The MEND Podcast

Danny is a writer, blogger and recent graduate. In this episode, Danny talks about navigating the world of work as a young person and the pressures that come with it. We also discuss the role that writing plays in managing anxiety and the importance of sharing experiences as both an outlet and a means of helping others.  A lot of Danny’s writing centres around three themes: self-development, mental health and social issues. We unpick why each of these areas is of personal importance to him, discussing the role that cultural inheritance and values have played in influencing these areas and the pressures that come therein.  Check out Danny's blog at www.dannynaqvi.com You can read Danny's guest post over at MEND blog www.mend.world

A conversation with Akil Benjamin, Head of Research at Comuzi. Over the course of a few months, Akil sat and recorded a voice diary. As Akil explains, this was an exercise in finding direction, security and a sense of self, a means of being freer with himself. We discuss topics and themes that pop up in the diary, from mental and physical health, body image, building a sense of progress, creating a culture of sharing our experiences, holding ourselves to account when we fall short, as well as the impact of these things in our personal and professional lives. You can listen to Akil's diary here: https://soundcloud.com/akilbenjamin

In the next episode, we chat to journalist Kevin Braddock. As well as having worked at publicatios like GQ and Esquire, Kevin has authored a publication called Torchlight System. A deeply personal narrative based on his own experience of depression and recovery, Kevin tells us a bit more about the intent behind Torchlight System and the subsequent impact its had on both himself and others. He also shares his observations from years working in the media industry, the prescriptive narratives and ideals of manhood it promotes, as well as the impact of technology on our well-being.

Welcome to the very first episode of the MEND Podcast! In this series, we set out to talk to different guys about their own experiences with masculinity, exploring their own sense of who they are and how ideas of masculinity have both positively and negatively impacted their lives. In this episode, we speak to Jamie Luke Scoular, a visual artist based in London. Jamie talks about how his personal experiences with addiction, mental health and well-being led to the creation of Kingdom, a photography book and visual record of his personal journey from childhood right through to the present day.