62: Hearten Up's Joel Clapham

This episode of the [i3] Podcast is different from our normal focus on institutional investments issues. Here, we talk about the importance of mental health with Joel Clapham, who is the founder and Chief Mental Health Champ at Hearten Up, a company that provides mental health first aid advice and training. In this interview, we talk about how Joel was a successful marketing and communications executive within the superannuation industry, but gradually lost his way as he struggled with mental health problems. After taking a much needed break and working on his mental health, Joel is now helping others to deal with their struggles. As the coronavirus pandemic has forced many people in isolation, while often the stresses and demands from work and home life have increased, we thought it is a good moment to pause and take stock of our mental health. In this interview, Joel shared some of his experiences and lessons learned. We spoke about success, depression, comedy, masculinity and smelling flowers. For more information on Hearten Up, please visit: https://heartenup.com.au/ If this podcast leaves you distressed, please contact Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Overview of Podcast with Joel Clapham, Hearten Up 1:00 You've had several marketing and communication executive roles with superannuation funds. How did you get started in the industry? 5:00 Joining Telstra Super 6:50 Then in 2016 a 'perfect storm' hit you? 7:50 "I started to measure my worth by professional success" 11:00 Giving up alcohol 13:30 Getting back up 14:30 Dealing with grief: my father's suicide 16:00 Allowing myself to feel what I felt 18:00 Talking publicly about my mental health issues 20:00 Asking questions on depression and suicide 21:30 Hearten Up instead of harden up 23:00 Views on masculinity 26:30 Countering feelings of isolation during the pandemic 27:30 The value of small talk 28:00 Joining The Men's Table 30:00 Smelling the roses 32:00 Comedy as therapy 36:30 What is Hearten Up? 37:30 Being constructively compassionate