“It’s not always depression. Sometimes it’s divorce. Sometimes it’s debt. Sometimes it’s no access to your kids. So it's not all about mental illness, that’s a system problem.”

Released to mark Men’s Mental Health Week in Australia, this powerful episode features Rae Bonney OAM — counsellor, speaker, and relentless advocate for the emotional wellbeing of men and boys.

Rae joins Myke to share her personal and professional journey with unfiltered honesty — from growing up in a violent household to confronting her own destructive patterns and ultimately choosing accountability, therapy, and advocacy over silence.

This episode is a deep dive into mens mental health, We look at the real reasons men shut down, break down, or check out. From self-harm and addiction to perfectionism and shame, Rae challenges the culture that tells men to “man up” and offers powerful alternatives rooted in curiosity, connection, and care.

🧠 If you're a father, a partner, a teacher, or a man navigating your own mental health — this one will shift something in you.

What you’ll hear:

- How Rae’s childhood in a violent, patriarchal household shaped her mission

- The damaging impact of fatherlessness and systems that alienate men from parenting

- Why male suicide is often situational — not just a “mental illness” problem

- The invisible epidemic of male loneliness, especially post-40- How self-harm, disordered eating, and “functioning” behaviours often mask emotional collapse

- Why the lack of male-specific mental health services is costing lives

- How Men’s Sheds, jiu-jitsu, and grassroots communities create safer spaces

One of the most striking moments? Rae recounts counselling young people who self-harm — not with judgement, but with presence. “It wasn’t about telling them to stop. It was about keeping them safe while they got through it.”

If you’re raising boys, supporting men, or just trying to make sense of your own story, this conversation is one of the most honest you’ll hear. Men’s lives are at stake — and the way forward starts with listening, not lecturing.

Rae Bonney doesn’t just talk about men’s mental health — she lives it, works in it, and fights for it.

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🌐 Connect with Rae: https://raybonney.auhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/raebonney

📺 Watch more episodes:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAEay_1WvE2q95NOsLvXHrvHxelFjAryj&si=K2R6ATiJANF2SfeV

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🏚️ Find out more about Mens Shed:

https://mensshed.org

—Please note this episode openly discusses self harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know may be struggling please reach out for help at any of the below public services:

https://www.beyondblue.org.auhttps://www.lifeline.org.au/https://www.neveralone.org.au

#RaeBonney #MensMentalHealth #Masculinity #MaleSuicide #RealInSight #SupportNotStigma #GenerationalTrauma #Neurodiversity #ADHD #MentalHealthWeek #InvisibleStruggles #SelfHarmAwareness #ParentingBoys #maleloneliness

0:05 Mental Health Perspectives

1:26 Childhood Experiences of Violence

4:42 The Role of Male Role Models8:26 Parenting and Self-Management

13:02 Generational Trauma and Responsibility

17:08 The Loneliness Epidemic

23:48 Gender Conversations and Safety

26:21 Community Support for Men

32:58 Building Male Connections

37:18 Recognition and Advocacy

40:37 Understanding Male Responsibility

45:23 The Importance of Support Networks