Back & Forth: A Men's Mental Health Podcast

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this episode of Back and Forth , the lads celebrate the wins that often go unnoticed. From the adrenaline rush of skydiving to the satisfaction of seeing the garden finally come together, it's a conversation about stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing new challenges, and appreciating the progress you make along the way. Alongside plenty of laughs and light-hea...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this episode, the lads are dreaming big, getting outdoors, and asking an important question: are we actually making enough time for fun? From camping adventures and summer sunshine to skydiving plans, travel ambitions, and talk of escaping to the coast, this is a conversation about making the most of life instead of waiting for the "right time." Along the way, they sh...

Welcome to Back and Forth! This week Dan is joined by Woody who organised the recent camping trip. The conversation dives into personal experiences with mental health, self-awareness, and CBT, highlighting how community support and meaningful connections can help us navigate life's challenges. Alongside discussions about charity events, volunteering, and future adventures, there's plenty of banter...

Welcome to Back and Forth! What starts as a catch-up about camping trips, dodgy weather, and outdoor adventures soon becomes a powerful conversation about life after military service. The hosts explore the challenges many veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life, from finding purpose and connection to accessing the right mental health support. With honest stories, humour, and heartfe...

Welcome to Back and Forth! Sometimes the most important thing you can do is give yourself permission to pause. In this thoughtful and honest conversation, the hosts explore the value of taking time to process emotions, manage stress, and make sense of the things life throws our way. The episode dives into the realities of trauma, grief, and mental health, and why open conversations can be so power...

Welcome to Back and Forth! This episode explores the importance of brotherhood, community, and creating spaces where honest conversations can happen naturally. There’s plenty of humour throughout, proving that mental health discussions don’t always have to be heavy to be meaningful. The conversation also dives into goal setting, building confidence through small wins, and learning to appreciate pr...

Welcome to Back and Forth! Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions around baby loss, stillbirth, grief, and trauma which some listeners may find distressing. In this deeply emotional and important conversation, the guys open up about the devastating reality of baby loss and the lasting impact it has on both parents. Through raw personal stories, they share the heartbreak of stillbirth,...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this honest and unfiltered conversation, the hosts sit down with Hari Sankar to talk about the stuff a lot of men still struggle to say out loud. From mental health and emotional pressure to family responsibilities, health scares, and the weight of expectations, this episode dives into the reality of trying to hold everything together while pretending you’re fine. The...

Welcome to Back and Forth! Therapy can feel intimidating, confusing, or like something meant for “other people”, but this episode breaks all of that down. The guys sit down with Marquez from Coventry & Warwickshire Talking Therapies for a down-to-earth conversation about how mental health support actually works, how to access it, and why asking for help doesn’t need to feel like such a massive...

Welcome to Back and Forth! This one’s a proper real talk. No fluff, no pretending we’ve all got it figured out, just an honest chat about messing up, learning the hard way, and trying to be a bit better because of it. We get into failure, low points, and the moments that knock you sideways… but also how those same moments can be the ones that actually sort you out. There’s plenty in here about rel...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this powerful conversation, the guys sit down with Aegon Welsh to explore resilience, mental health, and the role movement plays in both physical and emotional wellbeing. From his time in the military to overcoming injury and adversity, Egan shares how discipline, brotherhood, and lived experience have shaped his mindset and outlook on life. The discussion dives into...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this raw and reflective conversation, the guys are joined by their new ambassador Harrison to dive into life’s challenges, mindset shifts, and the power of shared experience. From health scares and pandemic lows to rebuilding strength, confidence, and purpose, this episode explores what it really means to grow through adversity. They unpack the role of discipline, con...

Welcome to Back and Forth! From reality TV fame to real-life foundations — Charlie Healy opens up about the highs, lows, and everything in between. In this honest conversation, he reflects on life in the spotlight, the reality behind shows like The X Factor , and the mental health challenges that came with it all. He also shares how hitting difficult moments shifted his perspective, why asking for...

Welcome to Back and Forth! Stress, parenting, self-care, ageing parents, emotional honesty… this one really goes there. From toddler tantrums and family pressure to masculinity, mental health, and the small things that keep us grounded, this is a proper honest chat about juggling life when everything feels like a lot. Real stories, real laughs, and real reminders that looking after yourself isn’t...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this powerful and honest episode, we hear from Dick Taylor, a military veteran who opens up about the long road from suppressed anger and silent struggle to finally asking for help. After spending years carrying the weight of unresolved emotions, combat stress, and the pressures that come with military life, this conversation dives deep into what changed, and how taki...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this powerful and honest episode of Back and Forth Men’s Mental Health Podcast , the hosts are joined by Taylor James , host of The Waffle Shop Podcast , for a raw conversation about anxiety, self-awareness, and what it really means to grow through life’s challenges. Together, they unpack the pressure of overthinking the future, the weight of living in the past, and w...

Welcome to Back and Forth! In this raw and honest episode, the guys open up about what happens when you spend years trying to bury trauma instead of facing it. For 25 years, it felt easier to lock it away, crack on, and pretend everything was fine, until life had other plans. This episode is all about the “bears” we carry … the emotional weight, unresolved pain, old stories, and hidden wounds that...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan, Vish and Will share stories that range from towering conifers and mischievous neighbours to the everyday ups and downs of life. What begins with childhood memories, barbecues, and garden chaos naturally flows into a conversation about community, friendship, and easing anxiety in social situations. They explore how to join new groups, whether that’s bringing a f...

This week on Back and Forth , Dan and Vish dive into a conversation that starts light but quickly moves into something deeper. What begins with tired mornings, changing seasons and everyday life naturally shifts into an honest discussion about why men shut down emotionally — and what’s really going on underneath the surface when that happens. They explore the idea of emotional “flooding,” the diff...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan and Vish sit down with Stuart , founder of Beyond the Silence , for a raw and powerful conversation about mental health, masculinity and survival. Beneath the humour and everyday chat, Stuart shares how he was privately planning his suicide before the people around him stepped in — and how that moment became the start of rebuilding his life. The episode explores...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan and Vish sit down with Coventry Rugby’s Ewan Baker for a candid conversation about life on and off the pitch. They dive into the pressures of professional rugby, from not being selected to playing in front of big crowds, and explore how Ewan balances ambition with enjoyment. He opens up about concussion recovery, the invisible challenges it brings, and why menta...

This week on Back & Forth, Dan and Vish sit down for a powerful and honest conversation with Dave, who opens up about his lived experience with OCD — from intrusive thoughts and spiralling anxiety to hospitalisation, therapy, and learning how to manage it day to day. Dave shares how stress — whether from work, life events, or even positive change — can quietly raise the temperature and intensi...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan and Vish kick things off with their first recording in the new studio before settling into a reflective, wide-ranging conversation. They chat about keeping busy with DIY projects and flat packs as a way of distracting from things outside your control, including illness — with Vish sharing his now very familiar routine of multiple trips to Wickes in search of var...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan is joined once again by Stu Baker for Part Two of their conversation, focusing on recovery, routines, and the practical steps that helped Stu rebuild his life after crisis. Stu reflects on what changed after hitting rock bottom, explaining how acceptance, honesty, and consistency became central to his recovery , and why mental health is less about quick fixes an...

This week on Back & Forth , Dan and Will are joined by Stu Baker for an open, raw and deeply honest conversation about mental health, identity, and what happens when the coping mechanisms you’ve relied on suddenly disappear. Stu speaks candidly about his upbringing, joining the Navy at 17, and using rugby as an outlet for pressure, emotion, and stress. When injury forced him to step away from...