Shows
Manned Up ConversationsNavigating Identity and Connection in Men's ConversationsSend us a textIn this episode, I reflect on a key tension in men's healing work: empathy vs. judgment, and whether my voice as an African man should only be directed toward African men. While firmly committed to centering African stories, I explores what it means to be a bridge—not an apologist—by creating space for honest conversations with men from all backgrounds.From mental health and father wounds to shame and invisibility, these struggles don’t ask for skin tone or nationality. I had to pause and reflect around featuring a white U.S. p...2025-06-0415 min
Manned Up ConversationsBeyond Talk Therapy: A Journey of Trauma, Healing & Psychedelics with Alex AbrahamSend us a textTune into this deeply personal conversation with Alex Abraham, author of Trauma and Ecstasy. Alex shares his deeply personal journey through repressed childhood trauma, including sexual abuse and its physical manifestations. He candidly discusses the limitations of traditional healing methods like talk therapy in addressing deep-seated issues and how guided experiences with psychedelics (MDMA and psilocybin) facilitated the uncovering of memories and a profound path toward healing and growth. This episode explores the untold aspects of men's pain and the search for effective healing from Alex's lived ex...2025-05-1436 min
Manned Up ConversationsSuffering in Silence - A Story of Trauma & Recovery with Captain Adam MeyersSend us a textIn this deeply personal interview, Police Captain, Adam Meyers bravely shares his journey following a critical shooting incident in 2016, the subsequent struggles with trauma, depression, and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and his eventual path to recovery and mental health advocacy.This powerful conversation cuts through the often stoic exterior of law enforcement to reveal the emotional and psychological toll that high-stress professions can take. Captain Meyers opens up about the silence and stigma surrounding mental health, particularly within the police force, and the challenges he faced in seeking help. He candidly discusses...2025-04-301h 01
Manned Up ConversationsExploring Positive Masculinity for Gender Equity with Chelepe MocwanaSend us a textIn this episode Kgaugelo Habyane engages in an insightful discussion with Chelepe Mocwana. We explore the complexities of positive masculinities as a vital tool for achieving gender equity. Chelepe shares his experiences and perspectives on redefining masculinity beyond patriarchal norms, emphasising the importance of empathy, self-awareness, and accountability for men. Our conversation tackles challenging issues such as gender-based violence, consent, the impact of societal expectations on men and boys, and the need for a community-wide approach to foster healthier relationships and a more equitable society. This episode...2025-04-161h 17
Manned Up ConversationsDesigning Meaningful Moments of Pause with Charles AchampongSend us a textJoin Kgaugelo Habyane in this insightful conversation with Charles Achampong as they explore the importance of family time, the transformative power of travel, and the necessity of creating moments of pause in our busy lives. Charles shares his experiences from taking a year-long trip around the world with his family and the profound lessons he learned about presence, intentionality, and redefining success beyond traditional societal norms. Discover practical steps towards designing a more meaningful life and why pausing is not a reward but a crucial necessity for well-being.Charles Achampong...2025-03-3048 min
Manned Up ConversationsShifting From Debate To Dialogue with Rooken PodestaSend us a text"What are you trying to take care of?" – a simple yet powerful question that shifts the way we engage in conversations.In a world where men are often told to suppress emotions, solve problems alone, and dominate rather than dialog, how do we create space for deeper, more meaningful connections?Rooken Podesta is the perfect man to explore this question. A facilitator and expert in generative dialog, Rooken helps individuals and organizations transform the way they communicate. His work centers on psychological safety, emotional li...2025-03-2045 min
Manned Up ConversationsReclaiming Communal Love Among MenSend us a textIn a world where violence, disconnection, and individualism seem to overshadow compassion, we ask: Where’s the love? In this episode of Manned Up Conversations, we explore the concept of communal love a love that affirms, nurtures, and holds space for men to express care, support, and connection.We dive into African philosophies like Botho/Ubuntu, insights from thought leaders like Prof. Mogobe Ramose, Nyasha Mboti, and Kopano Ratele, and the realities that shape men’s ability to give and receive love. Why do so many men struggle with affection? How do s...2025-02-2021 min
Manned Up ConversationsThe Road To Hell Is Paved With Good IntentionsSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.The first episode for 2025 is inspired by Ms Lauryn Hill's Motives and Thoughts, The Trial of Socrates and some of Carl Jung's shadow work. As we go into this transition period (our last pefect square year was 89 years ago in 1939) with a sense of newness about ourselves and the world around us, it's important to check in with ourselves and explore through personal reflection and conversation with...2025-02-0316 min
Manned Up ConversationsFighting The Good Fight with Cassius "Hitman" BaloyiSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.In this episode, I speak former 6x boxing champ Cassius Hitman Baloyi about his glory days in the ring. The name named after Muhammad Ali by his father after the classic, Rumble in Jumgle fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali shares stories of his upbringing in Manamulele, Limpopo in South Africa. We talk about his father's influence on his life, the passing of his mother and...2024-11-231h 08
Manned Up ConversationsExploring Talents and Learning From Experiences with Batsile "BOY Wonder" RamasodiSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.In this episode, I speak with artist extraordinaire Batsile "BOY Wonder" Ramasodi on his artistic path and growth as a man.We talk about growing up in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, and how he pursued his creative talents and developed them into numerous careers. As a father of four, we also discuss his perspectives on fatherhood. and the complexities of co-parenting.Batsile also discusses the impact...2024-11-071h 16
Manned Up ConversationsBecoming Mentally Healthy with Tshegofatso SephulaSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.In this episode we expand on a conversation we had with Tshegofatso Sephula on a mental health awareness campaign we did with John Craig to discuss some highlights from his book, Mental Decay. Tshegofatso talks about identity issues, navigating family dynamics with mental health challenges, the inspiration behind sharing his story and letting go of expectations. We also talk about the impact of family secrets and...2024-10-1156 min
Manned Up ConversationsReflections On Black Male PrivilegeSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated. We've covered many conversations over the last three years, while going through some books, research and conversations with friends and listening to the online community, I've been reflecting on the idea of male privilege or to be more specific, black male privilege. I know this is an extremely contentious topic in the gender discourse but I want to offer an alternative argument against black male pr...2024-09-1332 min
Manned Up ConversationsReflections On The Gender Empathy GapSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.I was intrigued by an article shared by Ground Up and the Daily Maverick titled, “Battered woman syndrome”: law to be challenged." The Centre for Applied Legal Studies has laid out a strong argument for women who kill in self defence arguing that the courts don't empathise or consider the psychological effects of abuse when sentencing "battered women." CALS argued that “This case demonstrates that the curre...2024-09-0310 min
Manned Up ConversationsExploring The Journey of a Conscientious Objector with Kyle ToonSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.In this episode we explore an uncommon but interesting story of a US Army conscientious objector and social work graduate student, Kyle Toon to talk about his decision to leave the army after serving for 10 years where he enrolled at 17 years old. Kyle shares how going against family lineage caused an internal conflict and mental heath issues resulting from the dissonance he experienced when comparing what he...2024-07-181h 06
Manned Up ConversationsWhy Silence Isn't Always Golden with Leon De BeerSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.We talk about men's coping mechanisms and how seeking help—or not—can lead to mental health issues and suicidal thoughts in this courageous interview with Leon De Beer, the deputy director of the South African Federation of Mental Health. After his divorce, Leon experienced suicide ideation. By sharing his story, he emphasizes the value of reaching out and surrounding yourself with people who can support and unde...2024-07-0452 min
Manned Up ConversationsUnlocking The Keys To Self Mastery with Met_a_morphosisSend us a textShoutout to you if you're joining us for the first time, and thank you for coming back to listen; your support is greatly appreciated.In this exciting talk with the quantum leaping physicist, we discuss knowing thyself from several of viewpoints, including history, education, and tools to aid you on your own journey. We also discuss some challenging issues regarding the representation of African culture and its impact on identity. Met_a_morphosis also discusses how he balances his four careers while giving back to underserved communities through mathematics education and...2024-06-201h 03
Manned Up ConversationsCreating Care Uptake Points For Men with Dr Vuyo YokweSend us a textThanks for listening if you are joining for the first time, hope you enjoy the conversation and peace and love to you for coming back to listen.Although the term "safe spaces" is frequently used in casual conversations, what does it actually mean? We explore the impportance and quality of conversations held in such spaces and highlight some essential elements of designing safe spaces, we then question if our own and others efforts in reaching and working with men are effective in addressing their issues. Dr Vuyo also shares some interesting t...2024-05-231h 05
Manned Up ConversationsProtect Your Critical Thinking From Patriarchy with Kneo MokgopaSend us a textThanks for listening if you are joining for the first time, hope you enjoy the conversation and peace and love to you for coming back to listen.Many males avoid using the word patriarchy because they perceive it as an attack on their gender. Some activists have even asserted that men of African origin are not entitled to privilege or patriarchy. Despite this, many people are still unaware of the influence of patriarchal structures. During a conference in November 2023, my guest Kneo Mokgopa gave a fascinating presentation titled "Protecting Your Critical...2024-05-0951 min
Manned Up ConversationsExploring Men's Emotional Language with Matthew SteeleSend us a textThanks for listening if you are joining for the first time, hope you enjoy the conversation and peace and love to you for coming back to listen.On episode 60 we explore men's emotional language with Clinical Psychologist, Matthew Steele. We discuss the impact of testosterone and men’s emotions. Looking at family as a space for teaching emotional literacy, we also discuss how parents play a part in helping boys develop emotional awareness. Matthew share some tips on creating male friendly therapy spaces and encourages men to not wait until they hav...2024-04-2552 min
Manned Up ConversationsFather Wounds & Black Male Stereotypes with Malose LangaSend us a textThanks for listening if you are joining for the first time, hope you enjoy the conversation and peace and love to you for coming back to listen.On episode 59 I met with Malose Langa at The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg to discuss his insights and reflections on working with men and boys. We discuss the impact of father wounds, why many men and boys feel the pressure to perform a certain type of masculinity to either fit in or protect their masciline identity and the perception of black men and...2024-04-1946 min
Manned Up ConversationsReflections on Faith, Leadership & Relationships with Ratiba MohaleSend us a textThanks for listening if you are joining for the first time, hope you enjoy the conversation and peace and love to you for coming back to listen. On episode 58 I speak to Marketing Executive, Podcast and Radio host Ratiba Mohale about his views on faith and being a man of value, he also shares why he views family as a cornerstone of leadership and the changing role of men in family and society. We also speak about the decline in marriage and the destruction of the family. While speaking on male...2024-04-111h 05
Manned Up ConversationsWhy Men Keep Their Emotional Pain InvisibleSend us a textThrough reading his books, articles and watching Tom Golden on his YouTube channel, Men Are Good, his work opened my eyes to the misconceptions and subtle signs that go unnoticed in men’s emotional domain. I’ve reflected on how his work relates to me as a South African man and how some of the observations he shared in his books and talks still hold true, though there are some changes in society’s attitudes towards men’s emotional experiences. In this episode I share How and Why Men Keep Their Emotional Pain Invisible ba...2024-02-1616 min
Manned Up ConversationsThe Healing Power of Music with Graeme SacksSend us a text Welcome to Season 4 of Manned Up Conversations. If you are new to the platform, thank you for tuning in. I invite you to listen in with an open mind, our stories and conversations give you a refreshing perspective on manhood, reflections on issues affecting men and some suggestions on what we can do to enjoy a wholistic life experience. We do not claim to have all the answers, we share out of compassion for others and pay our stories forward so they can inspire the next man to own his story and pass o...2024-02-0250 min