Just One Man Podcast

In this episode of Just One Man Podcast, the lads sit down with Leon Shaddad from Modern Dads Unplugged for an open, unfiltered conversation about modern fatherhood, mental health, and the silent pressures men face every day.

From shifting away from the traditional "tough guy" front to building real, supportive connections with partners and peers, Leon shares his personal journey and the mission behind Modern Dads Unplugged. Whether you’re a dad, dad-to-be, or simply passionate about men's wellbeing, this conversation is a powerful reminder that speaking up changes everything.

💬 Join the Conversation:

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We sat down with Mackenzie Thomas for an eye-opening and insightful episode of Just One Man Podcast.

From starting out in media at 13 years old at Penydarren Boys and Girls club to navigating high-stakes roles at Newport County, the FAW, and Swansea City. Mackenzie breaks down what it's really like rising through the ranks at a young age.

We dived into:

- Managing early-career pressure, expectation & imposter syndrome

Protecting your mental health & staying grounded in fast-

paced environments

• What happens behind the scenes in...

IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK…

We kicked off recording our next batch of episodes by welcoming Leon Lambe onto the pod 🔥👊🏻

Leon spoke candidly about his former ketamine addiction, finding faith and how he wants to raise awareness and help others avoid the road to ruin that he found himself on.

Mental health & crisis support

This time, we’re joined by Phill Hanlon Coaching for a fascinating conversation about the stories we tell ourselves—and how they can shape every aspect of our lives.

In this episode we explore:

🧠 Why so many of us feel stuck without knowing why

💭 Limiting beliefs and where they come from

🔓 How changing your mindset can unlock your true potential

⏳ Why letting go of the past is often the key to moving forward

🎯 The power of NLP, hypnotherapy and coaching in creating lasting change

🚀 Breaking free from se...

We caught up with the truly inspirational @mobrien1992 recently to talk about his incredible journey and how he defied the odds to live out his dream of being a pro-footballer, thanks to his grit, determination and love of the beautiful game!

Mark’s story is raw, real, and a true heart stopper (see what we did there?! ❤️ )

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KEEP ON TRUCKIN'!

We recently caught up with Chloe Dale (who travelled all the way down from Staffordshire) to talk about her role as ambassador to Mental Truckers and Girl Torque - 2 mental health charities in the haulage industry, being a 5th-generation truck driver and dispelling the myths and stereotypes of being a "woman in a man's world, along with how she's tound confidence through weight loss, how she combats online trolls, and what is coming down the road...

A huge thank you to our sponsor George & Co for hosting us for a weekend...

FINDING YOUR HAPPY!

We recently caught up with the inspirational Dannielle who bravely spoke about the tragic passing of her daughter, Chloe, how she has navigated life since, and how she found solace and creative expression through DJ'ing.

Hear firsthand how Danielle has advocated for more to be done around drink and drug driving awareness and prevention, the incredible story of how she came face-to-face with the individual at the wheel in an effort to mediate and heal, and how her passion for music is helping others find an inner peace through self-awareness...

We were privileged enough to get over to @groundedwellnesstb once again to sit down with former @dragonsric, Merthyr RFC, and @welshrugbyunion U20 player @lennongreggains for an honest, open, and revealing conversation at the home of @tidy_butt

Lennon speaks candidly about compounding injuries (both on and off the pitch), struggling with his identity post-rugby, his experience of health anxiety, and how he's now well-into the next, positive chapter in his life, where he's hoping to increase conversations around mental health and wellbeing, and help others be the best version of themselves through fitness via @_Igcoaching

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On this episode of the pod we sat down with ex reality TV star Jon Walters. He opened up about the often unseen realities of life in the public eye, from the harmful impacts of reality TV, to navigating divorce under scrutiny, experiencing mental health breakdowns, and discovering the transformative power of therapy.

Honest, important, and deeply moving conversations like this are why we do what we do. Let us know what you think. 

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https://www.instagram.com/justonemanpod/

https://w...

On this episode of the pod we had the absolute privilege to help Paul & Gemma Meek tell their story.

It’s a story of unimaginable tragedy, serious institutional failings, and a desire to never see another family go through what the Meek’s have endured since Alex took his life in November 2023.

It’s hard-hitting, emotional, raw, and real…

Please give the love and support it deserves.

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https://www.instagram.com/justonemanpod/

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We caught up with Elliott Smith - the man behind Mind Over Mountain - for a unique, honest, and raw look at the downward spiral of compulsive gambling, his experience of Gamblers Anonymous, and how he has started to build a community via Mind Over Mountain that focuses on enjoyment, shared experience and connections.

Thanks again to Tidy Buttt for hosting us at Grounded Wellness

Follow Elliott -

https://www.instagram.com/elliottsmith09/

https://www.instagram.com/mindovermountain2026/

Follow us on our socials for updates and...

We took a trip over to Sebastopol to catch up with Matt Creel from Tidy Butt at their amazing Grounded Wellness Coffee Shop to chat Mat’s mental health journey, the transition of Tidy Butt from online Facebook group to thriving community hub, the brilliant range of services and opportunities to connect the charity have at their disposal, and the challenges faced by charities, local authorities and health boards.

Follow Tidy Butt:

https://www.instagram.com/tidy_butt/

Follow us on our socials for updates and more:

https://www.in...

Standup comedian.

Writer.

Events co-ordinator.

Breathwork tutor.

Sober mother-of-three.

Definitely not a runner.

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally got Hannah Phillips onto the pod for our 30th episode!🎙️

It’s a no holds barred, honest, raw, funny, tragic, authentic conversation on life, death, mental health and wellbeing, and the power of resilience. It’s as full of the dark humour and brutal reality as Hannah can provide, and it’s REAL.

Sit back - relax and enjoy. <...

WE ARE BACK 🔥

Season 3 is underway and our first guest is Nathan Jones

From devastating loss and a spiral of poor mental health to focus, drive, and determination to progress that little bit more today from where you were yesterday, Nathan has a human, relatable, and honest story that you won’t want to miss…and may very well connect with.

We had a great chat and we hope you like it too!

Follow us on our socials for updates and more:

https://www.instagram.com/jus...

Join us for the last Episode of the Year!

We’re closing out an incredible year on Just One Man Podcast with a powerful and deeply personal conversation.

This time, we’re joined by Aled Thomas — author of The Crossroads at Dawn trilogy — as he opens up about his mental health journey through the confusion and uncertainty of growing up with ADHD, his experience joining the Navy, and the career-ending injury that changed everything.

Aled shares the dark moments he’s faced, how he navigated them, and the unexpected path that led him to...

On this episode we’re joined by Leah Lewis who is Jordan's wife, for a deeply moving and powerful conversation. ❤️

Leah opens up about:

✨ Giving birth during the Covid pandemic

✨ Surviving a sudden cardiac arrest at home in Nov 2021

✨ Being diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome

✨ Coping with medication side effects, including memory loss

✨ How this all impacts her daily life & relationships

✨ Her outlook on life after everything she’s faced

This is one of the most inspiring and raw episodes yet. Let us know what you thi...

On this episode we chat with the fantastic Oliver Treviso at the Haystack Cafe in Swansea...and what a story he has to tell!

Covering everything from angry teenage years and finding peace on the rugby field, to living in a cave in Gran Canaria, trekking a lap of Wales, walking from Lands End to John o'Groats in the winter and THAT epic, history-making walk through the Andes...it's a corker of an episode and we hope you enjoy.

Follow Olly on his socials:

https://www.instagram.com/olivertreviso/

For episode 25, we grabbed Alex Evans for a long-awaited catchup!

We talked about Alex’s experience of depression and anxiety through his teenage years into early adulthood, his advocation of alternative therapies, Big Thoughts Small Steps and much more… We even tried something new at the end!

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Follow the lads:

Mark: https://www.instagram.com/markabraham89/

We took a trip to Goon Barbers in Merthyr Tydfil for this episode to have a catchup with Ralph Beecham on mental health, breaking bad habits, finding your safe space, and a shared love of Wingstop.

Ralph offers a safe space inside his barber shop, and welcomes anyone that needs to offload whilst having a fresh trim.

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We are joined by the viral sensations The Welsh Erection Boys at Penydarren Park this episode to discuss their hilarious parodies of the trade industry, experiences from the worksite, and the importance of mental health in their industry, and how they have been personally affected by unexpected loss.

Oh…we also spoke about the massive Trade Legends vs Celebrity All-Star Charity Football Match taking place at Penydarren Park on Sunday, 4th May to raise money for @ctmmind and raise awareness for mental health! The biggest names in tradie influencers will face an all-star team comprising of th...

We are joined at The Iron Dragon in Merthyr Tydfil for another episode with the inspiring Iwan Williams to talk about his mental health “origin story”, the roots of his anxiety, being mischievous as a kid, what the Modern Man programme is all about and a lot more…

Give Iwan a follow: https://www.instagram.com/iwan_themodernman/

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https://www.instagram.com/justonemanpod/

https://www.tiktok.com/@justonemanpod?lang=en

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In this episode of the podcast we are joined by Merthyr Town FC goalkeeper, Jaimie Cogman, for yet another chat about the side of football we don't ofter here about.

We talked Jaimie’s life-changing journey at age 16, where he moved to the UK from his native Australia, and how he has tackled chasing his dream versus the reality of the world of professional football. We also discuss how he deals with the more negative aspects of the game, and how he has settled in Merthyr Tydfil to become “one of our own”.

Follow...

That's right - episode 20 of the podcast, and what an opportunity to get long-time supporter of the pod, mental health advocate, and wellbeing co-ordinator Mitchell Hughes on!

We talked about Mitch's road to being a wellbeing coordinator and how it's rooted in a deep love of his community in the Rhondda, some of the endeavours he's been involved with to get people talking, and the ongoing discussion between mental health vs mental illness.

Follow us on our socials for updates and more:

https://www.instagram.com/justonemanpod/

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We FINALLY managed to sit down with the fantastically creative, always-honest, and insanely talented Georgia Griffiths for our latest episode of Just One Man Podcast.

We covered everything from Georgia’s own unique mental health journey and feelings of depersonalisation, how she copes with life’s curveballs, her response to the news of a close friend’s death to suicide, championing creative spaces in our communities and so much more!

We’ve waited a LONG TIME to get Georgia on the pod…and we’re looking forward to sharing it with you all! We hope you...

On this episode we're joined by Louis Watkins from skincare brand Clear For Men to chat about how a skincare routine can aid self care and the importance of taking 5. We also talk about Louis' own mental health journey and how schooling doesn't always dictate the life you end up living.

Check out Louis' product on www.Clear For Men.co.uk

And check out his Insta

https://www.instagram.com/weareclear_/

Follow us on our socials for updates and more:

https://www...

We sit down with four previous guests for our first ever roundtable episode. Recorded at Steeltown Coffee Company in Port Talbot, we bring together Liam Lazarus, Ryan Stephens, Luke Griffiths and Ryan Mendez Morgan for conversations about mental health, what drives them, questions they have for each other and even their death row meal…

Follow the lads:

Mark: https://www.instagram.com/markabraham89/

Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/_jordan_lew15_/

Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@justonemanpod

Listen to the Podcast:

We had the pleasure of rounding out our first year of the podcast by being joined by Ryan Mendez Morgan to talk about his difficult upbringing, his ADHD diagnosis, his MMA career, and his multiple business ventures.

It's another example of our guest being honest, open, raw and real...which we will always appreciate.

Follow the lads:

Mark: https://www.instagram.com/markabraham89/

Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/_jordan_lew15_/

Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@justonemanpod

Listen to the Podcast:

We recently caught up with Zachary Tucker, who you can follow right now via @ocdestigmatize on Instagram.

It was an enlightening, educational, raw, emotive and honest discussion that dispelled the myths of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), tackled a myriad of mental health topics, and celebrated the successes Zack has enjoyed as the result of raising awareness of OCD and taking control of the narrative.

Please go and give our socials a follow on @justonemanpod

We also have an email [email protected] for all of your questions, feedback or check ins...

We sat down with Luke Griffiths for a chinwag on everything from his experience of burn out, dealing with the loss of a good friend to suicide, and what motivates him to "be better" and a ton of other stuff.

Be sure to follow him on his socials @luke_fiture

Make sure to take a look at our socials @justonemanpod, to find all of the previous episodes and more.

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We’re back for season 2 of the pod and kick off in style with a sitdown with Merthyr’s own Sean Smith - who is better known as “the screaming one” from The Blackout or even from his own star-studded podcast “Sappenin’”.

The boys talk the rise and fall (and rise again) of The Blackout, Raiders being Sean’s mental health band, tackling a likely diagnosis of ADHD and everything inbetween…and yes, THAT individual gets discussed…

Enjoy and remember to like, comment, subscribe, share and everything else

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

The lads have the incomparable Ben Cullen on this episode of the podcast, they talk about his amazing work with Rugbytotshk, his change of surroundings from the South Wales valleys to Hong Kong, his involvement in bodybuilding and  @HYROX_OFFICIAL  ....all the way to his burgeoning career behind the DJ decks, ben has one hell of a story to share.

*We had a little technical problem with the mics, so the quality isn't the best. We apologise for this.

Episode Sponsors:

Plus Coffee

Whitehead Ross Education - @WhiteheadRossEducation 

B...

On this episode, the lads chat with a Mindset & Wellbeing Mentor based out of Swansea, Ryan Stephens' story is one of resilience and perseverance. With a plethora of jobs and businesses in his rear-view mirror, Ryan’s true passion is helping others and empowering them through his words and actions.

Amongst his multiple accolades, Ryan is an ultra marathon runner, contrast therapy advocate and has been cold water sea-dipping for over 1,000 days and counting. Not bad for a guy who ended up in prison at the age of 21 eh?

And what’s his aim...

EPISODE 1️⃣0️⃣

The lads are joined by the brilliant Bryony Sier, who talks about her career in music, the transition to acclaimed self-published author and how she navigates #autism, #bodydsymorphia and her own #mentalhealth.

…and because it’s episode 10, there may just be a nice surprise at the end 👌🏻🙌🏻

🗣️EPISODE SPONSORED BY…🗣️

Phill Hanlon Coaching

Whitehead-Ross Education

The Full Spectrum Project

#mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthpodcast #podcast

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The lads are joined by Liam Lazarus, who discusses his insatiable drive for success in business, his “didn’t see that one coming” backstory that’s full of twists and turns, and how he has grown the Haystack brand from humble beginnings to a must-visit destination for good food in South Wales.

🗣️AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS…🗣️

RF Tiling and Property Developments:

Specialising in helping people achieve their dream home, RF Tiling and Property Developments cover all aspects of property development such as:

Bathroom renovations 

Kitchen renovati...

ON THIS NEXT EPISODE…

With nearly a thousand members of their online Facebook community alone, Let's Talk Men's Mental Health is a phenomenal peer-to-peer support group that has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and has been a crucial lifeline for men in South Wales and beyond at the time they’ve needed it most.

The lads are joined by Shaun Parfitt and Paul Carpenter to talk the growth of the LTMMH brand, what mental health means to them and the importance of the face-to-face drop-in sessions they hold.

The lads chat with Paul Thomas live and in living colour from the Sole Mate shop to talk mental health, the evolution of “the running shop” and how he’s built an amazing community in the process. They also delve a little into the link between running and mental health, Stereophonics tribute bands and they even get candid with a fantastic viewer/listener question!

Now streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music 🎙️⭐️

🗣️A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS…🗣️

EJW Carpentry:

From kitchens to bathrooms, media walls to bespoke wardrobes, EJW C...

⚽️ON THIS EPISODE…⚽️

The lads are joined by Alex Williams to talk about his incredible 11+ stone weight loss, the incredible growth and evolution of MAN v FAT Merthyr and his own mental health journey. We delve into his past and discover what lead up to being his heaviest weight, and what triggered him to make change and go on his weight loss journey.

If you have any comments for this episode, drop them in the comments or a DM or reach out directly by email at [email protected] 📧 and we can include them in the n...

The lads are joined by Richard Loveday, who tells his story of growing up as gay in Port Talbot during the ‘90s and how being brought up in a religious household affected his coming out. He also explains how he came to author his own creative writing and ended up playing for Swansea Vikings RFC, one of Wales’ only gay rugby teams.

In his own inspirational, honest and candid way, Richard divulges the trials and tribulations of being “different” and how he has weathered the storm to end up stronger.

A WORD FROM OUR SPON...

The boys are back in (Merthyr) Town! In this episode, the lads are joined by Matthew Harris, Will Fuller and Liam Angel, to discuss everything from the pressures of performing on the pitch, the lesser-known struggles that can occur off the pitch, the importance of supporting academy drop-offs and the evolution of the historically “man’s world’ inside the changing room.

Episode Sponsors:

4Tom:

4Tom is a suicide prevention and postvention charity offering free counselling for those struggling with suicidal thoughts and free counselling and support groups for those bereaved by suicide.

Ellie Johnson is no ordinary woman…and that is no understatement.

She is over 1 year sober of alcohol, she’s on a journey of self-discovery and desperately trying work out if it’s ADHD or another mood disorder.

She is mercilessly trolled online for living her best life and promoting positivity, whilst simultaneously building her amazing Forever Friends Pontypridd community with the aim of helping as many people as she can feel along the way.

On the third episode of the Just One Man Podcast, the lads get to sit down w...