A podcast about men’s mental, physical and spiritual health hosted by Alex Palmer. Featuring knowledge, inspiration, storytelling and more from the many interesting people that I have met along my own path to self improvement and working in the mental health and men’s work space.
Episodes
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Nick is a Harvard trained psychiatrist who’s developed a unique approach to managing ADHD without the use of some of the most common stimulant medications like Adderall or Ritalin.
We chat about the explosion in prescribing stimulant medications during the pandemic and the rise of companies like Cerebral. The pros and cons of using stimulants to treat ADHD, the importance of developing executive functioning skills and not just relying on a medication.
Again, we touch on the subject of temporary use of medication while working in therapy vs staying on meds long term, and why ADHD tends to fall into the latter with many patients taking a stimulant medication long term without working on any of the non-medication interventions that Nick describes.
Lastly we talk in detail about Nick’s clinical approach in working with patients with ADHD and the Bio, Psycho, Social interventions that he uses which can include; therapy, coaching, non stimulant medications, supplements, diet, exercise, sleep and more.
**
Couple of points to note, in the intro I refer to Nick treating ADHD without the use of medication, this is not quite accurate.. As you’ll hear he treats without controlled substances like stimulants or benzodiazepines, but he does use other medications like antidepressants.
Nick also mis-quoted a book by Nick Norwitz’s. The approach is called Medi-keto, not Ketotarian. https://a.co/d/j2ofBAQ
Uncontrolled Substances: how tele-health company Cerebral set out to shake up the mental health industry and ended up under federal investigation.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5eKfXdhLOjl7mrfbq0jF7e
Nissen Clinic (Nick's private practice)
Thursday Oct 10, 2024
Thursday Oct 10, 2024
In this episode I chat to a former colleague of mine at Slipstream Sports, the management company behind the professional cycling team that’s been known over the years as Garmin, Cannondale and most recently EF Pro Cycling.
Dr Kevin Sprouse is a rare breed of both medical MD and exercise physiologist and has worked closely with riders like David Millar, David Zabriske, Christian Vandevelde through to the current crop of EF riders like Lachlan Morton, Ben Healy, Rigoberto Uran and Richard Carapaz.
Kevin also runs a private practice working with high performance athletes across a variety of sports and high level amateurs and weekend warriors who want the same level of medical care and performance support that the pro's get.
We dig into how professional cycling has changed in the ten or so years he’s been in the sport and the mental impact of so many variables in cycling being measurable these days, and related to this how pro cyclists and teams approach dealing with athlete mental health.
From a physical health standpoint Kevin walks me through the types of things guys in their 40's should be getting checked out on a regular basis and we finish up tackling the tricky subject of testosterone, when to know you have a problem and what to do about it.
Dr Kevin Sprouse Instagram
Podium Sports Medicine (Kevin's Private Practice)
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
It's been a few months since i've published any new episodes so it's time to get the Fellowman wagon rolling again. This episode is a short update from me on what's been happening the last 9 or so months and a preview of some of the episodes that will be coming in the next few weeks.
I've also just launch a new website at Fellowman.net where you can sign up to my first cohort of men's groups. If you've never tried a men's group before check it out and see what it can do for you. Head over to Fellowman.net for all the details.
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
**Warning - This episode talks in some detail about topics including fertility treatment, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies so please consider this if you are triggered by any of these.**
If you’ve listened to any previous episodes of the pod, you’ll know that breaking the stigma around men’s mental health and getting more men talking about this stuff is something that I believe is incredibly important. While, in general I think we’re doing a better job talking about men’s mental health there are still some topics related to men’s health & wellness in general that are not talked about.
One of these is the whole area of having kids, and specifically what happens when this does not happen naturally. Topics such as infertility (in both men and women) IVF, adoption and surrogacy are impacting more and more couples these days, but if my own experience is anything to go by, most men find themselves navigating these challenges with little in the way of support from other men who have been through it before.
I’ve been conscious of wanting to talk about this for a while on the podcast, but it's taken a while to find the right time and person to explore this with. Well, I’m really pleased that the time is now right, both as my wife and I have reached the happy conclusion of our own fertility journey, and I found the right co-host to explore this in more detail along with his own story. I’m joined by Anthony Palmer, who while not related shares a passion for men’s mental health & wellness through his Wake, Dad, Drink Repeat podcast, so we decided to team up for this episode that will go out on both feeds.
So, have a listen as we dig into both of our experiences with IVF, adoption & surrogacy and most importantly share this episode with a Fellowman who may be going through something similar and needs support.
Monday Sep 25, 2023
Monday Sep 25, 2023
In this episode of the Fellowman Podcast I’m joined by leadership coach turned former athlete mentor Jeff Murray.
Like me you’re probably wondering what a former athlete mentor does, which is exactly why I wanted to get Jeff on the pod to dig into this in more detail…
What’s most fascinating about this chat with Jeff is not just his own unique story of how he got into working with former athletes, but how he works with former athletes helping them navigate specific challenges once their sporting career is over.
For any of us who have struggled to cope when something we identify with as strongly as sports, a job, or a relationship suddenly ends, then this episode is well worth a listen to understand how to navigate challenging life transitions.
Links to resources mentioned during this episode:
https://athletesafterlife.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/athletes-afterlife-with-jeff-murray/id1653783548
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
If you’ve listened to any of my previous podcasts you’ll know I love exploring the intersection of sports, mental health and performance. So when I come across experts in this space I’m always keen to get them on the podcast for a chat.
My guest on this episode is a fellow USA based Brit, Lee Povey, a former elite track cycling coach turned leadership coach who works with startup founders and CEO’s to help them maximise their potential.
What’s most interesting about this chat with Lee is how he transitioned from working with elite athletes on the cycling track to the world of business coaching and how his experience developing the mental aspects of performance in athletes helps develop a winning mindset in entrepreneurs.
Lee is also a fellow devotee and believer in men’s work so we also dig into his experience with men’s groups, healthy masculinity and much more.
Stay tuned for a Part 2 with Lee where we take one of my own questions / challenges I brought up in this episode and explore it in more detail in a live coaching session. So, if you are keen to explore exactly what Lee does and how he works with clients keep a look out for this.
You can find Lee at:
www.linkedin.com/in/leepovey
www.mypcoaching.org
www.instagram.com/leepovey
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Welcome to the first official episode under the new FELLOWMAN banner! I'm joined by another great fellow man, Mr Andrew Newton. Andrew is a mental health champion and men’s coach who I met recently through a regular Thursday morning workout / men's group here in Austin called the MPOWERED Brotherhood.
Aside from how similar our interests, history and approach to mental health are, what I love most about this conversation with Andrew is the way in which he shares his own mental health journey and specifically the role that men’s work has played in this.
We get into some detail on mental health diagnoses, the complex area of psychiatric medications, taking ownership of your lifestyle and much more.
You can follow Andrew here on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/iamandrewnewton/
Links to other resources mentioned in this episode:
My interview with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Cecelia Howard.
MPOWERED Brotherhood Austin Men's Group.
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
You’re most likely listening to this as you’d previously subscribed to what was The Blackdog Cast, so I wanted to take a few minutes to explain why I’ve decided to change the name and focus of the podcast.
When I started the podcast, Blackdog was a project that was born out of mine and one of my best friends struggles with depression and Bipolar. The name itself refers to what Winston Churchill used to call his own very serious bouts of depression.
Since then, I’ve learned alot about my own mental health, talked to a lot of people, some of whom have been featured on previous episodes of the podcast, and while my own mental health issues are certainly not fixed, they are a lot better.
So it feels like a good moment to put the Blackdog to rest and focus on a more positive outlook going forward and also a slightly wider context looking at both mental, physical and spiritual health for men.
That’s where Fellowman comes in; a curated source of knowledge, inspiration and storytelling for men looking to improve their mental, physical and spiritual health. Throughout my own journey, I’ve learned alot about my own health and wellness, mostly from some of the many people I’ve met along the way who are far more knowledgeable than I am on these matters.
So, stay tuned over the coming months for some great episodes with coaches, experts, entrepreneurs, scientists who have all got stories or knowledge that can help our Fellowman.
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
In this episode i’m joined by award winning Neuroscientist Dr Scott Frey. Scott has spent the last 30 years in academic research into neuroscience, psychology and how they impact human performance. He’s recently made the shift into the world of business as a mindset coach and mentor, using his experience in neuroscience to help individuals and companies achieve increased performance and improved quality of life.
We dig into some of the neuroscience around mental health and developing a healthy mindset, what we can do minimise stress and other lifestyle factors that contribute to a healthy brain. As a fellow cyclist, Scott and I also talk in detail about balancing the pressures of being an amateur athlete, how too much data might be a bad thing, and how pro cyclists are impacted by the latest developments in neuroscience, mindset and psychology.
If you like what you hear please give this episode a rating on iTunes and share it with a friend.
You can connect with Scott and find out more about his work via his website, LinkedIn or directly via email; Scott@CerebralPerformance.com
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
In another episode tackling the tricky subject of layoffs I'm joined by fellow bike industry exec and all round good chap Rhys Howell who like me was impacted by the layoffs sweeping many industries in the past months.
We chat about how Rhys has been handling the situation and dig into some of the detail around what's happening in the bike industry right now which has lead to this sort of thing.
We also just have a good catch up and talk about life in Berlin, pro bike racing, Remco's lack of banter, will G win the Giro (alas he didn't).. and how Rhys became the most famous welshman in Berlin thanks to a gorilla marketing sticker campaign. Tune in to find out more...
Tuesday May 30, 2023
Tuesday May 30, 2023
I'll be honest, this episode started out about layoffs, specifically mine, and wanting to dig a little deeper into the current state of the mental health start-up landscape and why we're seeing something of a harsh re-adjustment in recent months.
But, it proved to be a way more interesting and uplifting chat with journalist Chris Larson from Behavioral Health business on the wider mental health business landscape in the US. We dig into the explosion of VC funding into mental health start-ups in recent years, what fueled this, and ultimately what has caused the recent blip.
We also dig into the psychedelic side of the business in particular and look at some of the challenges specifically with Ketamine based start-ups right now.
Most importantly we end things on a positive note with a reminder that despite these challenges the future looks bright for many of these companies who are offering much needed services to folks that need mental health help.
You can follow Chris here on the following platforms:
Monday May 22, 2023
Monday May 22, 2023
Getting #laidoff sucks in a big way. It happened to me back in February and after laying low for a few months and licking my wounds I decided to get back in action by talking about it with some of the many, many folks in my LinkedIn feed in the last few months who are in the same boat.
First up is Jimmy Mouton, our paths crossed briefly in my agency days when he worked at Nike and he popped up in my feed a few weeks ago with his "Laid Off And Learning" content series. Just the sort of positive spin on getting laid off I was looking for!
So in this chat we talk about Jimmy's career in sports and the burgeoning Web3 / NFT space and what he's done since getting laid off...
You can connect with Jimmy on the following platforms:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmymouton/
https://www.instagram.com/jrmouton/
Champion Sheep Branding
If you like what you hear please share this with someone and give it a rating / comment on iTunes.
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
As part of my wife Gretchen's new podcast, Leading with Pleasure we turned the tables and I got to interview her and talk about her recent work in conscious leadership.. which includes;
- Mental health & well-being at work
- What is Conscious Leadership?
- How toxic culture is at the heart of The Great Resignation
- Why conscious leadership is important in the modern workplace
- How Peer Conversations™ helps with burnout and improves emotional capacity and resiliency.
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Monday Aug 01, 2022
Just like with this podcast and my own mental health journey, our own mental health challenges frequently inspire and motivate us to find ways to help others going through similar issues. My guest on this episode has done exactly that through the creation of a super simple app to track your mood each day, simply called Mood.
Gareth Dauncey is a Welsh architect who used his passion for simple, clean design to create a highly visual way to track his own mood each day as he navigated his own mental health challenges. Through a series of serendipitous events including meeting his co-founder at the DO Lectures in Wales, Gareth's colorful paper based mood tracking tool morphed into an iPhone app which has been championed by Ruby Wax and her Frazzled Cafe organisation amongst others.
Listen to hear more about Gareth's own story and how spending a few minutes each day tracking your mood can help manage your own mental health.
You can download the app here. For every paid download, Mood will donate one free subscription to an organization that supports mental wellbeing.
Thursday Jul 14, 2022
Thursday Jul 14, 2022
Have you ever wondered what men's work and men's coaching is all about? It's an area that seems to be increasing in visibility right now with various formats / approaches / philosophies out there. To explain all of this in more detail I'm joined by Men's Coach Tim Neal.
Tim has been a coach & trainer since 2012 and uses a combination of coaching modalities, psychology, neuroscience, NLP and embodiment & mindfulness practices to guide men to create powerful & transformational personal breakthroughs.
He's also is one of the teaching staff on a Men's Wisdom Work coaching program I am mid-way through right now. So he joins me to dig into the subject and explain the world of men's work in detail.
We talk about what men's work is, how it can build confidence, masculine embodiment and authentic, conscious relationships, who can benefit from it, some of the underlying philosophies behind masculine coaching and how it differs from and can be used in conjunction with therapy.
For anyone who's curious and wants to explore this a bit more, Men's Wisdom Work has a weekly free community men's group, open to anyone, drop and see what it's all about or feel free to reach out to me directly for more info.
Links to some of the resources mentioned in the podcast:
Tim Neal Instagram.
Men's Wisdom Work.
The Way Of The Superior Man by David Deida.
No More Mr Nice Guy by Robert Glover.
I am not your guru (Netflix film about Tony Robbins).
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
In this episode I'm joined by my own psychiatric nurse practitioner Cecelia Howard PMHNP to talk in detail about the tricky subject of mental health medications. It's an area that still carries a ton of stigma, and it's a serious matter to go down the road of taking antidepressants, mood stabilizers or other psychiatric meds.
We use my own very positive experience of working with Cecelia and taking a couple of different drugs (A mood stabilizer called Lamotrigine and an SNRI antidepressant called Pristiq) to highlight her unique approach to working with patients.
We talk about her lengthy intake process which includes using DNA testing to assess what medications a patient might need. We cover how to know when you might need meds, why you should avoid any practitioner who writes you a prescription after a 15min consultation, and how to get off meds in the right way at the right time.
There are quite a lot of scientific terms used so here are some links if you are not familiar with some of the neuroscience behind this.
Neurotransmitter Overview.
GABA
Glutamate
Dopamine
Seratonin
Norepinepherine
Calcium and Sodium ION channels
NAC
SAMe
L-Tryptophan
Folate
Melatonin
Lamotrigine (mood stabilizer)
SSRI (antidepressant)
SNRI (antidepressant)
Benzodiazepine
Genomind Pharmacogenetic Testing
Book - Blame it on the Brain
This Way Up - Digital Mental Health Tools.
Sunday May 22, 2022
Sunday May 22, 2022
** First up a warning.. in this episode we talk in some detail about the topic of suicide, so if this may be triggering to you please consider this before listening. **
Nick Frendo is a mental health activist and one half of ASCND, a London based cycling mental health advocacy project. Over the last few years he's raised a ton of money and awareness around the subject of mental health through some epic rides, kit collaborations and building a platform for others to share their own mental health experiences.
We talk in some detail about Nick's own battles with mental health issues and the work he's doing with ASCND to get more cyclists trained as Mental Health First Aiders.
But what this podcast is really about is Nick's experience over the last week. We'd been chatting for a while about doing this podcast but after a serious mental health episode last week Nick got in touch and wanted to share what happened here on the podcast.
So what follows is a very open, honest and raw account just a few days after hitting rock bottom and attempting suicide. It's incredibly brave for Nick to share this so soon after it happened, and importantly he's got the immediate help he needs in a time of crisis. To use ASCND's own tagline, he's now back on the road to respair*.
* Respair is an old english word that means the return to hope after a period of despair.
ASCND Website.
To participate in ASCND's Mental Health First Aid training in the UK click here.
To find your nearest Mental Health First Aid training in the USA click here.
Mental Health Support Resources (UK).
To speak with someone immediately, contact Samaritans on 116 123.
The Samaritans.
The New Normal (Peer Support Groups).
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Mind.
NHS Mental Health Services.
How to spot the signs of someone having a mental health issue.
Mental Health Support Resources (USA).
Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ) .Call 1-866-488-7386
Veterans Crisis Line Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1
Project Healthy Minds directory of support resources (by Emotional State and Resource Type).
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 10, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
After a few months off to move across the country The Blackdog Cast is back with another episode featuring the story of my friend Kyle Duford.
A cyclist and successful executive and agency leader, Kyle has a really interesting and powerful story to share. Hitting the depths of depression and contemplating suicide, to as the title of his book says "getting a second chance at life".
Kyle's story has a couple of interesting themes, one of which is the role religion has played in his recovery. We talk in detail about this, which for me as someone who's not religious was a fascinating insight.
So, tune in to hear Kyle's story, and if you like what you hear check out his book which is available now on Amazon.
You can catch up with Kyle on LinkedIn or Instagram.
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
https://www.questdiagnostics.com/home/
https://www.everlywell.com/
https://nourishbalancethrive.com/product/bloodsmart-ai-package/
Thursday Jul 08, 2021
Thursday Jul 08, 2021
The Blackdog Cast is back after a few months, and in this episode I talk to former Garmin, BMC and Trek pro tour rider Pete Stetina on his recent transition from pro tour racer to gravel privateer. We talk in depth about some of the challenges he faced within the pro peloton including coming back from a career threatening injury and the murky world of rider deals and contracts.
Pete also talks in depth about what it's taken for him to strike out on his own to build a privateer gravel racing program in the US during COVID and why every gravel racer needs to fear Belgian breakaway specialist Thomas De Gendt taking up gravel racing!
Some links to items we reference in the podcast:
Shasta Gravel Hugger. https://www.gravelhugger.com/
Pete's website. https://www.peterstetina.com/
Pete's Insta. https://www.instagram.com/pstetina
Stetina's Paydirt Gravel Event in Carson City, NV, Sept 11th 2021. https://www.stetinaspaydirt.com/
More info on Blackdog and what we're about:
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
Wednesday Mar 10, 2021
In this episode of The Blackdog Cast i'm joined by my friend and fellow cyclist Dr John Mahan. John is a clinical psychiatrist here in Southern Oregon and we get into the nuts and bolts of what a psychiatrist does, when you might need to consult one and how it differs from behavioural therapy / psychology.
We also talk bikes and why comparing yourself to other riders on Strava, Zwift or obsessing over your FTP might actually be detrimental to your mental health, and why a return to the great British 'club run' might be just what we need right now!
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Friday Feb 19, 2021