Raw Minds

Raw Minds is a raw, unapologetic podcast focused on men’s mental health, grief, resilience, and the battles we fight in silence.Hosted by Erick, Raw Minds is for men who feel broken, overwhelmed, numb, angry, lost, or alone and don’t know where to put it. This isn’t surface-level motivation. This is real life. The ugly parts. The quiet pain.Each episode features honest, vulnerable conversations with guests from all walks of life sharing real stories of depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, loss, fatherhood, recovery, and rebuilding after everything falls apart. No masks. No bullshit.

Raw Minds is a education podcast hosted by Erick, with 142 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Erick hosts Raw Minds, a education show with 142 episodes published.

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  Episode #104

  The Snack Monkey: How To Stop Eating The Packet | Matt White | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 104

  Sep 25, 20261h 3mS2

  Why do smart people keep making choices they already know are going to hurt them? Raw Minds Season 2 Episode 104 welcomes Matt White, author of The Snack Monkey: How to Stop Eating the Whole Packet. Matt has lived with CRPS and chronic pain for more than 30 years. He spent roughly 25 years taking prescribed codeine, competed with the Great Britain para-climbing team, and has spent much of his life learning what happens when pain, habits, instant gratification and resilience collide. But this conversation goes much deeper than chronic pain. Matt breaks down the idea behind The Snack Monkey, the voice in your head that says: "Just one won't hurt." One more episode. One more snack. Skip one workout. Start again Monday. Take the easy option. Matt explains the battle between what he calls The Captain, the part of you thinking about your long-term goals, and The Snack Monkey, the part that wants comfort and relief right now. We get into: The Snack Monkey The Captain vs instant gratification Why smart people make irrational decisions Breaking bad habits The "Fuck It Button" Why one mistake can turn into giving up completely Conscious choice and personal responsibility Work, family and health balance Living with CRPS and chronic pain 25 years of prescribed codeine Walking away from painkillers Resilience vs self-destruction What happens after life knocks you down The moment between getting hit and getting back up Reframing failure Why words and identity matter "What if it works?" Wim Hof and the foreword to The Snack Monkey This isn't a polished resilience story. It's a conversation about pain, behaviour, addiction, habits, awareness, choice and what it actually takes to keep moving when life hits you hard. MATT WHITE Book: The Snack Monkey: How to Stop Eating the Whole Packet Website: therealsnackmonkey.com LinkedIn: Search Matt White + The Snack Monkey CHAPTERS 0:00 Living With Pain for 30+ Years 1:46 Meet Matt White 3:34 Would Matt Remove His CRPS? 7:36 Powered By Pain 10:49 The Reality of CRPS 15:22 How The Snack Monkey Started 19:23 Behaviour Change, Not Dieting 20:15 The Two Voices In Your Head 21:40 The Captain vs The Snack Monkey 23:26 The Snack Monkey's Greatest Trick 25:57 Work, Family and Health 28:33 When You Actually Decide To Change 32:35 The "Fuck It Button" 35:47 25 Years of Prescribed Codeine 40:31 The Danger of Automatic Choices 42:49 Changing Your Default 45:42 What Balance Actually Means 49:19 The Side of Resilience Nobody Talks About 50:38 Get Off The X 52:21 The Limbo Between Pain and Action 54:06 Failure vs Learning 55:38 Reframing Your Story 56:35 What If It Works? 59:35 Final Thoughts 60:16 The Snack Monkey and Wim Hof RAW MINDS Real conversations about mental health, trauma, addiction, grief, fatherhood, resilience and what it actually takes to keep moving forward. https://rawminds.ca If this episode hits home, subscribe, leave a comment and send it to somebody who needs to hear it. For the ones we'll never meet. Healing Out Loud. #TheSnackMonkey #MattWhite #RawMindsPodcast

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  Episode #103

  Pro Soccer to Depression, Grief & Men's Mental Health | Dehara Thompson | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 103

  Sep 18, 20261h 9mS2

  men's mental health, depression, grief, athlete mental health, youth mental health, suicide loss, identity after sport, soccer, resilience, mental health awareness, Dehara Thompson What happens when the thing that defined you for most of your life is suddenly gone? Dehara Thompson was playing provincial soccer at 15. By 17, she had reached the South African Women's National Team. She earned a full university scholarship, pursued professional soccer in Europe and played with Newcastle United Women. Then a serious car accident changed everything. The sport that had given her structure, identity, discipline and purpose was suddenly no longer the same. Dehara opens up about the depression that followed, physical pain, rebuilding her identity and eventually finding another outlet through music. But this conversation goes much deeper than soccer. Dehara and Erick talk about men's mental health, why many men still do not feel safe opening up, youth mental health, competitive pressure, parenting, social media, screens, discipline, accountability and what young people may be losing when they never learn how to struggle, lose and recover. Dehara also shares the devastating loss of a former partner to suicide and what the aftermath taught her about grief, warning signs, unanswered questions and the ripple effect suicide can leave behind. Erick opens up about surviving his own suicide attempt in 2015 and why something as simple as an adult coloring book became part of rebuilding his life. They also talk about art, music, community, coaching, motherhood, raising boys, supporting young athletes and why feeling safe enough to make mistakes can change the way a person grows. Near the end, Erick asks Dehara about the mutual friend who ultimately connected their stories, Jules. That conversation gets personal. GUEST Dehara Thompson Executive Director, She Plays Sports Society Former South African National Women's Team player Former Newcastle United Women's player Community leader and coach Website: https://deharathompsonforpoco.com Instagram: @dehara_thompson TikTok: @deharathompson CHAPTERS 00:00 Dehara Thompson's Story 03:44 Where to Find Dehara 04:24 Who She Was Before Soccer 05:20 Where Her Competitive Drive Came From 06:58 Handling Pressure at 15 11:23 South African National Team at 17 13:35 Family Breakdown and Using Soccer as an Outlet 17:58 Success and Constantly Moving the Goalpost 18:45 Losing a Scholarship, Then Getting Another Chance 21:22 Chasing Professional Soccer in Europe 22:20 When Your Identity Is Built Around Sport 22:49 The Car Accident That Changed Everything 25:36 Rebuilding Her Identity Through Music 27:55 Erick's Own Soccer Story 33:27 Women in Coaching and Leadership 36:38 Building She Plays Sports Society 38:24 Coaching the Human Being, Not Just the Athlete 45:22 Raising a Son Changed Her Perspective 47:05 Boys, Men and the "Suck It Up" Mentality 48:01 Do Men Actually Feel Safe Opening Up? 50:31 Losing a Partner to Suicide 54:19 The Warning Signs We Sometimes Miss 58:06 Erick Opens Up About Surviving Suicide 60:31 How Coloring Helped Erick Rebuild 61:21 Art and Music as Tools for Healing 64:56 Parenting, Screens and Youth Mental Health 68:23 Competition, Confidence and Learning to Lose 71:26 Accountability and Fixing the Wound 74:27 Remembering Jules 77:16 Dehara's Final Message 79:13 Why Raw Minds Exists If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 in Canada or the United States. RAW MINDS PODCAST Real conversations about men's mental health, trauma, grief, addiction, fatherhood, relationships, resilience and rebuilding your life. For the ones we'll never meet. Healing Out Loud. Website: https://rawminds.ca TikTok: @rawmindspodcast Instagram: @rawmindspodcast Facebook: Raw Minds Podcast Business / Guest Inquiries: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com Subscribe to Raw Minds and tell us in the comments:

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  Episode #102

  I Lost My Daughter to Parental Alienation | Johnny Mitchel l Raw Minds S2 Ep. 102

  Sep 11, 20261h 21mS2

  Johnny Mitchell says parental alienation cost him years with his daughter, pushed his mental health to the edge, and left him fighting a family court system he felt powerless against. In this episode of Raw Minds, Johnny opens up about divorce, custody battles, being blocked from contacting his daughter, alcohol addiction, two DUIs five days apart, a heart attack at 35, crushing legal debt, losing his parental rights, and the moment he was told his daughter would be adopted by her stepfather. This conversation goes much deeper than family court. Johnny talks about what happens to a father mentally when his identity as a parent is stripped away, why he turned to alcohol to numb the pain, what finally forced him to change, and how close he came to completely losing himself. Erick also shares his own experiences with custody battles, separation from his daughter, mental health struggles, and the emotional reality many fathers never talk about. Johnny and Erick make one thing clear. Parental alienation can happen to fathers or mothers. This conversation is about what happens when children become caught in adult conflict and the psychological damage that can follow. Johnny also shares how reconnecting with his biological father helped him rebuild his life, why he has remained sober, and why he still believes his daughter may one day come back into his life. GUEST Johnny Mitchell TikTok: @therealJonathanMitchell RAW MINDS PODCAST Real conversations about men’s mental health, trauma, fatherhood, grief, addiction, recovery, relationships, and rebuilding your life. Website: https://rawminds.ca YouTube: @RawMinds TikTok: @rawmindspodcast Instagram: @rawmindspodcast Facebook: @rawmindspodcast Email: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com FRIDGEFIX Open your fridge. Find out what you can make with what you already have. https://fridgefix.ca CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 02:19 Johnny Mitchell joins Raw Minds 04:00 Who Johnny was before everything changed 07:25 Marriage breakdown and the beginning of alienation 14:00 The first major warning sign 23:23 Alcohol, depression and spiraling 28:17 Erick opens up about his own suicide attempt 35:40 Losing a best friend and the wake-up call 37:39 Heart attack at 35 43:02 Reconnecting with his daughter, then being blocked 46:26 Legal bills and financial collapse 50:01 Representing himself in family court 55:18 The ruling that changed everything 57:00 The woman Johnny says helped save his life 01:03:05 Reconnecting with his biological father 01:09:46 Supporting other alienated parents 01:15:26 Living with zero contact 01:18:35 The journal idea for his daughter 01:25:21 Six years until she turns 18 01:27:16 Johnny’s message to struggling parents If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 in Canada or the United States. If this conversation hit you, share it. A father, mother, or family going through this may need to hear it.

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  Episode #101

  Abused at 12. At 15, He Realized Trauma Wasn't an Excuse | Lawrence Harris | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 101

  Aug 28, 202653 minS2

  At 12 years old, Lawrence Harris was trying to survive childhood abuse, protect his siblings, navigate autism, and live with a nervous system that never felt safe. By 15, he had another realization: what happened to him was not his fault, but he could not keep using his pain as an excuse to hurt the people who loved him. In this episode of Raw Minds, Lawrence opens up about childhood abuse, autism, complex PTSD, hypervigilance, loneliness, low self-worth, therapy, accountability, forgiveness, relationships, codependency, and what it took to stop blaming his past and start changing his future. Lawrence explains how trauma can rewire the way you see people, why abuse from a parent can destroy trust, what complex PTSD felt like in everyday life, and how cognitive behavioral therapy, journaling, exercise, hobbies, fishing, and self-awareness helped him learn how to feel safe again. He also talks about becoming a content creator, author, speaker and coach for teens and young adults. At 18, he began publishing books, including Power to the People, and today he shares the lessons he learned through Lawrence C Empowers. One of the strongest lessons in this conversation is simple: trauma may explain your behavior, but it does not give you permission to keep hurting people. This is a conversation about breaking generational patterns, taking responsibility without blaming yourself for what happened, forgiving without forgetting, and becoming someone your younger self would be proud of. LAWRENCE HARRIS Website / Books / Coaching: https://lawrencecharris.com YouTube, TikTok & Instagram: Lawrence C Empowers Business / Speaking: Lawrence@LawrenceCharris.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Childhood Abuse, Autism & Survival 02:14 Welcome to Lawrence Harris 02:41 Where to Find Lawrence 04:33 Who Lawrence Was at 12 06:25 When a Parent Becomes the Source of Fear 08:20 What Survival Mode Looked Like 10:10 When He Realized It Was Abuse 13:18 The Turning Point 14:40 Taking Pain Out on People Who Loved Him 15:05 The Mirror Moment at 15 16:46 Trauma Explains It — It Doesn’t Excuse It 17:43 Men, Emotions & Generational Trauma 19:58 Changing the Ingredients Changes the Life 20:59 Be a Buffalo 21:39 Learning Gratitude for the Past 24:02 Finding the Lesson in Pain 24:36 What Complex PTSD Feels Like 26:32 Learning How to Feel Safe Again 28:14 Speaking to Youth About Mental Health 29:34 Vulnerability Without Trauma Dumping 30:12 From YouTube to Books and Coaching 31:54 Simple Tools That Actually Help 33:42 Why Coloring Helped Erick 33:56 Fishing, Presence & Mental Health 36:05 How Lawrence Started Coaching 38:26 Knowing When to Refer to a Professional 39:15 Predatory Coaching & Vulnerable People 43:06 What Lawrence Would Say to His Father 45:55 Forgiveness Without Forgetting 46:02 Understanding Why People Hurt People 49:00 Online Hate, Projection & Unresolved Pain 54:16 Who Lawrence Is When Nobody Is Watching 57:20 Love vs Codependency 59:19 Where to Find Lawrence 1:00:12 Final Message RAW MINDS PODCAST Real conversations about trauma, survival, mental health, grief, addiction, fatherhood, relationships, PTSD, accountability and rebuilding. For the ones we’ll never meet. Healing out loud. Business / Guest Inquiries: rawmindspodcast@gmail.com PARENTPATH https://parentpath.ca/ ParentPath helps self-represented parents organize family court evidence, timelines, documents and case information.

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  Episode #100

  He Had a 13% Chance to Live. A Stranger Changed Everything | Tim McDonald | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 100

  Aug 21, 202645 minS2

  Stage 4 colon cancer had already spread to Tim McDonald’s liver when his life changed completely.What started as pain in his side around Thanksgiving 2020 led to the words nobody wants to hear: “You have cancer.”In this episode of Raw Minds, Tim shares his stage 4 colorectal cancer story, chemotherapy, colon cancer treatment, the search for a living liver donor, liver transplant surgery, survivor’s guilt, cancer advocacy, and the stranger who ultimately gave him part of her liver.Tim says only 13% of people with stage 4 colorectal cancer live five years after diagnosis. Instead of treating that number like the end of his story, he focused on one question: what do I need to do next?He explains how becoming one of the early colorectal cancer patients in North America to receive a liver transplant gave him more time, but surviving created a new mental battle. After watching people in the cancer community die, Tim had to figure out what to do with his second chance.That journey became a mission.Today Tim is a cancer survivor, patient advocate, speaker, community builder, and author of From Patient to Advocate: Turning Survivorship Into Impact.This conversation is about stage 4 cancer, colorectal cancer, chemotherapy, liver transplant, colon cancer screening, survivor’s guilt, grief, mental health, purpose, second chances, and turning survival into something that can help someone else.TIM McDONALDBook:From Patient to Advocate: Turning Survivorship Into ImpactAvailable on Amazon — search Tim McDonald From Patient to AdvocateWebsite / Podcast / Advocacy:https://advocacyatwork.comLinkedIn:Search Tim A. McDonaldCHAPTERS00:00 Stage 4 Cancer Changed Everything02:49 Welcome to Tim McDonald03:25 Tim’s Book and Advocacy Work04:14 Who Tim Was Before Cancer07:15 The Pain That Started Everything09:20 The CT Scan That Found Cancer09:34 Hearing “You Have Cancer”10:22 How Tim Reacted to the Diagnosis11:20 What Do I Need to Do Next?13:06 The Doctor Who Changed His Direction15:17 Learning How Serious Stage 4 Cancer Was17:11 The Emotional Roller Coaster18:36 Finding Purpose Inside Cancer21:39 Colon Cancer Screening and Colonoscopy22:48 The Reality of Chemotherapy24:16 Becoming a Colorectal Cancer Advocate25:19 What Research Advocacy Means27:17 Finding the Liver Transplant Option27:41 How a Living Donor Liver Transplant Works29:21 The 13% Five-Year Survival Reality29:52 Qualifying for a Liver Transplant30:50 Searching for a Living Donor32:43 Why Finding a Donor Was Harder Than Treatment34:39 A Stranger Becomes His Donor35:43 Meeting the Woman Who Saved His Life37:25 The Mental Battle After Transplant38:34 Survivor’s Guilt After Cancer40:29 Losing Friends in the Cancer Community40:54 Turning Their Memory Into Purpose43:20 The Fear Tim Didn’t Admit During Treatment44:15 Why Mindset Matters47:17 Tim’s Final Message47:28 Where to Find TimRAW MINDS PODCASTReal conversations about trauma, survival, mental health, grief, addiction, fatherhood, relationships, PTSD, and rebuilding.For the ones we’ll never meet.Healing out loud.Business / Guest Inquiries:rawmindspodcast@gmail.comPARENTPATHhttps://parentpath.ca/ParentPath helps self-represented parents organize family court evidence, timelines, documents, and case information.

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