In this episode of Man Up / Man Down, Volker and David talk to therapist, coach and former BBC journalist Chris Hemmings. Chris shares how his father’s death led to cocaine misuse and a deep dive into men’s mental health, masculinity and why so many men are struggling in silence. He explains why empathy is a teachable skill, how boys are socialised away from their emotions, and why he created Men’s Therapy Hub – a male-therapist directory “by men, for men”. The conversation explores stigma, privilege, the gap between coaching and psychotherapy, and what it really takes for men to ask for help and change generational patterns.
Key topics
- Chris’s personal story: bereavement, addiction and rethinking masculinity
- Suicide, addiction, homelessness and violence statistics for men
- Why men are told to understand everyone else without understanding themselves
- Empathy as a skill and what happens when boys shut it down
- Going into schools to talk to boys about being a man
- Why so few male therapists exist – and why that matters
- The origins and mission of Men’s Therapy Hub
- Stigma: why men come to therapy only at crisis point
- Therapy vs coaching – and why combining both can be powerful
- Generational patterns, fathers, grandfathers and “rigid masculinity”
- Access and affordability of therapy, trainee therapists, low-cost options
Links
- Men’s Therapy Hub: menstherapyhub.co.uk
- Chris Hemmings: chrishemmings.co.uk
- Podcast: No Man’s An Island
- His book: https://amzn.eu/d/337CUyx
- Men’s Therapy Hub: http://menstherapyhub.co.uk
- 🎙️ Apple podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-mans-an-island/id1849171262
- 🟢 Spotify podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QgINHeUZKorBCE4LBoBXF?si=bee0565dbdbd421f
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MensTherapyHub
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menstherapyhub/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menstherapyhub/
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