Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health

Cal MacPherson
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health is the award-winning volunteer podcast dedicated to young men's mental health. This life-changing archive of lived experience exists to share authentic stories of hardship, resilience and recovery, told by men under 40 and their loved ones from all walks of life; proving that no matter what you're going through, you're not alone! Jump in and let host, Cal MacPherson guide you on a journey that goes right to the heart of being human, with relatable guests who will leave you feeling inspired and informed.

  1. What Men Will Do to Belong | Alex Hill

    5D AGO

    What Men Will Do to Belong | Alex Hill

    When a viral image of a football fan sticking a flare up his arse during England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy surfaced, it wasn’t just a meme, it was the most unlikely of doorways... For UK stage performer Alex Hill, it became both the inspiration and the vehicle to explore loneliness, friendship, masculinity, mental health, and what it really means to belong. His debut play, Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England, has enjoyed sell-out runs and international acclaim, returning to this year’s Adelaide Fringe after taking out Best Theatre in 2025. Beneath the chaos and hilarious fun, Alex is posing serious questions and using his art to create space for connection and reflection. This is Alex Hill... ------------- Adelaide Fringe tickets: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/why-i-stuck-a-flare-up-my-ar-for-england-af2026

    54 min
  2. Why It’s So Hard to Quit Gambling | Dr Michael Zhang

    JAN 14

    Why It’s So Hard to Quit Gambling | Dr Michael Zhang

    Gambling, in one form or another, has been part of human societies for centuries. Those wanting a betting opportunity could find one if they looked hard enough, but it was a far cry from the gambling bombardment we’re exposed to in the Western world today. Australians lose more than $30 billion a year to gambling, and new figures show New South Wales residents lost $2.5 billion on the pokies alone in just three months in 2025. The barrage of odds, ads and the growing prevalence of gambling influencers can feel inescapable, drawing millions of young men into a dangerous game with virtually no winners. Dr Michael Zhang is a psychologist specialising in behavioural addictions. His work led to the creation of Incumental, a new app designed to support recovery from gambling problems. He says it’s not about willpower, it’s about learning new ways to respond, building new habits, and finding people who understand. This is Dr Michael Zhang… ------------ https://incumental.com/

    1h 7m
  3. More Than Medication | Dr Aleem Khan

    12/18/2025

    More Than Medication | Dr Aleem Khan

    When you hear the word psychiatrist, you might think medicating mental illness, but there’s more nuance to it than that. Psychiatry brings together biology, psychology medicine and lived experience to understand what’s going on in someone’s mind and how to treat it.  Aleem is a Pakistani Australian who migrated here 16 years ago, became a psychiatrist and in doing so recognised a major need to increase access to psychiatric services particularly for people in regional areas. He’s since founded HelloDoc, a nationwide telehealth service connecting thousands of people with psychiatrists across Australia.  We discuss the ins and outs of psychiatry, where medication fits in, how culture shapes the way mental health is understood, why so many adults are being diagnosed with ADHD later in life and more. This is Aleem Khan…

    1h 2m
  4. The Crisis that Took My Dad's Life | Sydni Kobayashi

    12/11/2025

    The Crisis that Took My Dad's Life | Sydni Kobayashi

    Sydni grew up on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, in a tight-knit community with a culture she says expects men to be tough and keep their emotions to themselves. Her father was one of those men. Loving and strong, but never one to share what he was going through. When her younger sister went missing in late 2023, Sydni and her family were thrust into the national spotlight overnight, facing huge stress and the brutal commentary of countless strangers online. Sydni’s dad flew to Los Angeles to search, and tragically never returned home, the immense distress of the situation contributing to his suicide. It pushed Sydni into the darkest period of her life, grieving her father and questioning everything while trying to protect her son. Now, a year on, she’s slowly rebuilding herself, launching her own mental health brand to create change and raising her son to be able to share his feelings. This is Sydni Kobayashi...

    44 min
  5. Living Beyond the Shadow of Cystic Fibrosis | Flynn Gill

    12/03/2025

    Living Beyond the Shadow of Cystic Fibrosis | Flynn Gill

    Five years ago, Flynn was on this podcast as a teenager living with cystic fibrosis. CF is a genetic condition that affects one in 2,500 Australians, causing mucus to clog the lungs and digestive system, requiring constant physio, medication and hospital check-ins to stay well. Thanks to modern medicine, many people with CF now live into their 40s and beyond, but it means staying ever vigilant and factoring the disease into their future. Now in his early twenties, Flynn’s back to share the journey he’s been on since we first met. He’s had setbacks, success and the pressure of managing a condition that never quits, all while trying to mature into the man he wants to be. This is Flynn Gill...

    40 min
  6. What's Been Happening with Me Lately

    11/26/2025

    What's Been Happening with Me Lately

    No guest this week. Instead, here's my rambling about life and the podcast in the following order: - Australian of the Year Awards - Getting married - Contemplating fatherhood - Getting in the best shape of my life - Showing up as the best version of me - The future of the podcast - Protecting piece of mind

    17 min
  7. Facing the Feelings Driving Overeating and Fat Gain | Zac Mason

    11/12/2025

    Facing the Feelings Driving Overeating and Fat Gain | Zac Mason

    Around 70% of Aussie men are overweight or obese, and most of us would say we’d like to lose some fat and drop a pants size or two. Maintaining a lean, healthy body we feel happy in, is relatively simple, but it's far from easy. We generally know the importance of exercise and the basics of nutrition, but the way our emotions drive our eating habits is much less talked about. When life gets stressful, food becomes an easy form of comfort, a socially acceptable, readily available coping mechanism to distract ourselves from having to feel uncomfortable emotions. Whether we’re sad, bored, tired or frustrated, the promise of a quick dopamine hit from junk food can be too good to resist. And if we're in the habit of pairing it with alcohol, it creates the perfect storm for an expanding waistline. As life gets busier, it only gets harder. With work, bills, kids and relationships to manage, looking after your body can quickly fall down the list of priorities, left unchecked it can lead to hardly recognising yourself in the mirror. This is Zac's bread and butter. He’s a personal trainer and fitness coach who's helped hundreds of men in their 30s, 40s and 50s lose fat, gain muscle and build a sustainable healthy lifestyle, without needing to live in the gym and sacrifice everything they enjoy. This is Zac Mason...

    1h 11m
  8. Internalising the Pain Till it Broke Me | James Overall

    10/30/2025

    Internalising the Pain Till it Broke Me | James Overall

    Corporal James Overall served as an Australian Army medic for a decade, deploying overseas on multiple occasions, including to Afghanistan in 2015. He was instrumental in 6 mass casualty events, as a highly skilled trauma care provider and auxiliary security force member, awarded the United States Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NAM) for his outstanding service. Frequently under immense pressure to perform in life or death situations, Jimmy didn't have the awareness to recognise the trauma he was internalising or the ability to process it. Suppressing his emotions and soldiering on seemed to work, until it all caught up with him, manifesting in symptoms that couldn't be ignored. No longer able to meet his own expectations as a serviceman, he discharged and became a paramedic. Then in 2021, Jimmy and his wife lost their baby boy Luke at birth, a tragedy that broke their hearts and left him numb. He reached a crossroads and made the choice to finally open up and lean on others for help, allowing him to grow into the husband and father he is today, a man worthy of his own respect. This is James Overall...

    1h 24m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Young Blood - Men’s Mental Health is the award-winning volunteer podcast dedicated to young men's mental health. This life-changing archive of lived experience exists to share authentic stories of hardship, resilience and recovery, told by men under 40 and their loved ones from all walks of life; proving that no matter what you're going through, you're not alone! Jump in and let host, Cal MacPherson guide you on a journey that goes right to the heart of being human, with relatable guests who will leave you feeling inspired and informed.

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