A place where everyone, but especially men and boys can open up about their mental health issues, break down stigmas and start conversations #itsokaytovent
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #360 we checked in with CEO of Cavalry and MD of &FRIENDS, Tom Maberly. We discussed:
- Building a business
- Grief
- Recovery
🎧https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #359 we checked in with Founder of Headspace FC C.I.C, Kenny Bartonshaw. We discussed:
- The genesis of Headspace FC
- Grief
- Transitioning from football coaching to teaching
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #358 we checked in with journalist and consumer rights expert in the UK, Martyn James. We discussed:
- Social Class
- Grief
- Bullying
- Recovery
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In this episode of our Behind The Mic series, we checked in with singer/songwriter, Tyler Shea. We discussed:
- Overcoming stage anxiety
- Being an independent artist
- Bullying
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #357 we checked in with Co-Founder of AI-centred platform, Reflekta, Miles Spencer. In this episode we discussed:
- How he and his co-founder created Reflekta and the service it provides
- Grief
- Fatherhood
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
Another one has dropped: The Just Checking In Podcast... Wonderful conversation between Freddie Cocker and David Maywald.
This has a deep dive into Mental Health, from a male perspective. We discuss the disparities between the sexes, plus the advocacy for men and boys. Brotherhood, purpose, relationships, and suicide prevention. It's genuine, authentic, and deeply felt.
Freddie is one of the most diligent and well-prepared podcast hosts, and this shows through in the quality of conversations that he has on The Just Checking In Podcast.
Apple: https://t.co/y3G59wEf3I
Spotify: https://t.co/2M9ytZZRfF
VENT: https://t.co/TXpzOfq75H
Follow Vent and Freddie's excellent work at Instagram: VentHelpUK
@VenthelpUK@freddiec1994@DavidMaywald@CelebrateMales
Another one has dropped: The Just Checking In Podcast... Wonderful conversation between Freddie Cocker and David Maywald.
This has a deep dive into Mental Health, from a male perspective. We discuss the disparities between the sexes, plus the advocacy for men and boys. Brotherhood, purpose, relationships, and suicide prevention. It's genuine, authentic, and deeply felt.
Freddie is one of the most diligent and well-prepared podcast hosts, and this shows through in the quality of conversations that he has on The Just Checking In Podcast.
Apple: https://t.co/6gB6f7Ri5d
Spotify: https://t.co/tgHT70rx7U
VENT: https://t.co/R5990eqwcs
Follow Vent and Freddie's excellent work at Instagram: VentHelpUK
@VenthelpUK@freddiec1994@DavidMaywald@CelebrateMales
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #356 we checked in with author of 'The Relentless War on Masculinity', @DavidMaywald. We discussed:
- The themes in his book
- Prevention vs crisis care
- Fatherhood
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
One possible effect of MeToo is that now you see plenty of perfectly normal guys who are genuinely afraid of being accused of something—harassment, coercion, intimidation, whatever it may be. I think people misunderstood what young men are actually like and overinterpreted the problem.
Yes, there’s always some small percentage of genuine predators out there—people who are basically immune to laws, shame, or stigma. They’re going to be predators no matter what barriers you put in front of them. But the average guy is not like that.
The average young guy, when he’s repeatedly told about toxic masculinity, that men are the problem, “the future is female,” and that he constantly needs to prove he respects women, starts to internalize something different. He thinks, I should just hang back. I shouldn’t do anything. I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. So he ends up walking on eggshells.
When I think back to high school, the average guy already needed basically every condition to be perfect just to make a move. In some ways, it’s amazing anyone ever pairs up at all.
I think about my best friend in high school—I lived with him our senior year. He had a crush on this girl in our class for ages. She liked him too; we knew from her friends. It was the classic setup where everyone knew, everyone was talking, and everyone was rooting for them.
His friends told her friends. Her friends told him. I told my friend. The entire social machinery was working overtime to make this happen.
And still, it felt impossible.
Finally, he walks up to her, and I’m standing maybe ten feet away pretending not to listen. He says, “Hey, our friends have been talking, and I guess I should tell you I like you…”
He was terrified. He even said, “I can’t believe how hard this is for me.”
She was encouraging him: “It’s okay. You can ask.”
He says, “I want to ask you something.”
She says, “It’s okay. You can ask.”
And he says, “I don’t know if I can.”
That’s your typical 17-year-old boy. All the nerves, all the emotional energy, all the fear of asking a girl out for the first time. Finally, after all of that, he asks: “Will you go out with me?”
She says yes.
This is with mutual attraction, friend approval, social permission—basically a green light from the universe.
And he was still terrified.
Now imagine that same boy growing up hearing over and over: don’t bother women, leave them alone, don’t approach, don’t be creepy, don’t be a toxic male.
At some point, the average guy doesn’t become more respectful—he just becomes more passive.
In JCIP #354 we checked in with Adam The Sartorial Gardener. We discussed:
- His love for gardening
- Meeting his wife Evanne
- Grief
- Recovery
🎧️ https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #353 we checked in with academic @AshleyAFrawley. We discussed:
- Classism
- Role models for boys
- Rejecting sex essentialism
- Assisted Dying
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #352 we checked in with Founder of fundraising campaign 'Tom's Race Around The World', who raised money for a special young man called Callum, who tragically died on 26th January 2026. We discussed:
- Relationships
- Grief
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #351 we checked in with therapist and Founder of Stand Tall Empower C.I.C, Stephen Hall. We discussed:
- Psychosis
- Suicidality
- Walk & Talk therapy
- Recovery
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #350 we checked in with academic, exercise scientist and expert on men's health issues, @JamesLNuzzo. We discussed:
- The male life expectancy gap
- His cancellation from a previous academic role
- Self-development
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #348 we checked in with Director of the Centre for Policy Research for Men and Boys, Nick Isles. We discussed:
- The CPRMB's origins
- The impact they have had so far
- Fatherhood
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #347 we checked in with the Co-Founder of the Yorkshire Speak Their Name C.I.C. We discussed:
- Suicide grief
- Co-Founding the C.I.C
- Recovery
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #346 we checked in with academic and expert on the relationship between the menopausal period and disordered eating traits. We discussed:
- This relationship in-depth
- Disordered eating traits she's previously overcome
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #345 we checked in with Founder of The Stay Safe Initiative & Boyz-2-Men, Richard Pomfrett. We discussed:
- How he helps young men
- The problem with the term 'toxic masculinity'
- Martial arts
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N
**NEW POD**
In JCIP #341 we checked in with firefighter and trauma and wellbeing dog handler, Lucy MacLeod. We discussed:
- PTSI
- The power of 🐕️ for people's mental health
🎧 https://t.co/rMXgOj5R2N