a subject often misrepresented or oversimplified. He speaks plainly about how symptoms first…

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Why Recovery Advocacy Matters – Part 1 26:15

5M ago26:15

26:15

A Conversation with Carina Raya – Part 1 In part one of this four-part interview, host Michelle Lennon, CEO of Archways, engages in a powerful conversation with Carina Raya, a remarkable student at George Washington University heading to med school with a strong focus on public health. This first discussion centers around the critical importance of…

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Demystifying Therapy: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Too Afraid to Ask, with Matt Hussey 49:48

5M ago49:48

49:48

In this powerful and compassionate conversation, we explore what really happens when life knocks down every support structure you thought you could rely on. We talk to Matt, a qualified therapist and podcaster about his own lived experience of emotional collapse in his twenties, the slow journey into therapy, and how healing unfolds - not through i…

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Laughter as a Lifeline: Using Comedy to Craic the Silence on Men’s Mental Health, with John Ryan 36:22

5M ago36:22

36:22

In this episode, we meet the incomparable John Ryan, award-winning comedian, social commentator, and all-around force for good. With a sharp tongue and a massive heart, John has made it his mission to reach people on the topic of mental health where they least expect it: through laughter. We explore how John’s stand-up shows have turned into standi…

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A Raw Conversation About Suicide and Survival, with Chris Frederick 48:36

5M ago48:36

48:36

This episode of Mid-Life Men includes open and honest discussions about mental health challenges, including suicide. Some listeners may find this content distressing. In this frank and powerful episode, we hear from a man who has walked through unimaginable darkness and emerged not just surviving, but speaking with purpose and compassion. Through h…

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Authentic Masculinity: Rediscovering Who You Were Meant to Be, with Rick Belden 45:48

6M ago45:48

45:48

What happens when a man spends decades surviving, but never truly living? In this powerful and deeply personal episode, poet, coach, and men's trauma specialist Rick Belden joins us to explore how childhood wounds - especially those inflicted by emotionally absent or unsafe parents - can shape and limit a man's entire adult life. Rick shares his jo…

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Pain Medication and Recovery 30:46

6M ago30:46

30:46

In this episode of Archways' Threads, host Michelle Lennon interviews Darryl Lennon about his experiences navigating major surgeries while maintaining his recovery. Darryl shares his journey, starting with his initial addiction after a severe accident, through years of hardship and recovery, and finally, his strategies for managing pain medication …

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How to Stop Poisoning Your Mind and Body, with Christian Elliot 40:04

6M ago40:04

40:04

Have you ever wondered why you feel physically unwell when you're emotionally stressed, or why even small lifestyle changes can dramatically impact your mental and physical health? In this episode, we dive into the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit with Christian Elliot, holistic mind and body health expert. We explore how unresolved emo…

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How the 12 Steps Can Change Any Life, with Ian Morgan Cron 40:44

6M ago40:44

40:44

In this episode, my guest is Ian Morgan Cron, bestselling author, psychotherapist, and Enneagram expert. Most people hear “12 Steps” and think of Alcoholics Anonymous. But what if we told you this programme isn’t just for people struggling with alcohol or drugs? What if it could help anyone - including you - break free from unhealthy patterns, dest…

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Losing a Father to Suicide and Learning to Live, with Will Castle 42:44

7M ago42:44

42:44

In this deeply personal episode, Will Castle shares his experience of losing his father to suicide and the years of silence that followed. He reflects on the complexities of his childhood, his father’s struggles, and the moment everything changed. Will speaks openly about the grief, isolation, and self-destructive behaviour he experienced in the af…

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Even Olympians Struggle with Mental Health, with Jack Green OLY 41:45

7M ago41:45

41:45

In this compelling episode, two-time Olympian Jack Green shares his raw and deeply personal journey through elite sport, mental health struggles, and the pursuit of fulfilment beyond medals. At the peak of his career, Jack was competing on the world’s biggest stage, yet behind the scenes, he was battling depression, anxiety, and bipolar tendencies.…

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Cara, College, and Connection: Finding Recovery in Community – Part 2 26:51

7M ago26:51

26:51

A Conversation with Cara LaPlante – Part 2 Link to Part 1 - https://share.transistor.fm/s/1f166bb7 Welcome to another episode of Archways' Threads! This podcast explores the threads of family and recovery support services that weave together the tapestry of life in recovery. In this episode, we continue our conversation with Cara LaPlante, diving d…

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How to Release Your Emotional Baggage, with Cedric Bertelli 37:14

7M ago37:14

37:14

In this episode, I'm joined by Cedric Bertelli as we dive deep into the hidden mechanics of emotional pain, trauma, and healing. Our guest shares his insights from years of research on how the brain forms destructive emotional patterns - like anxiety, fear, and self-doubt - and, more importantly, how we can break free from them. Why do we numb our …

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Why I Ran 401 Marathons in 401 Days, with Ben Smith 43:30

8M ago43:30

43:30

What does it take to survive bullying, internalised shame, and two suicide attempts and then go on to run 401 marathons in 401 days? In this raw and inspiring episode, we sit down with Ben Smith, whose remarkable journey from a troubled past to a world-record-breaking challenge is nothing short of extraordinary. Ben opens up about the pain of child…

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The more eyes on your shame, the less control shame has over you, with Warren McKee 53:37

8M ago53:37

53:37

In this episode, join us for an unforgettable conversation with Warren McKee, an Iraq War veteran who came home to face the depths of PTSD, addiction, and homelessness, only to rise as a resilient entrepreneur and life coach. In this raw and inspiring episode, he shares his harrowing journey from the battlefield to rock bottom and how he rebuilt hi…

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Cara, College, and Connection: Finding Recovery in Community – Part 1 26:05

8M ago26:05

26:05

A Conversation with Cara LaPlante – Part 1 Welcome to Archways' Threads, a podcast exploring the tapestry of recovery and family support. This episode provides valuable insights and practical advice for anyone interested in enhancing their well-being and supporting others in their recovery journey. Our host, Michelle Lennon, CEO of Archways, introd…

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Workplace Mental Health: A Survival Guide, with Tom Oxley 37:09

8M ago37:09

37:09

In this episode, I am joined by Tom Oxley, a workplace mental health consultant, trainer, and support specialist whose TEDx talk on mental health has inspired over three-quarters of a million viewers. Years ago, while forging a fast-paced career in advertising, marketing, and PR, Tom hit a wall. His relentless schedule and lifestyle eventually caus…

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Wake up: Stop Numbing, Start Living! with Patrick Sperry 47:39

9M ago47:39

47:39

In this powerful episode, Patrick Sperry reflects on how perfectionism created an endless cycle of striving and dissatisfaction. From giving up a promising professional soccer career to chasing a dream of being a rock star in Hollywood (and a stint as David Beckham’s body double) his journey took him through heartache, creative highs, and personal …

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How to be Resilient: Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight! with Adrian de Courcey 32:37

9M ago32:37

32:37

Ever wondered how to stay calm and grounded while pivoting careers in the midst of chaos? Meet Adrian de Coursey, whose professional path took him from corporate strategy at Shell and Johnson & Johnson to running a small family business during the height of the global financial crisis. In this candid interview, Adrian reveals the high-stakes challe…

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The Evolution of Family Support – Part 3 28:24

9M ago28:24

28:24

A Conversation with Karen Welford – Part 3 Listen to part one of this conversation here - https://share.transistor.fm/s/19935724 Listen to part two of this conversation here - https://share.transistor.fm/s/f2130591 In this final installment of our three-part series, Michelle Lennon concludes her insightful conversation with Karen Welford about the …

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Overcoming Unshakable Unhappiness: Remove that rock from your shoe! with Dr Adam Dorsay 51:33

9M ago51:33

51:33

Are you craving more energy, deeper relationships, and a stronger sense of purpose, yet somehow, you are caught in a cycle of “unshakable unhappiness”? In this illuminating conversation, I sit down with psychologist and Silicon Valley executive coach Dr. Adam Dorsey to explore how tapping into the power of authentic connection can transform every a…

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Healing Unresolved Trauma to Reclaim Your Life, with Mike Skrypnek 49:30

9M ago49:30

49:30

In this raw and powerful episode, we talk to Mike Skrypnek, an international bestselling author, men’s mental health advocate, CEO of Grow Get Give Coaching, and founder of the Unlimited Worth Project. Once a successful investment manager, Mike reveals how a combination of unaddressed childhood trauma and the relentless pressure for achievement nea…

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From Bipolar Battles to Making a Life-Saving Promise, with Craig Hamilton 34:35

10M ago34:35

34:35

Join me for a powerful conversation with Craig Hamilton, a man whose life story transcends boundaries and stigma. A celebrated sports broadcaster and former coal miner, Craig faced his greatest challenge not underground or behind the microphone, but within himself. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a psychotic episode on the eve of the 2000 Syd…

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The Evolution of Family Support – Part 2 27:19

10M ago27:19

27:19

A Conversation with Karen Welford – Part 2 Listen to part one of this conversation here - https://share.transistor.fm/s/19935724 In this episode of Archways' Threads, Michelle Lennon is joined by Karen Welford for the second installment of their conversation about family support and strengthening. They delve into the vital role of family resource c…

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Why Bother? Fighting an Overwhelming Sense of Futility, with Patrick Donnelly 39:52

10M ago39:52

39:52

In this open and honest episode, we're joined by Patrick Donnelly, who discusses the often-unspoken struggles men face when the weight of life feels overwhelming and futile. Patrick bravely shares how anxiety and depression took root after becoming a father, amplifying his long-held belief that nothing he attempted would succeed. His story reveals …

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Finding Your Voice: How Self-Expression Empowers Men, with Dr Danny Brassell 46:27

10M ago46:27

46:27

In this compelling episode, we dive deep into the silent struggles many men face in expressing themselves—emotionally, verbally, and even creatively. Joined by Dr Danny Brassell, a dynamic speaker, author, and first and foremost, a teacher, we explore the roots of men’s anxiety around vulnerability, confidence, and connection. Danny shares personal…

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Living Between Extremes: The Realities of Bipolar's Highs and Lows, with David Westgate 44:04

11M ago44:04

44:04

In this episode, David Westgate shares his deeply personal journey with bipolar 1, reflecting on how the disorder manifested in his life and the impact it had on his relationships, career, and daily routines. He describes the struggle of living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, where periods of extreme highs felt like "true happiness," only to be …

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The Evolution of Family Support – Part 1 25:15

11M ago25:15

25:15

A Conversation with Karen Welford – Part 1 Welcome to this episode of Archways’ Threads, where host Michelle Lennon speaks with Karen Welford, a pioneer in family support and strengthening practices. With over 40 years in the field, Karen has seen family support evolve from intuitive acts of kindness to a well-defined practice rooted in evidence an…

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Hard Hats & Hidden Struggles: The Problem with Mental Health in the Trades, with Russ Payne 40:31

11M ago40:31

40:31

In this episode, I’m joined by Russ, a third-generation tradesman, business owner, and host of The Talking Tradesman podcast. Russ has spent a lifetime in construction, a sector known for its tough culture and silent battles, especially around mental health. He shares his powerful journey, starting with his childhood, where he was raised by his fat…

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Peer Support and the RCOS of New Hampshire – Part 3 20:01

12M ago20:01

20:01

Conversations with Cheryle Pacapelli - Part 3 Link to Part 1 of the conversation - https://share.transistor.fm/s/df5940a4 Link to Part 2 of the conversation - https://share.transistor.fm/s/eba97cd7 Welcome to the latest episode of Archways Threads! Today, we conclude our powerful 3-part conversation with Cheryle Pacapelli, Project Director for New …

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Battling Depression: Everybody Needs a Big, Hairy-Ass, Audacious Goal, with Jeff Moore 46:56

1y ago46:56

46:56

In this episode, I'm joined by Jeff to discuss his long battle with mental health challenges. Jeff shares how his depression stems from childhood, living in a chaotic home environment, and how it revisited him regularly throughout his life. He describes how, after many years of struggle, he found solace in both medication and exercise, specifically…