Shows
The Yorkie Talkies TalkMenfulness: Breaking the Silence with Jack — Courage, Connection & CommunityIn this episode of Yorkie Talkies Talk, I sit down with Jack from Menfulness, a community-powered movement supporting men’s mental health through connection, activity and honest conversations.Together, we dive into:Why so many men struggle to talkHow Menfulness is changing the landscape of men’s wellbeingThe power of doing something side-by-side — walking, football, barber chats and moreReal stories of community, courage and hopeHow you or someone you know can get involvedMenfulness offers a wide range of support including counse...
2025-12-041h 07
Man Up / Man DownMenfulnessIn this episode, Jack Woodhams discusses the importance of male friendships, mental health, and the initiatives he has spearheaded through Menfulness. He shares his personal journey of creating supportive spaces for men, addressing loneliness, and the stigma surrounding mental health conversations. The conversation highlights the significance of vulnerability, community support, and the role of counselling in suicide prevention.In this conversation, Jack Woodhams discusses the importance of open conversations about mental health, particularly among men. He emphasises the need for accessible mental health support and the unique approach of Menfulness, a charity that creates comfortable spaces...
2025-03-2052 min
The Menfulness PodcastCharlie's Legacy: Talking About Suicide with the CDLF Sisters (Victoria Taylor and Alex Lancaster)TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide/Grief
It's International Women’s Day and we are glad to be joined by Victoria and Alex of the Charlie Dallas Lancaster Foundation. Two women who have been instrumental in the Menfulness journey and two sisters dealing with the tragic loss of their brother Charlie to suicide in August 2020.
We talk about what it was like to lose Charlie, how being sisters allowed them to relate to the grief they felt and how they have found purpose in helping other people and building a legacy for their brother with their foundation in his...
2024-03-081h 22
The Menfulness PodcastThe Menfulness Video Podcast - Trustees Talk About Running a Men's Mental Health CharityThe first Menfulness Video Podcast!
All five Menfulness trustees (From left to right) Mike Hewitt, Matty Lewis, Sam Watling, Dan Braidley and Jack Woodhams, answer questions from charity members and the public about what Menfulness means for them and what it takes to run a growing charity supporting men with their mental and physical health.
MENFULNESS MERCH - https://menfulness.myshopify.com/
The Menfulness mantra is #DontManUpSpeakUp and we invite you to join us in kindness, honesty and vulnerability as we navigate life's struggles and move closer to who we want to be. If you're just hearing about us...
2024-02-051h 18The Menfulness PodcastFor Queen and Country: A Life In Service (with Mark Sullivan)Today we speak to Mark Sullivan. Mark is an Army veteran, turned Personal trainer, turned University Lecturer. His path through the Army is a fascinating one eventually leading to a role in the TV series Lads Army and career defining moments as part of the Queen’s bodyguard for Her Majesty’s funeral and King’s Bodyguard for his Majesty’s coronation. This conversation is full of insight on life, fitness and the importance of discipline, integrity and looking after other people. Mark may be retired but he’s still running marathons and working for the sovereign. His energy and relent...
2024-01-042h 34
Conversations in Social JusticeMen's Suicide Prevention Impact and Evaluation ProjectIn this conversation Dr Gary Shepherd and Sam Watling discuss a new research project to provide York-based men's social wellbeing group Menfulness with information on the attitudes, opinions and insights of their service users.
2023-12-1128 minThe Menfulness PodcastBecoming a Leader: From Anxiety to Boxing Therapy (with Al Chambers)Trigger Warning - Bereavement/Anxiety/Suicide
Content Warning - Swearing
Today we're lucky enough to have Al Chambers with us. Al is owner of Legions Gym and runs the monthly Menfulness Boxing sessions. He's a boxing coach, a counsellor, a father of three and an all round lovely bloke.
Al shares how he has built his business from a dream up, the importance of learning how to lose well, and how he's created a community around Legions. He also talks about his experiences of anxiety, processing death and how all these things have m...
2023-11-252h 08The Menfulness PodcastChat Chit Chet and Jam: Finding Purpose Through Working in Mental Health (with Chris Klays)Trigger Warning - Depression/Anxiety/Suicide
Content Warning - Swearing
Today we speak to Chris Klays who is Systems change lead for mental health charity York Mind. Chris talks to us about his chat chit podcast (see below for links), why pigeons and jam can both be good for your mental health and how his role involves working with young people to figure out how they want to look after their mental wellbeing.
Chris also talks about the challenges he has faced with his own mental health since he was in his teens a...
2023-10-291h 39The Menfulness PodcastADHD Unmasked: My Mental Health Journey (with Leo Ballantyne)Trigger Warning - Suicide/grief loss
Content Warning - Swearing
We've got the lovely Leo for you in today's conversation. We discuss what ADHD has meant for him, both now since his recent diagnosis but also how that's factored into understanding his life as a whole. We hear about how it's affected his relationships and education as well as his feelings of alienation in a world not always geared up for neurodiverse people.
As always we get honest insight into the mind of one of our members, as well as h...
2023-10-061h 32The Menfulness PodcastRespecting Our Heritage; Building A Future (with Isa Celik)Trigger Warning - Suicide/child bereavement
We're glad to have Isa Celik with us for today's episode. He tells us about what Menfulness means to him, as well as taking us on his journey from growing up without power or water in the mountains of Turkey, to now running his own tile restoration business and how those experiences have shaped who he is and how he parents.It's a fascinating chat with a true ray of light and we hope you enjoy it.
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LINKS:
MENFULNESS MERCH - https://menfulness.myshopify.com/
2023-09-031h 20The Menfulness PodcastHungry Angry Lonely Tired Sad (with Adam Pike)Trigger Warning - Suicide attempts/eating disorders/bereavement/alcohol misuse/drug misuse/abuse
Content Warning - Swearing/Assault
DONATE TO MENFULNESS YORK 10K - https://justgiving.com/campaign/Menfulness10K2023
Today we're talking to Adam Pike. This episode was originally recorded to be released during alcohol awareness week as we delve into Adam's experiences of addiction, relationship breakdown, physical injury and pain. While we cover a lot of heavy topics which might be triggering for some, it's a hopeful conversation with lots of wisdom and learning from...
2023-08-052h 35The Menfulness PodcastFrom Roots to Fruits: My Family, Anxiety and Nature's Cure (with Adam Jones)Trigger Warning - Poverty/Self Harm/Bereavement/Suicide
Content Warning - Swearing
Introducing Adam Jones in this huge and brilliant episode! Adam talks about his upbringing, from living in poverty in rural Northumberland, making friends at Leeds Uni into employment, relationships and parenthood. Adam's a wonderful speaker and paints a vivid picture of his childhood as well as how he came to love the natural world. We hear about his mental health journey including experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. We also find out how he's coping with supporting his autistic brother and his mother who lives with Parkinson's and Lewy...
2023-06-272h 21The Menfulness PodcastThe Simon Long-est Podcast - Pt 2 - Exploring Alternative TherapiesTrigger Warning - Eating Disorder/Self Harm/Bereavement
Content Warning - Swearing
Simon Long joins us for Part Two of the LONGest podcast yet and we're honoured to hear him speak. In this episode we learn about the breakfast club he’s running for us, as well as so much more of Simon’s story including why Menfulness is so important to him. It's a brave conversation and we touch on some triggering topics including eating disorders, self harm and bereavement, so bare that in mind before getting into this if you’ve got something going...
2023-05-201h 16The Menfulness PodcastThe Simon Long-est Podcast - Pt 1 - My Journey Through MenfulnessTrigger Warning - Suicide
Content Warning - Swearing
Simon Long joins us for part one of the LONGest podcast yet! Simon is a Menfulness expert. He’s been to pretty much all our events, runs a few himself and is an all round lovely chap. This turned into such a long one we decided to split it half! This first episode is going to be great if you’re interested in what we do, what our events are like or how to get involved as well as getting to know Simon. Please be aware we do t...
2023-05-0659 minThe Menfulness PodcastA Life's Work: Men's Health, Masculinity and Me (with Prof. Paul Galdas)Trigger Warning - Bereavement
In this episode we learn from Professor Paul Galdas. He’s a professor of Nursing at the University of York who has spent most of his working life focused on improving men's access to healthcare. He’s currently got funding from Movember to work on research in Behavioural Activation for men in frontline roles in the NHS. We hear about his important work, talk about what it means to be man and what it’s like in the Movember Head Office in Australia. We also get to hear some of his story too. Like a...
2023-04-151h 46The Menfulness PodcastDon't Man Up Speak Up: Living Beyond Imposter Syndrome (with James Rickett)Trigger Warning - Suicide/Eating Disorder
Content Warning - Swearing
Today we speak to one of our volunteers James Rickett. He runs our monthly Retro Gaming Night at The Crooked Tap as well as being global lead for anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance for the International Compliance Association. We talk about his important work, the impact he’s had on Menfulness and that Menfulness has had on him. We're grateful for how generous James has been with his story, he shares with us how he's battled with imposter syndrome, suicidal thoughts, losing people from his li...
2023-04-021h 48
The Menfulness PodcastRecovery and OCD: Embracing Uncertainty and the Value in Therapy - with Matty LaycockTrigger Warning - OCD/Suicide
Today we speak to Matty Laycock who shares with us his experience of OCD and his path to mental health nursing, and now working as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist for NHS Talking Therapies (was IAPT).
Matty is a real one, out there doing the work helping people get better. In this chat he helps us understand what he's been through, as well as tips on embracing uncertainty, meditation, gratitude and finding his values (including a great tip to help you find yours!)
Let us know what you think of this episode,
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Matty's Content:
IAPT: ht...
2023-03-191h 21
The Menfulness PodcastWhen Algorithms Say Boo! - Miscarriage, Music and Me (with Dr Jenn)Trigger Warning - Baby loss/Grief
We're grateful to have Dr Jenn with us for this conversation. Jenn is a lecturer with expertise and research in the field of ethics, A.I. and the impact of science on society. We talk about algorithms and A.I. and their impact on us from both a general and personal perspective. We also hear about responsible AI and how Jenn has been working on an algorithm to help reduce triggering imagery on your social feeds. Jenn also talks openly and honestly about her experiences with baby loss and how her connection to music h...
2023-03-031h 28
Don't touch the cat#12 - Isa CelikIsa is the owner of Opus Tile Restoration in York and is the UK's leading mosaic and stone restoration expert. He has worked on some of the UK's most prestigious buildings, from Victorian to Roman restorations, has supported national TV shows and produced reports for large projects.Here he tells his story of how he ended up where he is today, and it is a great story.Organisations mentioned by Isa:www.menfulness.orgwww.lighthouseclub.orgwww.menunite.orgThis episode was recorded before...
2023-02-072h 54The Menfulness PodcastLife, Death and Kritikal Thinking (with Kritikal Powers)HELLO AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!
Thank you for joining us. We are grateful for every single one of you who tunes in to hear us speak our truth! We know it's not a happy new year for everyone. If you or someone you know is going through a rough time right now then get in touch via https://www.menfulness.org or come to an event via https://www.meetup.com/menfulness!
We are absolutely stoked to have York rapper and producer Liam Kritikal Powers joining us for today's episode. It's an awesome co...
2023-01-141h 53The Menfulness PodcastHASHTAG FRIENDSHIP CHEMISTRY (with Mike Hewitt)Today we're grateful to have Mike Hewitt joining us. Mike is a founder of Menfulness as well as our treasurer. He comes to us today to talk about what Menfulness means to him, how he came up with the name and how it helps him with life's challenges. We also learn about how the relationships with his family and friends have helped make him the man he is today! (We also find out about what #FriendshipChemistry is and why Jack hates it so much!) We're so lucky to have Mike on the team and for him to share his...
2022-12-312h 04The Menfulness PodcastFinding My Ikigai: Learning to Say Y.E.S. to Myself (with Nick Sinclair)TW - Suicide
CW - Swearing
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Today we're talking to Nick Sinclair. Nick is a Public Health Professional and a qualified Counsellor. He's also one of the stars of a new film which raises awareness of suicide called WHY (https://whysuicideprevention.co.uk/) brought to us by the wonderful folks at York Ending Stigma (https://www.yorkcvs.org.uk/york-ending-stigma/).
Nick speaks calmly and honestly about subjects such as suicide, alcohol, social media and counselling. It's a positive conversation but as expected it gets heavy at times, so make sure you con...
2022-12-101h 45The Menfulness PodcastThe Rise and Fall of Funtime Frankie: The Journey to Reclaim Myself (with Frankie Sewell)TW - Suicide CW - Swearing * In this conversation I talk to Frankie Sewell, a member and supporter of Menfulness. Frankie kindly told us he was ready to share his story in the hope it might help others who are going through a tough time right now. His sage advice that 'This too shall pass' is something that runs through this conversation. We talk honestly and openly about suicide and Frankie's journey and while it's an overall positive conversation and Frankie is in a good place right now, it is heavy and so please bear this in mind before l...
2022-11-261h 47The Menfulness PodcastMy Journey to Coaching: Dealing with Life, Love and Death (with Wayne Cullen)Trigger Warning - Grief/Bereavement
Content Warning - Swearing
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"Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them" - Sir John Whitmore
A more in depth definition of Coaching from 'Real Coaching For You'.
Today we're speaking to a passionate coach and Menfulness advocate, Wayne Cullen. We get into coaching and what it means to us both. We also hear about how Wayne found coaching, what he's working on including an introduction to his 'Pioneering Men' concept. Wayne bravely and honestly shares with us his struggle with the death...
2022-11-121h 25
The Menfulness PodcastMore in Common, Menfulness and Me (with Pete Quinn)TW - Baby Loss/Bereavement
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It's hard to state just how awesome Pete Quinn really is. He's a consultant, coach, speaker and leader. He's an Inclusion Consultant and he's out there working in the education, tech, corporate and arts sectors making meaningful change and harnessing the power of diversity. Pete's consultancy strap-line is 'change through collaboration' and in this episode we learn how challenges have become opportunities, inclusion became a living, and Menfulness became a part of Pete's giving back.
We travel from Birstall to York, with Tanzania and Oxford on the way! W...
2022-10-291h 12
The Menfulness PodcastDays of My Life: Hustling, Healing and Helping Others (with Aidan Wheller)TW - Drugs (Overdose)/Bereavement/Suicide
CW: Swearing
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Menfulness member and volunteer Aidan shares some stories from his new auto-biographical podcast, 'Days of My Life'.
Aidan's journey has taken him from 90s dance-floors, drug dealing and ditches of Nottingham, to the beaches of India, self-actualisation and finding his purpose to help others.
Aidan has been through more in his teenage years than many will experience in a lifetime and even though we only scratch the surface in this chat, his frank honesty and light hearted ownership of his past li...
2022-10-151h 18The Menfulness PodcastIs Counselling For Me? Finding Serendipity (with Sinead Tingley)We're very lucky to have Sinead from Serendipity Counselling on the podcast!
Sinead has been a constant source of guidance and supported Menfulness as we've grown into a charity. She makes sure all of our members have access to top quality counselling quickly and effectively. We learn about Serendipity, what counselling is and what it means for Menfulness.
If you are thinking about counselling, whether generally or through our affordable Menfulness Counselling Offer, then this episode is for you!
The Menfulness mantra is #DontManUpSpeakUp and we invite you to join us in kindness, hon...
2022-10-0159 minThe Menfulness PodcastPositivity, Parents and Never Having Two Bad Days in a Row (with Matty Lewis)TW: Suicide/Bereavement.
CW: Swearing.
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In this conversation we speak to Matty, Menfulness' self-proclaimed poster-boy and all round positive human being. We learn how gratitude impacts Matty's life and how experiences with his own parents have shaped the man he is today.
Thank you for joining us! The Menfulness mantra is #DontManUpSpeakUp and we invite you to join us in kindness, honesty and vulnerability as we navigate life's struggles and move closer to who we want to be. If you're just hearing about us then please visit Menfulness.org or find us on all the socials. We're glad to have yo...
2022-09-171h 39The Menfulness PodcastLosing My Smile and Facing Life's Challenges (with Dan Braidley)CW: Swearing
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Today we're speaking to 'Jean Claude Van' Dan about how discovering martial arts changed his life for the better. Dan has a very unique story and opens up about having Bell's Palsy in his twenties which massively affected his mental health, but ultimately became the inspiration for setting up Menfulness.
Thank you for joining us on our journey! Our mantra is #DontManUpSpeakUp and we invite you to join us in kindness, honesty and vulnerability as we navigate our struggle and move closer to who we want to be. If you're just h...
2022-09-031h 42The Menfulness PodcastA Hero's Origin Story: Epilepsy, My Family and Me (with Jack Woodhams)TW: Suicide
CW: Swearing
WELCOME to the first ever episode of The Menfulness Podcast - It's a real inspiring one to start us off!
We're starting right from the beginning... Our founder Jack shares how he came to start Menfulness and what it's all about, how he copes with his daughter Poppy's epilepsy on a day to day basis and what's helped make him into the caring soul he is today.
Thank you for joining us on our journey! Our mantra is #DontManUpSpeakUp and we invite you to join us in ki...
2022-08-201h 522022-07-2401 min
Dad La Soul Sessions PodcastJack Woodhams of MenfulnessJim Coulson chats to Jack Woodhams of Menfulness, a York-based group that supports mens' mental health with a range of activities and helps them find professional help if they need it. Find out about the great work that they do and insights into why dads groups and mens groups are so necessary.This audio is taken from the Dad La Soul Sessions live stream in April 2022. Visit www.dadlasoul to find updates of our next events, both online and in person. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
2022-05-0243 min