Description

In this podcast episode, Sean opens up about his personal journey of understanding masculinity and challenging the traditional patriarchal values he was raised with. He reflects on how his upbringing framed the concept of masculinity, emphasising physical strength, aggression, and protectiveness as the stereotypical traits associated with being a man.

As Sean has matured, he has started to question and challenge these narrow views of masculinity. He explores the importance of embracing both feminine and masculine energies, recognising that blending these aspects can contribute to becoming a better person overall. 

Sean shares the pivotal moment that triggered his mental health journey. Join him as he opens up about the profound impact of his younger brother's heartbreaking experience with his high school sweetheart, Holly. From their beautiful childhood romance to the devastating diagnosis of a stage four glioblastoma brain tumour, Sean recounts the immense pain and powerlessness he felt as the oldest brother.

As Sean reflects on the role of a big brother, he confronts the challenging reality of not being able to fix the situation for his beloved sibling. With raw honesty, he recalls the heart-wrenching moments of consoling his brother while harbouring the knowledge of Holly's imminent passing. The weight of suppressing his own emotions to be the strong, silent pillar of support for his grieving family took a toll on Sean's mental well-being.

Through this deeply personal narrative, Sean examines the societal expectations placed on men and the harmful notion that "boys don't cry." He shares his struggle with bottling up his emotions, believing that vulnerability would burden others. This realisation marks a turning point in his journey, prompting him to question the traditional roles and stereotypes of masculinity.

Sean candidly explores the impact of the first domino that fell in his mental health journey, unravelling the layers of grief, strength, and personal growth. Through his story, he offers a powerful message about the importance of emotional expression, challenging societal norms, and seeking support during times of immense pain. 

Sean takes you on a journey through the inspiration and creation of his groundbreaking startup, Mind Data. Sean shares the personal experiences and motivations that led him to develop an innovative app designed to enhance therapy sessions and empower individuals on their mental health journeys.

Enter Mind Data, a visionary solution born out of Sean's determination to enhance the therapy experience. Drawing from his own frustrations as a client, he recognised the need to overcome the limitations of memory and the challenge of starting each session from scratch. Sean delves into the recency bias that often dominates therapy conversations, where only the most recent events are discussed while potentially overlooking deeper issues.

Sean takes us on a journey through the roadmap of his innovative startup, Mind Data. With a clear vision in mind, Sean aims to revolutionise the therapy experience by making it proactive rather than reactive, while simultaneously enhancing self-awareness and the effectiveness of each session.

Sean understands the importance of validating his assumptions quickly. Mind Data's goal, now that it has secured pre-seed funding, is to deploy the app in various contexts and let the market determine where its impact is most significant. Conversations with organisations like the NHS, universities, schools, private therapists, coaches, and sports teams have already begun, with the intention of putting Mind Data into the hands of those who can benefit the most.

Join Sean on this deeply moving and insightful journey as he explores masculinity, loss, personal growth, and the creation of Mind Data.

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@maketimetotalk