MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH, YOUNG MEN IN CRISIS, PORNOGRAPHY ADDICTION, GRIEF, MASCULINITY, BROTHERHOOD, FATHER WOUNDS, FAITH, DISCIPLINE, MENTORSHIP, PURPOSE, DEPRESSION, TRAUMA RECOVERY Why are so many young men angry, addicted, isolated, and searching for purpose? In this episode of Raw Minds, Erick sits down with Colonel Jesse Boulden, Commanding Officer of the International ALERT Academy, for a raw conversation about grief, addiction, masculinity, faith, brotherhood, discipline, mentorship, and the crisis facing young men. Jesse grew up as one of six children in a military family. His father served as a submarine commander, and Jesse moved 18 times before turning 18. Constant change, dyslexia, bullying, insecurity, and his father’s time away left him searching for identity and belonging. When Jesse’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, his family entered a 15-year battle that ended with her death in 2015. Jesse explains how pain, fear, loneliness, and anxiety contributed to a long struggle with pornography addiction. He opens up about the cycle of secrecy, shame, and using the same behaviour to numb the pain it created. Jesse joined the International ALERT Academy in 2008. What began as a search for adventure and direction became an 18-year journey through discipline, service, brotherhood, and leadership. He eventually became the first graduate of the academy to reach the rank of colonel and serve as commanding officer. Erick and Jesse discuss the “dad deficit,” father wounds, male loneliness, masculinity, gangs, addiction, aggression, and hopeless isolation. They also discuss what healthy masculinity should look like. Real strength includes self-control, responsibility, honesty, service, emotional maturity, and the courage to ask for help. The conversation becomes deeply personal as Jesse describes losing his mother and the men who drove through the night to support him. Erick shares his experiences with depression, suicidal thoughts, losing his best friend, his dog, and his fiancée. They discuss why grief cannot be rushed, why holding space can matter more than giving advice, and how helping someone else through pain can give suffering a new purpose. Jesse also explains ALERT Academy’s training in Christian discipleship, emergency response, trades, leadership, and disaster relief. This episode is for young men who feel lost, fathers worried about their sons, families dealing with addiction, and anyone trying to understand what becoming a healthy man requires. CONNECT WITH JESSE BOULDEN AND ALERT ACADEMY Official website: https://alertacademy.com About Jesse: https://alertacademy.com/about/ Apply: https://alertacademy.com/apply/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ALERTAcademy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alertacademy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alertacademy/ CONNECT WITH RAW MINDS Website: https://www.rawminds.ca YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RawMinds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rawmindspodcast RAW MINDS Raw Minds creates honest conversations about men’s mental health, trauma, grief, addiction, fatherhood, faith, recovery, and rebuilding your life. Healing out loud, for the ones we’ll never meet. If this conversation helped you, share it with someone who needs to hear it and subscribe to Raw Minds. Canada and the United States: Call or text 988 for immediate suicide crisis support.
