Simon developed OCD from the age of around eight and his early life of bottling up his emotions and feelings His struggles with mental health continued after his parents separated and he felt responsible for the family safety at thirteen. He also developed depression on top of his OCD and he finally got help at the age of twenty-eight for his depression then mid-thirties for his OCD.
Using alcohol to suppress his feelings led to him seeking help and ten years of different therapy until 2020 when he suffered burnout during lockdown.
He realised that his mental illness enabled him to show his authentic self after learning mindfulness. This led to his work with Mindful Men.
Biography
Simon is a husband and father of two based in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Simon is also the Founder of Mindful Men, a therapy practice that is dedicated to supporting men with mental illness and disability. Simon’s passion for mental health comes from living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Depression, Anxiety, Burnout throughout the last 30 years. 2022 marks 10 years since Simon finally opened up and got help for mental illness, and he shares his story to inspire other men to share theirs.
Contact
www.mindful-men.com.au
hello@mindful-men.com.au
We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes.
Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.
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Theme Song: “Broken” by Colin Lillie
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Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit Australian podcast network sharing real stories of resilience, disability, and transformation.
Named after the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold — the philosophy that what’s been broken can become more beautiful for the mending — every episode honours the cracks, the rebuild, and the human underneath.
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🏷️ Topics we cover: resilience, disability, trauma recovery, mental health, transformation, lived experience, chronic illness, neurodiversity, grief, identity, community, caregiving, refugee stories, animal therapy, ageing, older Australians, wellbeing, invisible illness, inclusion, personal growth, hope, rebuilding, human connection, Australian stories
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– Kintsugi Heroes — real stories of resilience | hosted by John Milham
– Animals & Us | hosted by Natalie Stockdale
– Grit Diaries: from Grit to Grace | hosted by Simone Allan & Maryan Bova
– From There to Here | hosted by Emma Bellamy-Dodd
– Golden Threads — stories of disability & resilience | hosted by Dan Dougherty
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