Middle Man

What happens when the life you worked so hard to build suddenly stops feeling like your own? Why do so many men in their forties and fifties quietly drift through life feeling disconnected, exhausted or emotionally flat without ever talking about it? And when careers change, relationships end, children leave home, or grief hits, how do you rebuild your identity and rediscover purpose in the second half of life? This week Paul talks to Jonathan Flynn, founder of The Hades Effect, about the emotio

Unresolved trauma can be incredibly tough to deal with when it shows up. Mental health issues, including serious depression and debilitating anxiety, can be part and parcel of a life filled with traumatic events. But it's not impossible to move past, and with resilience and determination, the second half of life can be rebuilt and reframed as something hugely positive. This week Paul talks to Jase Rowe about a relentless sequence of events that would profoundly impact his mental health for more

Many men feel pressure to become the father they wish they'd had. Others find connecting with their children increasingly challenging as both they and their kids grow older. But in all cases, men can be deeply self-critical as parents. Fatherhood is often both the most beautiful and the most challenging role in a man’s life, and to expect to be the perfect dad is unrealistic. This week Paul talks to life and relationship coach Bernadett Nagy, who argues that children do not need perfect fathers.

This special episode of Middle Man marks Mental Health Awareness Week. It covers the story of father and son Steve and Dan Shrigley, who share the deeply personal story of Steve’s severe depression, paranoia and suicidal ideation, which led to him being sectioned and spending six months in hospital. Speaking with remarkable honesty, Steve describes the slow erosion of purpose that came from feeling trapped in corporate life, losing meaning in his work, stepping away from football coaching and ad

Lack of self-esteem, low self-worth and lack of confidence quietly plague many men as they transit through midlife. And this can show up in many different ways, impacting beliefs, behaviours, relationships and more. Often there is no obvious reason for these feelings, making it even harder to deal with. But through self-awareness and a commitment to change, radical transformation is possible. This week Paul talks to Tom Jenkins, the author of the book The Drunk Gambler, about a life shaped by lo

Many men hit a stage in midlife when, despite outwardly successful and comfortable lives, they feel a persistent sense of emptiness, drift and disconnection. This deeply familiar yet often unspoken experience of feeling 'stuck' is pervasive and existential, as though life is slipping away without clear direction or meaning. This week Paul talks to Andrew Waddell, a coach for midlife men who says that 'stuckness' is rarely about one single problem. Instead, he says that it is a cyclical emotional