In this episode, we were delighted to be joined by writer and journalist Ben Machell. Ben has met a huge range of interesting people including; former spies, Nobel Prize-winning scientists, people wrongfully on death row, Taylor Swift, Pele, the families of murder victims, Grenfell firefighters, billionaires, political dissidents. The list goes on. We chatted to Ben about what he’s learned speaking to so many fascinating people, what stories stand out and why he got into journalism. We also speak to him about our combined love for Leeds United and talk about Ben’s new book, The Unusual Suspect, which is out now!

Tanya Arnold interviews Stevie Ward and his partner Natalie Alleston about the realities of concussion and having to make the decision to retire at the age of 27 from a sport you love.This interview is a personal look into the difficulties and complex challenges faced by a person suffering from a mild traumatic brain injury and the people closest to them. You will hear about the realities of the symptoms and how they have to be managed and understood if the person wants to carry on living a happy and fulfilled life. You will discover what went into the decision and how Stevie and his partner will be trying to look forward and find their way in a life without rugby league whilst still recovering from a brain injury. Although this interview is an in-depth look into Stevie’s year with post concussion syndrome it is not a reflection on what happened in a professional setting but more a reflection into the crucial work that has to be done in your personal life when trying to handle the devastating changes that come with brain injury. A big thank you to Tanya Arnold for taking the reins for this special episode on the Mantality podcast.

Jason Robinson is a former rugby league and rugby union player. A World Cup winner in 2003 with England RU who became the first ever black man to captain England. He played for the British and Irish Lions and won everything on offer in English rugby league too.  He was one of the deadliest attacking players ever to pick up a ball. Jason also uncompromisingly addressed his mental health in his career and states that "you can’t conquer what you don’t confront".From humble beginnings growing up in Hunslet, Leeds, Jason has become a role model for so many people in tough situations.

Stevie talks with Jon Peach and Chris Bright who are both involved in The Diabetes Football Community.Chris Bright was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an 8 year old in 1999 and despite the setback at that age he still wanted to become a footballer. In following this passion and love for the game, he has faced the stigma that society has created around diabetes in every changing room he was a part of. Following this and the part time career he has had in Football whilst becoming a Wales Futsal international, Chris decided in 2017 to face that stigma and try to create something which could help others tackle it through a mechanism of peer support. The Diabetes Football Community was born and both Chris’ and Jon’s work to grow the community and go beyond stigma has continued ever since. Jon was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged just 5, and in a similar vein, it hasn't stopped him living the life that he has, playing football and having an active career as a PE teacher. With these achievements, come the challenges that we don’t even come to think of when someone has diabetes, the physical and the mental. We open up the dialogue around the day to day challenges but also those which impact upon them in a social environment. These guys have created a community and movement to help people with diabetes connect and get through their struggles and also educate us about what life is like when living with diabetes.

A short story about a panic attack.Robert is a father of two teenagers and works as a plumber. Alongside many others, he enjoyed the challenges of the first Cultivate Programme back in those “unprecedented” days of 2020.Deciding to go deeper and stand longer under the cold showers he then embarked on a Personal Leadership Course with the Mantality Team. We got to know a bit about Robert and so set him off on one final task... to create a piece of writing about Male Mental Health.We all have stories and this is one of his... A truthful, revealing and informative account of something that can happen to any of us...

Jack Green is a British sprint athlete who specialises in the 400m distance, along with the hurdles and the 4 × 400m relay. He is a double Olympian, competing for GB at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games. And he is a World & European Medalist. He has achieved a lot, but in the shadows was struggling with his mental health.Jack, a top 10 high-performance elite athlete, took it upon himself to move away from the spotlight and focus on his mental health after a breakdown. He was diagnosed with depression, bi-polar tendencies and anxiety shortly after the 2012 London Olympics.After therapy, he realised his drive for perfection in the sporting world came only from external reasons and there was no internal reward for him.Now, years later, Jack is a public speaker, an ambassador for MIND, Young Minds and has worked with the government on elite sport mental health reform. He is also a well-being consultant for BBC Studios.We hope you enjoy hearing about Jacks story.

A World Mental Health Day special podcast! This was the first ever podcast we have recorded with a live audience. Our guest was Lloyd Ashley, Welsh Rugby Union star for Ospreys and founder of ‘Living Well With Lloyd Ashley’. It was a podcast that morphed into a Q&A with the guests that signed up to join us. Lloyd and Stevie chatted around their rugby careers in their different codes, but spoke about the mindset that goes into that. When feeling invincible is a good thing and when it's not. The idea of vulnerability in rugby and also how change can affect people and what it is to truly listen to people when they are talking about their mental health. We feel we have held quite a unique space for men considering mental health and performance. Please let us know your feedback and who you would like to be in a live podcast with in the future!

David Birtwistle is known from the hit Netflix reality show: “Too Hot To Handle”. David is a TV personality, podcast host, a strength and conditioning coach, he has studied nutrition and has a range of clients all over the world. In this chat, David is brutally honest about fame and what it brings; the good, the bad, the pressure and the responsibilities he now has to deal with after having a massive audience of 1.1m Instagram followers. David also speaks about his sympathy for people who shoot to stardom, particularly the Love Island contestants, and what that can do to your mental health. David also speaks about ego and how he wants to model himself going forward. Enjoy! Podcast sponsored by https://betteryou.com/

Episode sixteen - July 23rd. Paul and Danny meet every Wednesday for a pint after work. It has been a tradition for three years, and 2020 is no different. But 2020 is different. And as the weeks continue the reality of this new world dawns upon them both and we see how they react as the world starts to fall into chaos all around them… Paul and Danny are connected, and so are all of us. Connected was written by Chris O'Connor and Paul Fox, performed by Stevie Ward and Paul Fox, with sound by Dom Smith and is produced by Red Ladder Theatre Company in association with Mantality. Music was composed and performed by Claire-Marie Seddon with lyrics by Chirs O’Connor.

Today, Stevie and Chris are joined by undefeated super middleweight boxer, Callum Hancock.  Callum, from Sheffield, was bullied, sexually assaulted and raped at the age of 10. He recalls his childhood leading up to this moment, being regularly bullied and tormented by various older kids and he details what happened in his backyard den in 2001.  He talks about the day he appeared face to face with his perpetrator as an adult and the emotions he felt in that moment.Callum has utilised his own vulnerability to change not only his own life, but the lives of the many others he impacts as a public speaker. He also works at Survivors Manchester, a volunteer organisation for male survivors, helping other men, women, and kids who have been through sexual abuse.  A very raw and honest chat.  Podcast sponsored by https://betteryou.com