Man Down: The Anti-Man-Up Movement

Join Zak and I as we discuss his new track 'Less of a Man', which explores our relationship with masculinity and what it means to be a man in today's society. We also chat about Zak's experiences of mental health, his exceptional table tennis talent, mental health within the music industry and the impact of our mums in our lives. To me, Zak is a true example of authenticity and vulnerability, in his ability to share this truth openly and from a place of curiosity.

About Zak: Zak Abel is a British singer / songwriter, who first rose to fame after supplying guest vocals on Gorgon City’s UK Top 20 hit single ‘Unmissable’. Born in London, Zak’s journey into music was not predetermined, as despite this always being where his true passions lay, he once ranked Number 1 in England and had a position on the Olympic Squad for Table Tennis. Travelling around the world to train and play games, Zak’s earliest musical memory is listening to Magic FM in the car and being brought up on a diet of Ray Charles, Amy Winehouse and James Brown – soul music in the most classical sense. The depth and feeling that those artists packed into their lyrics were never lost on Zak, who started penning his own songs as a 14-year-old and uploading videos of his work to YouTube, which eventually led to him signing a record deal in 2014 and meeting influential electronic music producer, Joker.  Zak and Joker released the four-track EP, ‘Joker Presents: Zak Abel’, in 2015 – a record Zak credits with opening his mind to new ways of thinking about music and a gateway for meeting other creative minds to collaborate with like in the career-defining tracks ‘Beautiful Escape’ with Tom Misch and Kaytranada on ’Say Sumthin’. Through these early collaborations, Zak felt both emboldened as a writer and confident as a performer, setting him up perfectly for the release of his 2017 debut album, ‘Only When We’re Naked’. This body of work saw him channel his creativity into pop spheres for the first time and it was a record that significantly increased his stock as a writer too – being asked to pen hit records for the likes of Kygo (‘Freedom’) Avicii (‘Ten More Days’), ZAYN (Flames), Paloma Faith and John Legend (I’ll Be Gentle) and Don Diablo (Bad).

Now signed to Vertigo Berlin (Universal Music Germany) and Island Records in the US, his own music never fails to disappoint, too: blending soulful vocals with R&B and pop, the smokey 2021 release “Be Kind”, which made it into AirPlay Charts in various European countries and Top 40 HOT AC in the USA has been the defining direction for his upcoming second album. Alongside music, Zak is an Ambassador for mental health charity CALM and speaks openly about issues surrounding this topic as well as channeling themes of identity and mental struggle into his lyrics.

This week's very special episode of Man Down is with the brilliant Mo Gawdat. Mo is the former Chief Business Officer of Google X (Google's so-called 'moonshot factory' responsible for off-the-wall ideas such as self-driving cars and a balloon-powered internet) but for many years, despite his success, he found himself deeply unhappy. After experiencing the tragic loss of his son, he set out to find out what it truly means to be happy and to share the teachings of his son with the masses. Mo is the author of Solve for Happy and host of the Slo Mo Podcast, and his most recent book, Scary Smart, a call to action for all of us to wake up to the reality of Artificial Intelligence.

Mo and I discuss what it means to be truly happy, the role of masculinity within this and of course, the rise of A.I and what we all need to be thinking about when it comes to the so called 'rise' of the machines.

I hope you enjoy it!

Mo's new book, Scary Smart, is now available for pre-orders. Pre-order your copy from Amazon and send an email titled 'Man Down' with a screenshot of your order confirmation to win@mogawdat.com. Mo will pick 50 winners over the course of the next few weeks who will all win a signed copy of the limited edition pre-lease copy. It gets even better, if you can come to London, UK, you may win an invitation to spend the evening with Mo, myself, and a small group of 3 other readers as he buys us all dinner in London in September. Spread the word and tell others to preorder too!

This week's episode is with the brilliant Lars Wilde, co-founder of Compass Pathways. We talk about Lars' own journey with mental health, which led him to his first experience with psilocybin (the active ingredient in 'magic' mushrooms), as well as the incredible work that's being done in the psychedelic therapy space in relationship to changing the game in mental health treatment.

Lars is an active serial entrepreneur in tech and biotech and a business angel, and has helped to successfully build several companies. Before joining COMPASS, Lars was the founder and CEO of Springlane, a leading European direct-to-consumer kitchen and BBQ brand and the largest German cooking magazine. Lars previously worked as an investor at Waterland Private Equity, one of the world’s best performing private equity funds. Amongst other buy-and-build investments, he focused on building VivaNeo, the largest European in-vitro fertilisation group, providing patients with cutting edge medical solutions. Lars has also spent time with Boston Consulting Group in Munich and São Paulo. Lars holds a master’s degree in Finance from IE Business School in Spain and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands. He spent exchange semesters at the University of Münster, the Copenhagen Business School and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Russell Kennedy specializes in the art and neuroscience of helping people recover from anxiety disorders. He knows anxiety from the inside out, as he developed his own anxiety disorder as a result of growing up with a dad with severe schizophrenia. Dr Kennedy has degrees and advanced training in medicine, neuroscience and developmental psychology — but it’s not all science, as he is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher and was a professional stand-up comedian for over a decade (no joke!)  In his award winning book, ANXIETY RX, he shows a practical, actionable program for anxiety relief that incorporates the grounding wisdom of the unconscious body to alleviate the anxious thoughts of the conscious mind. Using a combination of neuroscience (think "The Body Keeps the Score") and blending that science with a more artistic approach he learned through living at a temple in India, taking psychedelics, and being a natural and gifted intuitive, Dr Kennedy gives a unique and never before seen understanding of what anxiety truly is,  and further, exactly how it can be successfully treated. Dr Russ wants to make sure that nobody has to suffer with anxiety as he did.

I speak with Dr. Russ about his own experiences of anxiety (and some of mine!), a new approach to healing, psychedelics, breathwork, neuroscience and much more!

This is the trailer for episode 52 of Man Down.

Dr. Russell Kennedy specializes in the art and neuroscience of helping people recover from anxiety disorders. He knows anxiety from the inside out, as he developed his own anxiety disorder as a result of growing up with a dad with severe schizophrenia. Dr Kennedy has degrees and advanced training in medicine, neuroscience and developmental psychology — but it’s not all science, as he is also a certified yoga and meditation teacher and was a professional stand-up comedian for over a decade (no joke!)  In his award winning book, ANXIETY RX, he shows a practical, actionable program for anxiety relief that incorporates the grounding wisdom of the unconscious body to alleviate the anxious thoughts of the conscious mind. Using a combination of neuroscience (think "The Body Keeps the Score") and blending that science with a more artistic approach he learned through living at a temple in India, taking psychedelics, and being a natural and gifted intuitive, Dr Kennedy gives a unique and never before seen understanding of what anxiety truly is,  and further, exactly how it can be successfully treated. Dr Russ wants to make sure that nobody has to suffer with anxiety as he did.

I speak with Dr. Russ about his own experiences of anxiety (and some of mine!), a new approach to healing, psychedelics, breathwork, neuroscience and much more!

Welcome to episode 51 of Man Down with Asa Baav & David Chambers. As coaches and educators, they guide couples to experience new depths of intimacy, deepen their relationship with themselves and their partners, and discover new levels of pleasure by teaching powerful communication techniques, intimacy practices and the importance of prioritising your relationship.

In this episode we discuss their relationship, the individual work they have done on themselves and the work they have done together and how that feeds into their relationship. As well as this we talk about the process of opening up their relationship and some of the rituals that helps them maintain a healthy and fulfilling partnership.

Asa Baav is a matchmaker, female coach, educator and founder of Tailor Matched.

David Chambers is men's dating & intimacy coach and the founder of The Authentic Man.

For 10% off your first month of online therapy head to betterhelp.com/mandown

@tailormatched

@theauthenticman_

@coachwithasa

Welcome to the trailer for episode 51 of Man Down with Asa Baav & David Chambers. As coaches and educators, they guide couples to experience new depths of intimacy, deepen their relationship with themselves and their partners, and discover new levels of pleasure by teaching powerful communication techniques, intimacy practices and the importance of prioritising your relationship.

In this episode we discuss their relationship, the individual work they have done on themselves and the work they have done together and how that feeds into their relationship. As well as this we talk about the process of opening up their relationship and some of the rituals that helps them maintain a healthy and fulfilling partnership.

Asa Baav is a matchmaker, female coach, educator and founder of Tailor Matched.

David Chambers is men's dating & intimacy coach and the founder of The Authentic Man.

For 10% off your first month of online therapy head to betterhelp.com/mandown

@tailormatched

@theauthenticman_

@coachwithasa

Welcome to The Break Down, where today's focus is on CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Lorna Devine. We'll be talking about what CBT is, what it can help with and what the process actually looks like.

Lorna is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and an accredited Coach.

She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and a Diploma in Life Coaching and Personal Performance Coaching.

Lorna specialises in empowering high performers and overachievers to improve their psychological wellbeing and performance so that they can flourish in their personal and professional lives.

She adopts an integrative approach to client work, combining different tools and techniques from coaching and evidence-based psychological models of therapy to specifically meet clients’ needs; enabling transformational and lasting changes.

In addition to offering 1:1 online therapy and coaching, Lorna delivers a range of masterclasses, emotional wellness workshops and group programmes; and consults for companies, start-ups and wellness brands.

Lorna has worked with and been featured in leading brands such as BBC News London, Harper’s Bazaar, Sweaty Betty, SheerLuxe and many more.

Ryan Carter is a registered nutritional therapist, personal trainer, breathwork coach and has many more specialised qualifications under his belt.  Ryan utilises a unique approach that encompasses multitude of practises which does not believe in protocols nor paradigms. He genuinely listens to his clients, applying his knowledge and wisdom in an individualised method.

As a result, Ryan had successfully created his brand, “Live Vitae” that continues to uphold his vision: to ignite people’s inner light through asking better questions which lets people think for themselves first hand about taking back control of their own health.

Ryan and I chat about men's groups, nutrition, mental health and much more!

Instagram: @livevitae

Website: https://www.livevitae.com/

This is the trailer for #47 of Man Down with Ryan Carter. 

Ryan Carter is a registered nutritional therapist, personal trainer, breathwork coach and has many more specialised qualifications under his belt. Ryan utilises a unique approach that encompasses multitude of practises which does not believe in protocols nor paradigms. He genuinely listens to his clients, applying his knowledge and wisdom in an individualised method.

As a result, Ryan had successfully created his brand, “Live Vitae” that continues to uphold his vision: to ignite people’s inner light through asking better questions which lets people think for themselves first hand about taking back control of their own health.

Ryan and I chat about men's groups, nutrition, mental health and much more!

An impromptu solo episode that I recorded this morning on the value and power of self inquiry and self awareness as a path to finding purpose and happiness in your life.

A big shout out to the brilliant Naval Ravikant and the book 'The Almanack of Naval Ravikant', for helping me find the words to express this.

Welcome to the first episode of Man Down Presents: The Break Down, in partnership with BetterHelp. In this episode of The Break Down, I wanted to run through my experience with therapy, anti-depressants and much more to give you the full picture of where I've been and where I'm currently at, to show you that you're not alone in finding the right type of support!

For 10% off your first month of therapy head to www.betterhelp.com/mandown 

Mark Whittle is a former athlete turned lifestyle coach, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and productivity / bio-hacker - the founder and host of the UK's No.1 peak performance podcast 'Take FLIGHT', and the host of the unique 'Take FLIGHT' events and seminars.  Mark is on a mission to help you find your inner strength, pursue your true purpose and take that leap of faith towards the life you've always dreamed of living. Mark built a very successful career in the city with two of the biggest companies in the world, but after 10 years found himself searching for his true purpose. After hitting rock bottom, in one enlightening moment, he realised happiness and fulfilment will never arrive through the accumulation of material things - and it is only felt when you are aligned with your true purpose. He has been helping people pursue their purpose ever since.

Mark and I chat about his journey through physical and mental health, fatherhood, his work and the role spirituality in his life. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Mark Whittle is a former athlete turned lifestyle coach, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and productivity / bio-hacker - the founder and host of the UK's No.1 peak performance podcast 'Take FLIGHT', and the host of the unique 'Take FLIGHT' events and seminars.  Mark is on a mission to help you find your inner strength, pursue your true purpose and take that leap of faith towards the life you've always dreamed of living. Mark built a very successful career in the city with two of the biggest companies in the world, but after 10 years found himself searching for his true purpose. After hitting rock bottom, in one enlightening moment, he realised happiness and fulfilment will never arrive through the accumulation of material things - and it is only felt when you are aligned with your true purpose. He has been helping people pursue their purpose ever since.

Mark and I chat about his journey through physical and mental health, fatherhood, his work and the role spirituality in his life. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

I've been putting off doing a solo episode for exactly 1 year and I figured it was probably time to tell you all a little bit about me, why I started the podcast and my own mental health journey!

There will be more solo episodes to come and I'm excited to share them with you.

Jamie x

I've been putting off doing a solo episode for exactly 1 year and I figured it was probably time to tell you all a little bit about me, why I started the podcast and my own mental health journey! Here's the trailer!

There will be more solo episodes to come and I'm excited to share them with you.

Jamie x

This week I'm joined by the incredible Tom Odell. Tom and I had a great chat and covered:

- Life as a musician in a pandemic

- The role of social media in mental health and connecting with fans

- Tom's mental health journey and his battles with anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately led to him to create his new album, Monsters, which is out in July 2021.

Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to like, subscribe, rate and review!

https://tomodell.com/

https://www.beder.org.uk/

Welcome to trailer for episode #42 of Man Down with the incredible musician and songwriter, Tom Odell. This is the first episode of Season 3 of Man Down and I'm so excited to share this with you. In Monday's episode, Tom and I discuss:

- Life as a musician in a pandemic

- The role of social media in mental health and connecting with fans

- Tom's mental health journey and his battles with anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately led to him

Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to like, subscribe, rate and review!

We are back for a brand new season and I am so excited to share it with you!

This season has more incredible guest interviews, solo episodes from yours truly and a brand new part of the Man Down family - The Break Down - the break down is a series of mini episodes with mental health practitioners, breaking down their line of work so that you can learn more about the different types of support that are available.

If you love the podcast please subscribe, rate and review - it really does go a long way!

In today's episode, I sit down with Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Michael Brown, Partner at UM. The two recently partnered on new research highlighting the impact COVID-19 is having on the mental health of young men, and how unhelpful media representations of male ‘strength’ (predominantly ads, TV, socials) are making problems worse.   Since becoming CEO of CALM in January 2017, Simon has pursued a strategy of growth that has seen the charity transform its brand and operations, and more than double its helpline service provision to reach more people in crisis. Prior to CALM, Simon led the digital, marketing and commercial divisions of Virgin Media TV, EMI Music, the BBC, Bacardi and BBH.  Michael helps UM’s clients understand their audiences and marketplaces by leading the agency’s consumer insight department. After five years at UM, Michael has recently taken on the additional responsibility of leading the agency’s Better World vision, which is their strategy for ensuring the agency makes a positive impact on the world we operate in. Michael has a particular passion for using traditional research methods to give a platform to marginalised voices in society and for understanding the role and responsibility of ads in creating and tackling stereotypes. Michael is founder and chair of #MRSpride, the market research sector’s LGBTQ+ network. Watch The Mandate here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eNuXf5_Q0Y

8 years ago Charlie King burst onto ITV2’s TOWIE. Quickly becoming a cast favourite he built a solid fan base with his calm, genuine nature which was a refreshing change for the reality tv show. Following TOWIE Charlie has openly discussed his own issues with struggling with his mental health & sexuality. In 2014 Charlie came out publicly on ITV’s This Morning and from then on has been an advocate for the importance of authentic conversation and openness.

A major turning point for Charlie was working with mens health magazine for a fitness shoot which gave him the fitness bug. The connection between mental and physical health became extremely evident for him & is now a big feature in his career as a coach & media personality.

I spoke to Charlie about life on TOWIE, being in the public eye and his journey with his mental health and sexuality.

Nektarios Liolios is the co-founder of The Future Farm and the host of the NAKED podcast. Over the last 10 years, Nektarios has worked closely with hundreds of entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses. He co-founded Startupbootcamp FinTech to address the relationship between corporates, startups and investors in London, New York, Singapore, Mumbai, Mexico City, Dubai, Amsterdam and Melbourne. He also co-founded Rainmaking Innovation, the global cooperative of entrepreneurs and led SWIFT’s Innotribe Startup Challenge, the first global FinTech startup competition, facilitating interaction between startups and financial institutions. 

We sat down to discuss mental health in entrepreneurship and explore how we can do things better, while still building successful, thriving businesses.

Nektarios is driven by entrepreneurship, collaboration and the desire to improve the lives of the people driving change in this world. a global nomad, travel geek, and sneaker-head.

Dr Antonis Kousoulis is Director for England and Wales at the Mental Health Foundation. He is an experienced public health professional and a leading thinker on mental health and prevention, promotion and inequalities in the UK. Antonis is a doctor with an academic background in public health, having spent time in academia, the third sector and government. His experience includes leading the development team at the data research centre of the UK Department of Health, and numerous academic collaborations, including the Harvard School of Public Health and Imperial College London. He has published, peer reviewed and presented extensively, held editorial appointments for multiple publications, engaged widely with mainstream media, and held various visiting teaching appointments, including at Oxford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

We discuss Antonis' work at the Mental Health Foundation, working with the government to inform policy, the importance of prevention in mental health and much more!

Michael Maisey is an Author, Actor, Motivational Speaker, Host of The C.I.P Podcast, Founder of The CIP Project and if that list isn't enough he is a husband and father and currently expecting his third child. I first heard Michael speak at a men's event last November and although he only spoke for a couple of minutes, the energy and wisdom he put into that room of over 100 men stuck with me and I'm absolutely buzzing and honoured to have him on Man Down. Michael has an incredible story that has led to him being the man he is today, leading the way for conscious and emotionally intelligent men and I can't wait to share this with you all.

Michael shares his incredible journey through gang involvement, prison, drugs and a suicide attempt and shows incredible vulnerability and wisdom in explaining how he turned his life around.

You can find Michael's most recent book, Young Offender, here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Offender-Mr-Michael-Maisey/dp/1529005477

James Sebastiano Jr. is the protagonist and producer of the incredible new documentary, Chasing The Present. The film follows James' own mental health journey as he seeks to dive deep into why he is suffering with anxiety and how to move past this and truly understand who he is. I am a huge fan of this film and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. In this episode, I discuss with James the trials and tribulations of releasing a film in lockdown, the story behind the journey and what he learnt along the way. James is an incredible guy and I loved getting the chance to chat to him.

Check out the film: www.chasingthepresent.com

Unplugged: www.unplugged.rest

David Birtwistle is the Founder and Head Coach at Endeavour Life Personal Online Coaching, a contestant on the Netflix show Too Hot To Handle, a car and bike enthusiast, a qualified Petroleum Engineer and a Personal Trainer for over 10 years.

As a PT and entrepreneur, David always had a strong presence on social media and used these platforms to build a following. However, when he found himself on the Netflix show Too Hot To Handle, his following grew astronomically to over 1 million followers on Instagram. David and I discuss the world of social media and the impact these platforms and being in the public eye can have on your mental health, how he stays true to himself in a world where people expect him to act in a certain way and also how he manages his mental health on a day to day basis. 

This is a fascinating conversation and insight into David's life and a look behind the scenes of what life can be like in the public eye!

Michael Edward Stephens Michael is a mental health and LGBTQ+ advocate. He spent over 10 years working in creative leadership positions for some of the world’s most respected British brands within the fashion, travel and retail industries - including i-D Magazine, Vice Media, Liberty London, Ted Baker and Virgin Atlantic. He now runs his own retreat and workshop business, Create Space Retreats, promoting the importance and value of self-care, specifically within the creative and LGBTQ+ communities.

Josh Connolly is one of the UK’s most influential mental health advocates he regularly speaks on BBC, ITV & Channel 5 news. Josh has also spoken in the House of Commons, contributed to mental health policy and even advised the scriptwriting team on Hollyoaks. He has run resilience workshops for village schools and global brands alike. Additionally, he is an ambassador for Nacoa – a national charity supporting people affected by a parent’s drinking.

Josh shares his own personal story whilst also shedding light on some of the issues with our existing mental health narrative. We discuss male suicide rates, childhood trauma and how we can create spaces where people not only real comfortable reaching out for help, but also reaching in to offer help.

For a guy who started out doing discos at the age of 10 Will Manning has risen to be the host of the UK’s biggest chart show, The Official Big Top 40. He’s also heard daily on Capital weekdays from 10am bringing sass and his spin on the day to the nation. Will has been the BGT digital presenter, toured the UK with his DJ-ing, been called up by X Factor to host their parties, hosted to 10,000 people at the O2 Arena, voiced adverts for the likes of Drake, Barclaycard and Channel 4 plus, gets the goss from the biggest stars in the world every single week. He’s a ‘go to’ for artists such as Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo and pretty much every other name you can think of. Will’s brand partnerships include TikTok, Virgin Media, NOWTV, TFL and more.

We chat about Will's own experiences with mental health and some of his learnings along the way.

Harry Liddell is a Men’s Coach and Masculinity Educator determined to bring healing and peace to men’s lives through the use of Archetypal Embodiment, Mental Freedom Techniques, and Emotional Reconnection. For the past year Harry has been learning all there is to know about Masculinity through the lens of Jungian Psychology, after resonating strongly with the book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover during a time of severe chronic illness. Through that book he realised that a great deal of his limitations were in relation to how he viewed himself as a man, and through a journey of reconnection to self, has managed to alleviate many of those limitations and heal his chronic illness. He now wants to help other men do the same after realising how powerful the work is. Harry strongly believes that the men of today are deeply wounded, and if we can help them heal, the cascade for the whole of humanity will be huge.

Marvin Sordell is a producer, writer, public speaker, entrepreneur, and former professional football player having played in the Premier League, as well as representing England at U20 & U21 level, and Team GB at London 2012 Olympic Games.

Since retiring in July 2019, Marvin’s focus has turned towards the video production company he co-founded in early 2019; 180 Productions, and spreading awareness for mental health. He is often involved in TV/Radio interviews and panel discussions around the increasing importance of wellbeing, with a particular focus on sport, and is an ambassador for mental health charity, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) and the Man Down partner charity, Beder.