Raw Minds

Raw minds
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Raw Minds is a raw, unapologetic podcast focused on men’s mental health, grief, resilience, and the battles we fight in silence. Hosted by Erick, Raw Minds is for men who feel broken, overwhelmed, numb, angry, lost, or alone and don’t know where to put it. This isn’t surface-level motivation. This is real life. The ugly parts. The quiet pain. Each episode features honest, vulnerable conversations with guests from all walks of life sharing real stories of depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, loss, fatherhood, recovery, and rebuilding after everything falls apart. No masks. No b******t.

  1. 5d ago

    No One Is Coming to Save You | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 109

    SURVIVAL MODE, TRAUMA RECOVERY & MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH Why do you still feel unsafe when the danger is already gone? In Raw Minds Season 2 Episode 109, host Erick McManus sits down with Joseph Okoroji, author of A Mark in the Sand, to explore survival mode, trauma recovery, emotional resilience, and the psychology of change. What if the habits that once protected you are now holding you back? When you've spent years expecting the worst, trusting nobody, suppressing emotions, or handling everything alone, those behaviours can become part of your identity. But what happens when you no longer need them? Joseph explores how survival responses can continue after difficult experiences, why accepting help can feel uncomfortable, and what it takes to move beyond the person you had to become to survive. THIS CONVERSATION EXPLORES: • Why survival mode can outlast the danger • Trauma recovery and emotional resilience • Why men struggle to ask for help • How past experiences affect relationships • Hyper-independence, trust, and vulnerability • The difference between surviving and living • Self-sabotage and unhealthy coping patterns • Personal accountability and setting boundaries • Rebuilding identity after trauma • How to move forward without abandoning your past ABOUT JOSEPH OKOROJI Joseph Okoroji is an author, coach, and entrepreneur whose work focuses on identity, resilience, responsibility, and personal change. His book, A Mark in the Sand, explores the practical lessons that emerge when life forces us to adapt. Get Joseph's book: https://a.co/d/087BxwYj Contact Joseph: joseph.okoroji@googlemail.com ABOUT RAW MINDS Raw Minds is a men's mental health podcast hosted by Erick McManus. We have honest conversations about mental health, trauma, addiction, recovery, relationships, fatherhood, and rebuilding your life. Nobody's coming to save you. But that doesn't mean you have to fight alone. For the ones we never meet. CONNECT WITH RAW MINDS Website: https://rawminds.ca YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rawminds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast Email: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com SUPPORT RAW MINDS IN TOP HOST Vote for Erick: https://tophost.org/2026/erick-mcmanus If this conversation helps you understand survival mode, trauma, or emotional healing differently, subscribe to Raw Minds and share this episode. QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: Have you ever realized that something you learned to survive was now holding you back? #MensMentalHealth #TraumaRecovery #SurvivalMode

  2. Oct 12

    59 Days Alone at Sea. Then He Started Hearing Voices | Raw Minds S2 EP. 108

    PLEASE HELP ME WIN TOP HOST 2026! Raw Minds is competing for Top Host 2026, and I need your support. If you believe in real conversations, men's mental health, and giving people a voice, please take a moment to vote. VOTE FOR ERICK:https://tophost.org/2026/erick-mcmanus Every vote matters. Thank you for helping Raw Minds reach more people. 59 DAYS ALONE AT SEA. THEN HE STARTED HEARING VOICES. What happens to your mind when you're alone in the Atlantic Ocean for 59 days? In Raw Minds Podcast Season 2, EP. 108, Erick sits down with Alan Fortuin, a former British Army captain who spent 59 days rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean in the World's Toughest Row. After 35 years in the British Army, Alan took on an extraordinary challenge at 67 years old. He spent six years preparing for a 3,000-mile ocean crossing, despite having no previous ocean rowing experience. But nothing prepared him for what happened at sea. Violent storms. A capsized boat. Three terrifying knockdowns. Failing steering equipment. Broken satellite communications. Complete isolation. Then he started hearing voices. Alan began talking to his equipment and giving personalities to everyday objects to cope with the loneliness. His automatic steering system became a companion. A tennis ball became his Wilson. Through fear, exhaustion, uncertainty, and isolation, he continued rowing. This conversation explores men's mental health, psychological survival, resilience, discipline, aging, finding purpose, and overcoming adversity. Sometimes survival comes down to one decision. One stroke at a time. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Alan's incredible journey06:35 The Old See Dogs and Guide Dogs charity07:27 Alan's military background15:19 The desire to keep challenging himself21:38 Planning an Atlantic rowing adventure22:36 Six years of preparation25:01 Training for complete isolation27:29 Entering the World's Toughest Row32:14 Staying motivated through setbacks34:44 Preparing for ocean survival45:00 The dangerous Atlantic crossing begins49:15 Fighting to reach open water51:45 The reality of rowing alone53:30 Hearing voices in the Atlantic58:00 Losing satellite communications1:00:00 Talking to equipment to survive isolation1:05:00 Finding encouragement from another rower1:07:00 Surviving a capsize and violent waves1:10:00 Dangerous encounters with massive ships CONNECT WITH ALAN FORTUIN The Old See Dogs Instagram: The Old See DogsFacebook: The Old See Dogs Alan's Guide Dogs fundraising campaign:https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-support-of-the-guide-dogs-for-the-blind World's Toughest Row:https://www.worldstoughestrow.com/ CONNECT WITH RAW MINDS Website: https://rawminds.caYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rawmindsInstagram: @rawmindspodcastTikTok: @rawmindspodcastEmail: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com Subscribe for real conversations about men's mental health, resilience, personal growth, and the stories that deserve to be heard. For the ones we never meet. #MensMentalHealth #OceanRowing #MentalToughness

  3. Oct 9

    Are You Living Someone Else's Life? | Madhav Nakar on Identity | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 107

    Are you living your own life, or following beliefs you never chose? In Raw Minds Season 2 Episode 107, Erick sits down with Madhav Nakar, cybersecurity researcher and creator of The Fire of Knowing, for a raw conversation about men's mental health, identity, fear, family conditioning, and breaking the patterns that keep us stuck. Madhav explores how childhood expectations, culture, and self doubt shape the way we see ourselves. Erick shares what it took to walk away from a career in construction, overcome the fear of being on camera, and build a new life. They also discuss why success doesn't always bring happiness, why people pleasing can quietly take over your life, and how spirituality, self awareness, and daily choices can help you reconnect with yourself. What happens when you realize your beliefs, fears, and even your definition of success might belong to someone else? Can you break the patterns you've spent your entire life following? And who would you be if everything you used to define yourself disappeared? This conversation explores what it means to stop living on autopilot and start questioning the person you've become. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Are you living a life you never chose? 02:10 Meet Madhav Nakar 04:00 The Fire of Knowing and his spiritual journey 05:29 How your identity gets programmed 08:36 Family conditioning and inherited beliefs 10:15 Facing fear instead of running from it 14:01 Distractions, loneliness, and the phone trap 17:15 Why men need their own space 18:43 Why success can still leave you miserable 20:20 Confronting fear in public 22:09 The fear of being seen on camera 24:35 Vulnerability and the purpose of Raw Minds 28:12 Spirituality and enjoying the passage of time 33:23 Finding lessons across spiritual traditions 36:44 When self improvement becomes avoidance 38:23 Silent patterns and people pleasing 40:06 Who are you without money or status? 40:31 The question every man should ask CONNECT WITH MADHAV NAKAR The Fire of Knowing: https://thefireofknowing.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFireofKnowing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefireofknowing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhav-nakar/ SUPPORT RAW MINDS Vote for Erick in Top Host 2026: https://tophost.org/2026/erick-mcmanus Raw Minds Website: https://rawminds.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast Business and Guest Inquiries: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com Raw Minds is dedicated to honest conversations about men's mental health, identity, trauma, recovery, personal growth, and rebuilding your life. If this conversation makes you think of someone carrying more than they show, share it with them. Subscribe to Raw Minds and help us reach the men who need these conversations. QUESTION FOR YOU: Are you living a life you chose, or one you were taught to live? Tell us in the comments. For the ones we never meet.

  4. Oct 3

    From 30+ Arrests to Redemption | David Watson, FORWARD ONLY | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 106

    More than 30 arrests. Fraud. A foreign prison. Federal prison. Gambling. Loss. And eventually, a decision to stop running. David Watson joins Raw Minds to tell the true story behind his memoir FORWARD ONLY. Raised by his grandparents in North Texas, David says his life changed after losing his grandfather at only 12 years old. What followed was decades of running from consequences, grief and himself. From stealing money as a teenager and crossing state lines, to fraud, jail in the Bahamas, repeated arrests and eventually a federal prison sentence, David’s life kept escalating until there was nowhere left to run. Then came one of the darkest moments of his life. While incarcerated, David learned that his mother had died. Alone in solitary confinement and facing years more behind bars, he reached a point where he questioned whether he wanted to keep living. What happened next changed the direction of his life. David began taking responsibility for his decisions, rebuilding himself, repairing relationships with his family and eventually writing FORWARD ONLY, his memoir about consequences, accountability, redemption and second chances. This is not a conversation about glorifying crime. It is about what happens when a man finally stops blaming everyone else and decides his past will not control where he goes next. If you are running from addiction, gambling, anger, shame, grief, bad decisions or your own past, this conversation is for you. FORWARD ONLY by David Watson is available now wherever books are sold. RAW MINDS Real conversations about men's mental health, growth, accountability and the things people keep buried. https://rawminds.ca Contact: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com CHAPTERS 00:00 David Watson’s story 02:10 What FORWARD ONLY is really about 03:49 Growing up with his grandparents 05:13 Losing his grandfather 08:28 Running away as a teenager 09:23 Stealing from McDonald’s and disappearing 15:02 Arrested driving a stolen car 19:44 Stealing a truck and escalating crime 22:25 His first serious arrest 26:40 More than 30 arrests 27:39 Fraud and prison in the Bahamas 34:42 Running again after the Bahamas 36:09 “You are the package” 38:45 The road toward federal prison 39:16 Arrested by the Secret Service 40:35 Gambling, fraud and self destruction 41:04 Losing his mother while incarcerated 42:18 The moment everything changed 43:46 Planning a different life from prison 44:10 Writing FORWARD ONLY 46:15 Why prison became his stop sign 47:13 Why he refuses to go backward 48:15 The years he can never get back 51:24 Accountability and second chances 55:42 What David would tell a man still running 57:10 Change your environment 58:17 Where to find FORWARD ONLY Subscribe to Raw Minds and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

  5. Oct 2

    Why We Can't Stop Talking About This | Daron Seals on Men’s Mental Health | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 105

    How close can a man get to losing his life while everyone around him thinks he is okay? In Raw Minds Season 2 Episode 105, Erick sits down with Daron Seals for a raw conversation about depression, loneliness, childhood trauma, toxic relationships, suicide, therapy, identity, vulnerability, and what happens when a man finally stops pretending everything is fine. In 2020, at 25 years old, Daron reached one of the darkest points of his life. He was struggling with a breakup, money, friendships, unemployment, isolation, and years of pain he had never properly dealt with. He survived that moment. What came next was not some overnight transformation. Daron had to learn how to talk. He had to ask for help. He had to find the right therapist. He had to learn how to trust people again and begin dealing with the parts of himself he had spent years hiding. Today, Daron uses his experience to create the conversations he once needed through The King’s Effect Podcast and Men’s Talk Show. This episode gets into why men hide their emotions, the pressure to “man up,” childhood trauma, toxic relationships, suicide prevention, mental health support groups, finding the right therapist, learning boundaries, Black men’s mental health, vulnerability, podcasting, and turning pain into something that can help somebody else. Sometimes the man telling everybody he is fine is the one fighting the hardest battle. Daron Seals The King’s Effect Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@KingsEffect2025/ Men’s Talk Show https://youtube.com/@menstalkshow RAW MINDS Website https://rawminds.ca YouTube https://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ci Instagram @rawmindspodcast TikTok @rawmindspodcast Email rawmindspodcast@gmail.com CHAPTERS 00:00 The war nobody can see 02:29 Meet Daron Seals 04:42 Who Daron was before therapy 09:12 Why men are taught to hide emotion 10:19 Family pressure and toxic masculinity 11:08 What pushed Daron toward the edge 12:21 Daron’s darkest moment at 25 14:41 Turning pain into a testimony 15:46 The support groups that helped save him 16:33 Messages from men who want to give up 22:15 When friendships disappear 24:16 Why asking for help felt weak 26:35 Finally going to therapy 30:29 How childhood trauma follows you 32:48 Finding help after the suicide attempt 35:08 The right therapist can change everything 40:50 Learning how to trust in therapy 44:28 Why Daron started talking publicly 45:00 Black men and mental health 49:31 Lessons from building a mental health show 55:03 Advocates struggle too 57:15 Why boundaries matter 60:41 The King’s Effect and Men’s Talk Show 62:16 Why mental health creators need each other #MensMentalHealth #MentalHealth #Depression #Therapy #RawMinds

  6. Sep 25

    The Snack Monkey: How To Stop Eating The Packet | Matt White | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 104

    Why do smart people keep making choices they already know are going to hurt them? Raw Minds Season 2 Episode 104 welcomes Matt White, author of The Snack Monkey: How to Stop Eating the Whole Packet. Matt has lived with CRPS and chronic pain for more than 30 years. He spent roughly 25 years taking prescribed codeine, competed with the Great Britain para-climbing team, and has spent much of his life learning what happens when pain, habits, instant gratification and resilience collide. But this conversation goes much deeper than chronic pain. Matt breaks down the idea behind The Snack Monkey, the voice in your head that says: "Just one won't hurt." One more episode. One more snack. Skip one workout. Start again Monday. Take the easy option. Matt explains the battle between what he calls The Captain, the part of you thinking about your long-term goals, and The Snack Monkey, the part that wants comfort and relief right now. We get into: The Snack Monkey The Captain vs instant gratification Why smart people make irrational decisions Breaking bad habits The "F**k It Button" Why one mistake can turn into giving up completely Conscious choice and personal responsibility Work, family and health balance Living with CRPS and chronic pain 25 years of prescribed codeine Walking away from painkillers Resilience vs self-destruction What happens after life knocks you down The moment between getting hit and getting back up Reframing failure Why words and identity matter "What if it works?" Wim Hof and the foreword to The Snack Monkey This isn't a polished resilience story. It's a conversation about pain, behaviour, addiction, habits, awareness, choice and what it actually takes to keep moving when life hits you hard. MATT WHITE Book: The Snack Monkey: How to Stop Eating the Whole Packet Website: therealsnackmonkey.com LinkedIn: Search Matt White + The Snack Monkey CHAPTERS 0:00 Living With Pain for 30+ Years 1:46 Meet Matt White 3:34 Would Matt Remove His CRPS? 7:36 Powered By Pain 10:49 The Reality of CRPS 15:22 How The Snack Monkey Started 19:23 Behaviour Change, Not Dieting 20:15 The Two Voices In Your Head 21:40 The Captain vs The Snack Monkey 23:26 The Snack Monkey's Greatest Trick 25:57 Work, Family and Health 28:33 When You Actually Decide To Change 32:35 The "F**k It Button" 35:47 25 Years of Prescribed Codeine 40:31 The Danger of Automatic Choices 42:49 Changing Your Default 45:42 What Balance Actually Means 49:19 The Side of Resilience Nobody Talks About 50:38 Get Off The X 52:21 The Limbo Between Pain and Action 54:06 Failure vs Learning 55:38 Reframing Your Story 56:35 What If It Works? 59:35 Final Thoughts 60:16 The Snack Monkey and Wim Hof RAW MINDS Real conversations about mental health, trauma, addiction, grief, fatherhood, resilience and what it actually takes to keep moving forward. https://rawminds.ca If this episode hits home, subscribe, leave a comment and send it to somebody who needs to hear it. For the ones we'll never meet. Healing Out Loud. #TheSnackMonkey #MattWhite #RawMindsPodcast

  7. Sep 18

    Pro Soccer to Depression, Grief & Men's Mental Health | Dehara Thompson | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 103

    men's mental health, depression, grief, athlete mental health, youth mental health, suicide loss, identity after sport, soccer, resilience, mental health awareness, Dehara Thompson What happens when the thing that defined you for most of your life is suddenly gone? Dehara Thompson was playing provincial soccer at 15. By 17, she had reached the South African Women's National Team. She earned a full university scholarship, pursued professional soccer in Europe and played with Newcastle United Women. Then a serious car accident changed everything. The sport that had given her structure, identity, discipline and purpose was suddenly no longer the same. Dehara opens up about the depression that followed, physical pain, rebuilding her identity and eventually finding another outlet through music. But this conversation goes much deeper than soccer. Dehara and Erick talk about men's mental health, why many men still do not feel safe opening up, youth mental health, competitive pressure, parenting, social media, screens, discipline, accountability and what young people may be losing when they never learn how to struggle, lose and recover. Dehara also shares the devastating loss of a former partner to suicide and what the aftermath taught her about grief, warning signs, unanswered questions and the ripple effect suicide can leave behind. Erick opens up about surviving his own suicide attempt in 2015 and why something as simple as an adult coloring book became part of rebuilding his life. They also talk about art, music, community, coaching, motherhood, raising boys, supporting young athletes and why feeling safe enough to make mistakes can change the way a person grows. Near the end, Erick asks Dehara about the mutual friend who ultimately connected their stories, Jules. That conversation gets personal. GUEST Dehara Thompson Executive Director, She Plays Sports SocietyFormer South African National Women's Team playerFormer Newcastle United Women's playerCommunity leader and coach Website:https://deharathompsonforpoco.com Instagram:@dehara_thompson TikTok:@deharathompson CHAPTERS 00:00 Dehara Thompson's Story03:44 Where to Find Dehara04:24 Who She Was Before Soccer05:20 Where Her Competitive Drive Came From06:58 Handling Pressure at 1511:23 South African National Team at 1713:35 Family Breakdown and Using Soccer as an Outlet17:58 Success and Constantly Moving the Goalpost18:45 Losing a Scholarship, Then Getting Another Chance21:22 Chasing Professional Soccer in Europe22:20 When Your Identity Is Built Around Sport22:49 The Car Accident That Changed Everything25:36 Rebuilding Her Identity Through Music27:55 Erick's Own Soccer Story33:27 Women in Coaching and Leadership36:38 Building She Plays Sports Society38:24 Coaching the Human Being, Not Just the Athlete45:22 Raising a Son Changed Her Perspective47:05 Boys, Men and the "Suck It Up" Mentality48:01 Do Men Actually Feel Safe Opening Up?50:31 Losing a Partner to Suicide54:19 The Warning Signs We Sometimes Miss58:06 Erick Opens Up About Surviving Suicide60:31 How Coloring Helped Erick Rebuild61:21 Art and Music as Tools for Healing64:56 Parenting, Screens and Youth Mental Health68:23 Competition, Confidence and Learning to Lose71:26 Accountability and Fixing the Wound74:27 Remembering Jules77:16 Dehara's Final Message79:13 Why Raw Minds Exists If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 in Canada or the United States. RAW MINDS PODCAST Real conversations about men's mental health, trauma, grief, addiction, fatherhood, relationships, resilience and rebuilding your life. For the ones we'll never meet.Healing Out Loud. Website:https://rawminds.ca TikTok:@rawmindspodcast Instagram:@rawmindspodcast Facebook:Raw Minds Podcast Business / Guest Inquiries:rawmindspodcast@gmail.com Subscribe to Raw Minds and tell us in the comments:

  8. Sep 11

    I Lost My Daughter to Parental Alienation | Johnny Mitchel l Raw Minds S2 Ep. 102

    Johnny Mitchell says parental alienation cost him years with his daughter, pushed his mental health to the edge, and left him fighting a family court system he felt powerless against. In this episode of Raw Minds, Johnny opens up about divorce, custody battles, being blocked from contacting his daughter, alcohol addiction, two DUIs five days apart, a heart attack at 35, crushing legal debt, losing his parental rights, and the moment he was told his daughter would be adopted by her stepfather. This conversation goes much deeper than family court. Johnny talks about what happens to a father mentally when his identity as a parent is stripped away, why he turned to alcohol to numb the pain, what finally forced him to change, and how close he came to completely losing himself. Erick also shares his own experiences with custody battles, separation from his daughter, mental health struggles, and the emotional reality many fathers never talk about. Johnny and Erick make one thing clear. Parental alienation can happen to fathers or mothers. This conversation is about what happens when children become caught in adult conflict and the psychological damage that can follow. Johnny also shares how reconnecting with his biological father helped him rebuild his life, why he has remained sober, and why he still believes his daughter may one day come back into his life. GUEST Johnny Mitchell TikTok:@therealJonathanMitchell RAW MINDS PODCAST Real conversations about men’s mental health, trauma, fatherhood, grief, addiction, recovery, relationships, and rebuilding your life. Website:https://rawminds.ca YouTube:@RawMinds TikTok:@rawmindspodcast Instagram:@rawmindspodcast Facebook:@rawmindspodcast Email:rawmindspodcast@gmail.com FRIDGEFIX Open your fridge. Find out what you can make with what you already have. https://fridgefix.ca CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro02:19 Johnny Mitchell joins Raw Minds04:00 Who Johnny was before everything changed07:25 Marriage breakdown and the beginning of alienation14:00 The first major warning sign23:23 Alcohol, depression and spiraling28:17 Erick opens up about his own suicide attempt35:40 Losing a best friend and the wake-up call37:39 Heart attack at 3543:02 Reconnecting with his daughter, then being blocked46:26 Legal bills and financial collapse50:01 Representing himself in family court55:18 The ruling that changed everything57:00 The woman Johnny says helped save his life01:03:05 Reconnecting with his biological father01:09:46 Supporting other alienated parents01:15:26 Living with zero contact01:18:35 The journal idea for his daughter01:25:21 Six years until she turns 1801:27:16 Johnny’s message to struggling parents If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 in Canada or the United States. If this conversation hit you, share it. A father, mother, or family going through this may need to hear it.

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About

Raw Minds is a raw, unapologetic podcast focused on men’s mental health, grief, resilience, and the battles we fight in silence. Hosted by Erick, Raw Minds is for men who feel broken, overwhelmed, numb, angry, lost, or alone and don’t know where to put it. This isn’t surface-level motivation. This is real life. The ugly parts. The quiet pain. Each episode features honest, vulnerable conversations with guests from all walks of life sharing real stories of depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, loss, fatherhood, recovery, and rebuilding after everything falls apart. No masks. No b******t.

Information

  • Creator
    Raw minds
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Raw minds
  • Show Website
    Raw Minds