Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast

Philip Briscoe
  • 4.0 (8)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

  1. Hard Choices, Easy Life, with Jerzy Gregorek

    FEB 2

    Hard Choices, Easy Life, with Jerzy Gregorek

    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, and the quiet discipline that slowly turns chaos into stability. Out of that lived experience comes a principle Jerzy is known for, and one that keeps resurfacing throughout this conversation: Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life. We talk about what that really looks like over decades, not weeks: how small, daily decisions quietly compound over time, for better or worsewhy discipline isn’t punishment, but a way outhow men lose themselves when they chase comfort instead of progresswhy strength, learning, and mentors matter more than motivationand why it’s never too late to choose a harder path that leads somewhere better.Alongside his own journey, Jerzy has spent decades working with others in the US through writing, poetry, and physical training. Through his gym and his book The Happy Body, he brings together strength, philosophy, and lived experience, helping people understand how the body, mind, and daily discipline shape each other over time. This work isn’t theoretical; it’s an extension of the life he’s lived and the principles he’s tested on himself first. This isn’t a story about quick fixes or overnight transformations. It’s about playing the long game, physically, mentally, and morally, and accepting that meaningful change usually comes from doing difficult things consistently, when no one is watching. If you want to learn more about Jerzy and his work, visit thehappybody.com.

    54 min
  2. Growing Up in Chaos with Lee Greenhough

    JAN 26

    Growing Up in Chaos with Lee Greenhough

    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 is about responsibility, momentum, and the small decisions that slowly pull a life back on track, even when no one ever showed you how. Lee talks candidly about losing his father at a young age, growing up with an alcoholic parent, and how unprocessed grief and trauma followed him into adulthood. He reflects on the years where drinking became the release valve, and the risk, and how close he came to losing the life he was quietly building. Rather than presenting himself as “fixed”, Lee is clear about what actually helped: taking responsibility, putting himself in better environments, committing to work, movement, and creative outlets, and learning to challenge the constant negative voice in his own head. He explains why therapy didn’t give him the answers he needed, and why momentum, not motivation, became the thing that changed everything. The conversation also explores creativity as a survival tool. Lee shares how writing and filmmaking became a way to process what he couldn’t talk about and why so many men abandon creative instincts they had earlier in life, often without realising the cost to their mental health. This episode will resonate with men who: Grew up fast with little guidance.Feel functional but not settled.Rely on distraction, work, or alcohol to keep things contained.Know something needs to change, but don’t relate to advice or slogans.There are no hacks here. No reinvention story. Just an honest account of how small decisions, repeated over time, can stop a life drifting off course, even when the starting point was far from ideal. If you want to find out more about Lee’s films, visit his website www.greenhoughfilms.co.uk and to find out more about his speaking work, visit https://www.speakingwithlee.co.uk.

    46 min
  3. Why Intimacy Starts to Fade, with Dr Dan Sneider

    JAN 19

    Why Intimacy Starts to Fade, with Dr Dan Sneider

    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 what it actually took for him to stay present instead of withdrawing when things got uncomfortable. We talk about how intimacy doesn’t usually disappear overnight. It fades quietly. How many men default to pulling away rather than risking saying the wrong thing. And how habits that look like “sex issues” are often really about safety, control, and not knowing how to stay emotionally exposed without feeling weak or overwhelmed. Dan shares what he’s learned, first in his own life, then through years of working alongside men, including: why emotional closeness can feel threatening, even in good relationshipshow shame and self-protection show up as silence, distraction, or distancewhy midlife often brings intimacy problems to the surfaceand how connection starts with honesty, not performance or confidenceThis episode is for men who care about their relationships but don’t always know how to talk about what’s going on inside them. Men who haven’t “checked out”, but who feel something has shifted and don’t want to lose what matters. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about understanding why intimacy feels hard and what actually helps. If you want to find out more about Dan’s work, visit his website where you can also download his free guide: https://www.growthandgratitudetherapy.com/the-intimacy-shift.

    39 min
  4. How To Rebuild A Life That Fits, with Michael Rice

    JAN 16

    How To Rebuild A Life That Fits, with Michael Rice

    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 what happens when the life you’ve constructed no longer fits who you are, and how midlife often reveals this not as a crisis, but as a structural problem that can be understood, and changed. A key part of this conversation is about the four archetypal parts that operate inside most men, whether we’re conscious of them or not, and what it looks like when they’re missing or out of balance in everyday life: the part of you that takes responsibility but ends up carrying everything alone;the part of you that should set boundaries but stays silent or explodes;the part of you that thinks constantly but feels stuck and overwhelmed;the part of you that wants closeness, joy, and connection but feels switched off.We talk about how midlife often exposes these fractures, and why that’s not a failure, but a signal. Most importantly, this isn’t a conversation that stays in theory. Michael shares simple, practical ways men can start changing things without quitting their job, blowing up their family, or pretending everything is fine. This episode is for men who feel: unfulfilled and continuing down the wrong path in life; disconnected from themselves or the people they care about;unsure how to find a way forward to the life they want. About MENTORUS In a world where information and knowledge are readily available and accessible, the commodity and quality of Wisdom becomes increasingly difficult to procure and purpose. The unstable landscape of perception and cognition is cluttered and difficult to navigate. Without Truth as our compass, we either stall and forget, or stumble onwards, blind to our inner flame, reacting, rather than creating.  Mentorus provides a Map and the wisdom to read it.  It invites the courageous man to dive deep into his true nature, developing contextual awareness of the myriad machinations and meanings of this copy realm, and, most importantly, his role within it.  It guides him on a Journey of re-discovery and re-memberance; providing inspiration, insight and illumination - stimulating a powerful impulse to upheave and burn away the accumulated programs, beliefs, and limits, imposed and assumed, and affords him the strength to explore and express his true essence and creative power. To contact Michael, email him @ 13mentorus@gmail.com.

    1 hr
  5. Whatever I Do, It’s Never Enough, with Mordy Gottlieb

    12/19/2025

    Whatever I Do, It’s Never Enough, with Mordy Gottlieb

    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 actually form, starting with food, moving into pornography and other forms of escape, and eventually colliding with midlife reality when effort stops working, and avoidance stops providing relief. Rather than framing men’s behaviours as addictions or failures, Mordy explains them as attempts to regulate unbearable internal pressure and why insight alone rarely changes anything. The real shift, he argues, comes through experience, practice, and safe connection, especially with other men. This episode also challenges some uncomfortable truths: why being “strong” often means being emotionally absent, why vulnerability isn’t just talking, and why many men feel unseen even inside long-term relationships they’ve spent years sustaining. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How the belief “I’m never enough” gets wired into boys early onWhy perfectionism feels productive but leads to exhaustion and shameHow numbing behaviours escalate quietly over timeWhy midlife is often the moment men can’t outrun themselves anymoreThe limits of talk therapy and why knowing why isn’t the same as changingHow experiential therapy helps men rehearse real-world changeWhy men often heal faster in groups than one-to-oneWhat vulnerability actually looks like in daily life (including learning to say no)Small, realistic ways to introduce play, presence, and self-permission back into lifeWhy this episode matters: Because if you’ve ever felt that no matter how much you give  - at work, at home, in relationships - it’s still not enough, this conversation will feel uncomfortably familiar. Mordy doesn’t offer fixes or slogans. He offers language for something many men have lived with for decades without naming. To find out more Mordy, visit his website: www.thegamechangergroup.com.

    39 min
  6. What No One Tells Men About Losing a Parent, with John Colbert

    12/12/2025

    What No One Tells Men About Losing a Parent, with John Colbert

    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 followed was a period of profound depression, emotional shutdown, and learning - painfully - that men are rarely taught how to process loss. In a culture that rewards silence and “being strong,” John found himself unable to talk about what he was feeling, even in therapy, until things reached a breaking point. What makes this episode powerful is John’s willingness to speak plainly about what many men experience but rarely admit: the loneliness after the support fades, the quiet house, the first Christmas without a parent, the guilt, the anger, and the long shadow grief can cast across identity, relationships, and adulthood. Rather than avoiding the darkness, John meets it with humour; not to trivialise loss, but to survive it. His writing and perspective show how laughter, honesty, and connection can unlock conversations that grief shuts down. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why many men are never taught how to grieve, and the cost of burying itHow losing a parent can force an early and painful “arrival” into adulthoodDepression, suicidal thoughts, and the moment therapy finally began to workWhy humour can be a powerful survival tool in griefHow grief reshapes identity, relationships, and masculinity over decadesThe long tail of loss and why it doesn’t end after the funeralWhy connection, not isolation, is what actually helps men healThe importance of men’s health awareness, prostate checks, and breaking taboosWhat midlife men can do if they’re carrying unprocessed grief right nowWhy you should listen: Because if you’ve lost a parent - recently or years ago - and quietly carried on, this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar. John puts words to experiences many men recognise but rarely voice, offering permission to laugh, talk, remember, and connect without shame. This is not an episode about “getting over” grief. It’s about living with it honestly, imperfectly, and with other people around you. If you want to find out more about John, visit his website https://www.itscolbert.com, and his book Damaged Goods is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through other online retailers.

    37 min
  7. The Weight Isn’t the Problem; Your Mindset Is, with Jonathan Boulware

    11/29/2025

    The Weight Isn’t the Problem; Your Mindset Is, with Jonathan Boulware

    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 mother to obesity, the moment he realised his own health was spiralling, and the emotional breaking point where he decided something had to change. What he discovered wasn’t a perfect fitness plan; it was a deeper truth: the body follows the mind. His journey led him to become a certified personal trainer, health coach, behavioural change specialist, and author. But what makes his voice essential is his lived experience, knowing exactly what it feels like to be overwhelmed, ashamed, stuck, and convinced that change is impossible. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the real battle isn’t losing weight, it’s rebuilding your belief in yourself.How hopelessness develops, and how to break out of it.Jonathan’s approach to self-compassion, identity, and sustainable change.Why motivation isn’t the answer, and what actually keeps you going.How to set goals that fit into real life, with work, kids, stress, and pressure.What to do when you fall off the wagon and how to get back on track without shame.Why community and the right support matter more than willpower.The truth about weight-loss drugs and why lasting change still depends on mindset.Why listen: Because so many men live in silence with the same feelings Jonathan describes: failure, frustration, shame, and the belief that it’s too late. His story proves it isn’t. This conversation is about more than weight, it’s about taking back control, rebuilding confidence, and remembering that you are capable of far more than you think. If you want to find out more about Jonathan, his work, and his book Take Control of Your Body (Before It Takes Control of You), visit his website: https://www.youcanbeatobesity.com.

    36 min
  8. The Pain You Don’t Talk About Shows Up Anyway, with Dr Brian Livesay

    11/24/2025

    The Pain You Don’t Talk About Shows Up Anyway, with Dr Brian Livesay

    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 their most painful memories from a place of safety, strength, and agency, transforming how those experiences live within them. We unpack why so many men stay silent about pain, how disconnection shows up in everyday life, and what it really means to face your demons, without being destroyed by them. You’ll learn: Why men often disconnect emotionally and how it affects relationships, work, and health.What Critical Memory Integration is and how it helps rewire trauma at its source.How unprocessed memories show up as anger, anxiety, or emotional shutdown.Why facing pain is a path to strength, not weakness.Practical first steps to reconnect with yourself and others, even when you feel stuck.Why listen: If you’ve ever felt haunted by something you can’t quite name or sensed that your emotions are running the show, this episode offers a roadmap back to calm, clarity, and connection. Brian’s insight bridges science, story, and soul, reminding us that courage isn’t the absence of pain, it’s learning how to walk through it. If you want to find out more about Brian and his work with Critical Memory Intergration, visit the Arise Alliance website.

    42 min
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4
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

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.

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