Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health Cal MacPherson

Imagine one minute you're sitting down chatting to your mates, and the next you're knocked unconscious by someone you've never met... That's what happened to Blake on a night out in 2012, and it's had a life-changing impact on the now 32 year old. 



Blake's ordeal put him through the ringer physically and mentally, and recently becoming a father himself has given him another perspective on just how devastating that attack could've been for his family and community. 

His desire to be a role model for other coward punch survivors and young men is the motivation behind his current attempt to break the world record for Most Consecutive Days completing an indoor triathlon; which stands at 77. 

This isn't just a story about a senseless assault, it's about valuing your life and making the most of it. 

This is Blake Manwaring's story. 

A comedian, turned artist, turned comedic artist; this guy's story is truly out of the box…

He quit stand-up comedy after a decade on the local circuit and unsure what to do with himself, made the unusual decision to hire out a warehouse and start painting…

Living on three hours sleep for 6 months, letting his imagination run wild and trying to make his dreams manifest on canvas, Sam Kissajukian had no idea he was living in an extended manic episode...

Diagnosed with bi-polar disorder soon after, Sam went from never having painted before, to completing 300 paintings illustrating the lens through which he was seeing the world. 

He went on to create a unique mental health comedy show built around trying to explain those paintings to the audience, literally putting all his flawed thinking on display to show the funny side and connect.

Sam lives with a mental illness, but his story is proof that it's not all bad; and that you don't have to be afraid to share who you really are with the world. In fact, people might just love you for it. 


This is Sam Kissajukian's story.

Jack Brown's world was flipped upside down when his cousin Matty died by suicide. The tragedy leaving him devastated, confused and desperate for a way to numb the pain. 
Fortunately, with the love of his friends and family and a drastic change in life direction, he was able to turn it around. 
Since 2018, Jack's been one of the people running the trailblazing nationwide mental health charity #talk2mebro.



Scroll back to May 2022 in our podcast library for the full story.

The local barbershop is a place you'll often find men opening up about what's really going on in their lives.
Sure, we go for a skin fade and a shave, but many of us also go for a chat; and a barber you'll keep going back to is one who knows how to listen...Grant is one such barber, using the chairs at his shop not just to make a living, but as a safe place for blokes to talk.Grant's personal experience includes a period of suicidality after being catfished. He faced a major uncertainty moving from London to Australia; and now juggles the challenge of being a first time dad while running a business. He's also the son of a recovered drug addict, who's been helping people overcome addiction for more than 3 decades.
All this has got Grant inspired, and on April 14 he's going to be cranking out haircuts for 24 hours straight to raise money for mental health through The Shaka Project. Hit the link to donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/24-hour-haircut?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customerThis is Grant Freedman's story...

Glenn's relationship with gambling and drugs started at a young age and exploded in his twenties.

He pumped hundreds of thousands through the pokies, once winning a 50k jackpot, only to lose it all in a matter of months. For more than a decade he lived pay cheque to pay cheque chasing cheap highs, and desperately lacked love and purpose in his life. It was a road that was leading to a sad end, but fortunately for Glenn, he found a strong enough reason to change and pulled himself out of a tailspin.You can scroll all the way back to August 2020 in our
podcast library for the full story, There's More to Life Than Drugs & Gambling | Glenn Draper

It's been 18 months since the last solo episode, and it feels like high time to check-in!

In this pod, I rant at length answering all the listener questions sent in to our @youngbloodmensmentalhealth Instagram. Some serious, some not so serious, and overall, hopefully worth your time. Even producer Rory makes a special cameo appearance! Thanks to everyone who got involved and all of you who follow the show! We're all in this together.