Changing MENtality
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Conversations, stories and interviews on the topic of men’s mental health.
Hosted by a group of male students, sharing their own experiences to help eliminate stigma, raise awareness, and signpost others to finding the help they need. Created in association with Student Minds and funded by Comic Relief. |
Working with male volunteers and experts in men’s mental health we have created three guides to help you:
Meet the men behind the podcast:
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Aidan FlinnAidan is a recent Psychology graduate and is currently studying a MSc in Early Intervention in Psychosis at King’s College London.
He joined the project to use his personal experiences to shed light on serious mental health issues that men experience and to amplify the voices of those who are often ignored. In his spare time, Aidan is an avid reader, Theatre fan and devoted Liverpool Fan. |
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Ben BrownBen is a third year psychology student at Nottingham Trent University, specialising in mental health. He joined the project in order to meet like-minded individuals and to discuss meaningful ideas about mental health research.
Providing support has become a focus for Ben, as he aims to go into counselling and practicing therapy. As such, his motivations for talking about men’s mental health are to remove stigma and to help others realise they are not defined by what labels they can be identified by. In his spare time, Ben enjoys the gym, music, video games, and learning about other cultures. |
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Billy NewhallBilly is a postgraduate student at the university of Manchester studying an MSc in Science Communication. He joined the project to help open conversations on mental health issues and the ways in which they can specifically affect male students.
After struggling to adjust to university life in first year, Billy wants to help encourage men to talk openly about their mental health and wellbeing and to become active in helping themselves thrive at university. In his spare time Billy volunteers at a science and technology museum and enjoys cooking, hiking and socialising with mates. |
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Caleb StaplesCaleb is a third year Multimedia Journalist student at the University of Salford.
He joined the project after hearing about it through his work with Make Our Rights Reality and hopes to eliminate stigmas surrounding male mental health along with educating people about mental healthcare through his involvement in the podcast. In his spare time Caleb is a writer and poet sharing much of his work online as well as being an avid fan of professional wrestling and true crime. |
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Daniel Fagan (Danny Fagan)Danny is a second year Sport and Education student at the University of Derby, he also holds the part-time position of Mental Health Awareness Officer for Students’ Union. Originally Irish, he spent most of his childhood in rural Spain before moving to the Midlands to study.
His motivations for speaking about mental health are rooted in his beliefs that better mental health support is needed in today’s society. He also believes that certain mental health topics and techniques, such as emotional intelligence and CBT, should be taught in schools to better equip the population with the conflicts that come along with being human. In his spare time he enjoys activities that allow him to learn in a relaxing manner, such as hiking, playing video games, listening to podcasts, and playing lacrosse. |
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Euan McDonnellEuan is a Computational Biology PhD Student based at the University of Leeds.
Having suffered from depression and anxiety most of his life, with particularly severe bouts over the past few years he has undertaken counselling, CBT and pharmaceutical therapy which have helped him to overcome and manage these conditions. He hopes he can apply some of the insights learned and life philosophies developed during these times to discussions around mental health in academia and society at large. In his spare time he enjoys science outreach, cooking, live music, reading and listening to podcasts and audiobooks. |
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George DaviesGeorge is a recent Human Geography graduate from the University of Manchester and is currently working for student support services in higher education.
He joined the project following a significant period of supporting a close friend through mental illness. Having also studied abroad during his degree, George is interested in helping young men to engage with issues of isolation, self-identity and communication when it comes to their mental health. Whether he is pedalling, swimming or on his feet, George enjoys getting outdoors in his spare time. In addition to following rugby, football, films and TV when he gets the chance. |
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George SurteesGeorge is a first year Philosophy PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield.
He became interested in the topic of men’s mental health after knowing several male friends at university that found student life negatively impacted their wellbeing. He was also motivated to get involved after his own experience with anxiety and depression during his year out. Having overcome this, through the support of his counsellor and friends, he hopes the podcast will provide solace for those experiencing something similar. In his spare time, George enjoys creating music (some of which features on the podcast!), meditation, and Peep Show memes. |
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Joe BarteyJoe is a fourth year Economics (Industrial) student at the University of Leeds. He joined the project after co-creating Mind’s new resilience programme for students, contributing to Student Minds’ University Mental Health Charter, and delivering mental health awareness workshops in a local secondary school.
Joe loves spending time in the outdoors, and enjoying theatre and film. |
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Kevin SoaresKevin is a second year Sustainability and Environmental Management undergrad at the University of Leeds. He joined the project as an opportunity to share his experience tackling mental health issues and owning his identity, and wants to share and discuss, with other guys, new and improved definitions of ‘masculinity.’
In his down time Kevin enjoys sketching, watching films and playing literally any sport that involves high energy! |
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Louis NewsteadLouis is a second year Politics student at the University of Leeds. He was motivated to join the project when, upon coming to university, he found that the statistics and stigma around student mental health were shocking. He felt inspired to help the movement around destigmatising men’s mental health by spreading awareness and knowledge of the help available.
In his free time, Louis enjoys playing guitar and writing film reviews for his blog. |
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SamSam graduated from the University of Manchester this year with a degree in Drama and Screen Studies. He is motivated by the misleading and limited portrayals of men’s mental health in the media. He hopes that the podcast can offer a different voice in the conversations around mental health.
In his spare time, Sam likes cooking, hiking in the Peak District, and reading. |
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