Best Cal Macpherson Podcasts (2026)

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More Than Medication | Dr Aleem Khan 1:01:56

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19d ago1:01:56

1:01:56

When you hear the word psychiatrist, you might think medicating mental illness, but there’s more nuance to it than that. Psychiatry brings together biology, psychology medicine and lived experience to understand what’s going on in someone’s mind and how to treat it. Aleem is a Pakistani Australian who migrated here 16 years ago, became a psychiatri…

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The Crisis that Took My Dad's Life | Sydni Kobayashi 44:14

27d ago44:14

44:14

Sydni grew up on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, in a tight-knit community with a culture she says expects men to be tough and keep their emotions to themselves. Her father was one of those men. Loving and strong, but never one to share what he was going through. When her younger sister went missing in late 2023, Sydni and her family were thrust into…

1
Living Beyond the Shadow of Cystic Fibrosis | Flynn Gill 40:05

1M ago40:05

40:05

Five years ago, Flynn was on this podcast as a teenager living with cystic fibrosis. CF is a genetic condition that affects one in 2,500 Australians, causing mucus to clog the lungs and digestive system, requiring constant physio, medication and hospital check-ins to stay well. Thanks to modern medicine, many people with CF now live into their 40s …

1
What's Been Happening with Me Lately 16:54

1M ago16:54

16:54

No guest this week. Instead, here's my rambling about life and the podcast in the following order: - Australian of the Year Awards - Getting married - Contemplating fatherhood - Getting in the best shape of my life - Showing up as the best version of me - The future of the podcast - Protecting piece of mind…

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Facing the Feelings Driving Overeating and Fat Gain | Zac Mason 1:11:15

2M ago1:11:15

1:11:15

Around 70% of Aussie men are overweight or obese, and most of us would say we’d like to lose some fat and drop a pants size or two. Maintaining a lean, healthy body we feel happy in, is relatively simple, but it's far from easy. We generally know the importance of exercise and the basics of nutrition, but the way our emotions drive our eating habit…

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Internalising the Pain Till it Broke Me | James Overall 1:23:32

2M ago1:23:32

1:23:32

Corporal James Overall served as an Australian Army medic for a decade, deploying overseas on multiple occasions, including to Afghanistan in 2015. He was instrumental in 6 mass casualty events, as a highly skilled trauma care provider and auxiliary security force member, awarded the United States Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NAM) for h…

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The Decade I Lost to Gambling | Mark Kempster 1:05:31

3M ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Gambling’s been baked into Australian culture for generations. Having a punt with your mates is as normalised today as a beer and schnitty at the pub, but for a lot of young men in particular, it quickly grows into a monster that destroys lives. Australians lose around $32 billion every year gambling, making us the biggest losers in the world, and …

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How 1% of Your Day Can Transform the Rest | Cooper Chapman 1:03:05

3M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

On the cusp for a decade, but never quite making the big time in professional surfing, Cooper's life was destined to go down another path. After seeing his sister lose multiple friends to suicide and facing his own challenges, he educated himself on mental health and founded The Good Human Factory to connect people with simple tools to improve thei…

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Living Life My Way with Brain Cancer | Matt "Willy" Williams OAM 1:02:22

3M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Matty signed up to serve in the Australian Army and deployed to Afghanistan as a young soldier. On his 22nd birthday he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and soon discharged from defence. For the past 7 years he's shared the unfiltered ups and downs of his journey through Instagram, and was recognised with an OAM for his contribution to brai…

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Redefining Toughness | Daniel Principe 52:55

3M ago52:55

52:55

Masculinity is one of the hottest debates in our culture right now. Boys are growing up in a world that never switches off, where social media, peer pressure and online figures shape how they see themselves and each other. Daniel is right in the thick of it. He spends his days in schools across Australia, speaking to tens of thousands of young men …

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It Could Have Been the End | David Speirs 1:08:01

4M ago1:08:01

1:08:01

David migrated from Scotland to Australia as a teenager, worked his way into local government, and by his late thirties, had become South Australia’s youngest ever Opposition Leader. But the pressure of holding that position took a toll he eventually couldn’t hide... In 2024, a video surfaced showing him using cocaine, sparking front page headlines…

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Male Suicide is Finally Trending Down 1:27

4M ago1:27

1:27

There’s positive signs male suicide is finally trending down.For the first time since the Suicide Prevention Australia Community Tracker began quarterly reporting on suicide related behaviour in 2022, the stats have swung in the right direction...Suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts have all reduced.According to the latest national report for Sept…

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Putting the Work In | Tom Derickx 51:57

4M ago51:57

51:57

Tom's worn a lot of different hats in his life. Tradie, AFL footballer, musician and model. On the surface, it looks like the dream run, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Through it all, he's grappled with bouts of anxiety and depression, experiencing his most intense symptoms in a Richmond guernsey. Not understanding what he was dealing do wit…

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Battling Blood Cancer with a Young Family | Jaraad "JK" Kader 59:15

4M ago59:15

59:15

When JK was studying radiation therapy, he never imagined he’d one day become a cancer patient himself. At 33, he was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, one of the most aggressive blood cancers, after a lump suddenly appeared on his neck. He went through months of gruelling chemo while raising two young kids, relying on his wife Pam and their suppo…

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Would You Choose Pain Over Stillness? 3:12

4M ago3:12

3:12

In a famous study, people were asked to sit quietly in a room for 15 minutes. They’d previously tested a mild electric shock and said they’d pay to avoid it. Yet when left alone, they were given access to a shock button. Despite there being no reward, 67% of men and 25% of women chose to zap themselves during the experiment (Wilson et al, 2014). Co…

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Loneliness and Finding the Right Kind of Therapy for You | Nigel Polak 1:17:42

5M ago1:17:42

1:17:42

40% of Australians feel lonely at any given time and loneliness is linked to higher risks of depression, cognitive decline, a weakened immune system, and even premature death. If you’ve ever felt lonely, this episode will help you make sense of it. We break down what loneliness really is and practical ways to address it. My guest, Nigel Polak, Pres…

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What Stopped Me Becoming Another Statistic | Connor Tarrant 1:06:15

5M ago1:06:15

1:06:15

Connor was 16 when his life was turned upside down. After his first relationship ended, he felt off, but didn’t know why. It came as a shock when a GP visit revealed he was living with severe depression. It got worse before it got better, culminating in a suicide attempt that almost robbed him of an awesome future. Like flicking a switch, waking up…

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Is Your Therapist a Chatbot? 1:01

5M ago1:01

1:01

A Stanford study recently found AI chatbots only responded safely to 50% of serious prompts, such as those related to suicidal ideation and psychosis. About 1 in 5 replies were harmful, validating dangerous thoughts. (Stanford, 2024 via NY Post) How many of us are using it? A nationally representative sample survey of U.S adults found 60% have used…

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Mental Health, Faith & the Future of Therapy | Andy the Psych 1:06:29

5M ago1:06:29

1:06:29

Andy faced some significant mental health challenges and received multiple diagnoses before he was even 18. Navigating those stormy seas early, he connected with therapy and was able to develop an understanding of himself that made it all make sense. That experience became the inspiration for his pursuit of becoming a clinical psychologist — a real…

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Chaos to Clarity | Justin Sorre 1:41:20

6M ago1:41:20

1:41:20

Justin grew up idolising his father’s version of strength - gritting his teeth, pushing through pain to provide for his family, never speaking about his troubles. He picked up the same pattern, often putting others first and ignoring what was going on inside. At school, he was bullied and insecure, desperate to be liked and terrified of being left …

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Many of Us are Turning to Social Media for Mental Health Advice 1:13

6M ago1:13

1:13

A 2025 survey of 2,565 Australians by Growth Distillery and Medibank, found that nearly 2 in 3 respondents use platforms like Instagram and TikTok as their main source of mental health and wellbeing information. 50% of the most viewed mental health videos on TikTok were shown to be misleading. A recent investigation by The Guardian analysed the 100…

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1 in 3 Men Don't Have a Mate They Could Call in a Crisis 1:41

6M ago1:41

1:41

40% of men lose touch with close friends after major life changes. Moving, having kids, starting a new job. We don’t fall out, we just stop showing up. (UK Men’s Health Forum, 2022) Why does it happen? Priorities change We stop making time We wait for them to make it happen We don’t want to make it awkward We assume our mates will just always be th…

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There's No Quick Fix for Your Mental Health | Tim Cook 1:18:20

6M ago1:18:20

1:18:20

Footy was everything to Tim growing up, giving him something to strive for and a place to belong. But there was plenty he never shared with his teammates... Living with OCD compulsions since childhood, and diagnosed with depression and anxiety at 19, the chaos in Tim's mind ruled everything from game-day to daily life. Enduring multiple knee recons…

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Therapy Didn't Work...Now What? 2:55

6M ago2:55

2:55

More men are asking for help — but they’re not getting what they need.44% of Australian men who start therapy drop out early, and a quarter never come back after the first session.(Movember, 2021)The most common reason for dropping out?A lack of connection with the therapist — over half of men who quit therapy said they couldn’t connect.Finding the…

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More Than Meets the Eye: Making the Invisible Visible | Nick Mayhugh 1:08:00

6M ago1:08:00

1:08:00

Nick Mayhugh has a dead spot on his brain, but you wouldn't know it from looking at him. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 14 after a seizure, Nick was told he'd never play sport again, but he didn't listen. Instead, he used as fuel to defy the odds, playing soccer through high school and college, then becoming a star for the US Para 7-a-side soccer…

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A Quality Relationship Halves Your Risk of Depression 2:06

6M ago2:06

2:06

Strong relationships act as a protective buffer against mental health struggles. When you feel safe, supported and valued, your brain and body is better equipped to handle stress. People with emotionally supportive partners recover from stressful life events faster and with fewer long-term psychological scars (Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2021). A …

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Being in Control is Hard, Being Out of Control is Harder 2:32

7M ago2:32

2:32

Doing your best to show up every day and juggle everything you have to juggle, can feel like a lot. And even if life’s on track, the urge to break free of routine and blow off steam can still hit. In seeking freedom, we often choose things that keep us trapped. Opting for the quickest, easiest dopamine hits can feel good in the moment, but they alw…

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Rebuilding Lives in Construction | Alex Kalliris 55:41

7M ago55:41

55:41

Alex Kalliris is a clinical psychotherapist and Program Director at Foundation House, a residential rehab service in New South Wales supporting men from the construction industry to take back control from alcohol, drugs and gambling. He’s spent the past eight years working with men at rock bottom — helping them break destructive cycles, rebuild tru…

1
What if No One Wants to Hear From Me? 4:00

7M ago4:00

4:00

I’ve stuck with this podcast for 301 weeks — 2,107 days and 230 episodes. But outside of the interviews, I still hesitate to share my thoughts and feelings... The show’s always been about the guests, and that’s the way it should be — but sometimes it feels like I fade into the background and hide behind the role of host. I’m afraid of making it abo…

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The AFL and Anorexia | Brayden Ainsworth 1:20:50

7M ago1:20:50

1:20:50

Brayden Ainsworth grew up chasing the footy dream and he caught it. From small town W.A, to the big stage of the AFL, he made it, but behind the scenes, the pressure to perform, the need for validation and the obsession with being in peak condition, were quietly eating away at him. When Brayden was delisted by the West Coast Eagles, after a short r…

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Living Through a Mid-Air Collision | Mark Lucchiari & Ben Lucock 54:19

7M ago54:19

54:19

Some moments are so impactful they can split your life in two — there's before it happens, and everything that comes after... For skydivers Lucch and Ben, that moment came in mid-air over Byron Bay, when a routine jump went catastrophically wrong. A shocking collision in freefall obliterated Ben's leg, and knocked Lucch unconscious, sending him car…

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What Teenage Boys Actually Think | Jesse Rothgrew 1:00:29

7M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Teenage boys are growing up in a world where manhood is being put under the microscope and redefined in real time. The mixed messages are everywhere — be strong, but vulnerable; speak up, but don’t say the wrong thing; just be yourself, but only if you fit the mould... And while adult voices dominate the conversation on how young men should behave,…

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Bodybuilding for a Better Life | Oli Wright & Rayan Abou-Hamdan 1:20:43

8M ago1:20:43

1:20:43

In Australia, around 1.5 million men report lifting weights regularly, with countless young guys in their teens, twenties and beyond structuring their lifestyle around building their body in the gym. For many, the gym is a safe haven providing structure, growth and community providing huge physical and mental health benefits. But there is a dark si…

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Surviving Divorce and the Family Court | Scott Matthews 1:24:43

8M ago1:24:43

1:24:43

Research shows around 30% of male suicides are linked to separation, and men who are separated or divorced are up to 3 times more likely to die by suicide compared to those in stable relationships. Scott knows this pain all too well. Enduring a brutal six-year divorce, he was dragged through the family court, given limited access to his children, a…

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The Man Behind the Push-Up Challenge | Nick Hudson 1:04:08

8M ago1:04:08

1:04:08

Before his chest was cracked open on the operating table, Nick Hudson was already battling something less visible — depression. He refused to talk about it, pushed people away who tried to be there for him, and wouldn't admit the truth to himself... Then came the life-saving open-heart surgery that forced everything to stop. Recovery was brutal. Th…

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Running from the Responsibilities of Young Fatherhood | Brodie Toomey 55:20

9M ago55:20

55:20

In his early twenties Brodie felt invincible, approaching life like the world revolved around him as he chased one high to the next. It wasn’t long till Brodie had his first child unplanned, at a time he was far from ready to accept responsibility, refusing to change his party lifestyle. His recklessness carried on, and before long he fathered a se…

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The Boy in the Tennis Machine | Todd Ley 55:06

9M ago55:06

55:06

He was labelled the best in the world at 12 years old — a tennis prodigy bound for greatness, striving alongside a father who was obsessed with his success. Todd describes his younger years as Groundhog Day, an endless 24 hour cycle hell bent on high performance, in which every tiny detail was put under constant scrutiny. After many years of knowin…

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How to Process Pregnancy Loss as a Man | Julie Borninkhof 47:43

9M ago47:43

47:43

In Australia, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, 1 in 100 are ectopic, and thousands of babies are born still each year. Child loss during pregnancy is utterly devastating for the people who experience it—and despite being so common, the grief that follows often remains hidden. This is especially true for men, who can feel obligated to suppress…

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Six Years in Hell | Zach Green 1:05:14

9M ago1:05:14

1:05:14

Zach Green was going to be a dad, Three times... Each time, he imagined life as a father and each time his hopes were shattered. In just 18 months, he and his ex-partner lost three babies during pregnancy. The world around him kept moving, but inside, he was stuck— grieving in silence, burying himself in work, and trying to pretend he was all good.…

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Living For My Brother, My Mother and Me | Adam Gaunt 1:05:58

10M ago1:05:58

1:05:58

Life has thrown everything at Adam—crippling financial hardship, devastating loss, and more than his fair share of personal demons; heartbreakingly losing both his mum AND his brother to suicide. Adam's struggles began in childhood, living on the poverty line after his mum lost her house and never got it back, leading to her death. That tragedy was…

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If You Don't Laugh, You'll Cry | Sammy Petersen 1:01:19

10M ago1:01:19

1:01:19

Sammy wanted to be a comedian ever since he saw the greats on TV; but the journey so far hasn't been all laughs... Born with facial palsy, he stood out for his crooked smile and had a hard time learning to love himself. Growing up around a drug addicted brother, Sammy learned early on how unpredictable life can be. And although he's never fallen pr…

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There's More to Life Than Winning | Jasper Buck 42:55

10M ago42:55

42:55

Jasper spent years throwing punches in the cage, but his toughest fight has always been against himself. Through a childhood marked by instability. Jasper was constantly moving and having to start over, causing frustration and anger that had nowhere to go until he found martial arts. MMA gave him identity and purpose, so much so that he's struggled…

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Bipolar Almost Broke Me | Chris Fraser 59:56

11M ago59:56

59:56

The suicide rate for people living with bipolar is between 10 and 30 times higher than the general population, accounting for up to a quarter of all suicides in Australia. Research shows up to 60% of those with the condition will make at least one attempt on their life. Father of three, Chris Fraser is one of them. He experienced multiple extended …

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Being Gay Doesn't Define Me | Mark Cawdron-White 1:02:33

12M ago1:02:33

1:02:33

Mark suspected he was gay from the time he was a young boy and had it confirmed by the time he made it to high school. Raised in a conservative, religious household, he was conditioned to believe that being gay was wrong and that belief, coupled with fear of his parents’ reaction kept him in the closet till he was 28. When he did come out, those fe…

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Not Your Average Psychologist | Dr Simon Tyler 1:04:50

12M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

Imagine if your psychologist was that rough looking bloke you met down the pub who gave surprisingly solid advice - that's the kind of vibe you get from Simon Tyler. Simo's a clinical psych and a mentally healthy workplace consultant, he also cuts his own hair and does an awful job of it... His therapy style's shaped by his early career in construc…

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Life Before and After Prison | James Culley 1:04:43

12M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

When we think of a typical drug addict, we think of someone who turned to drugs in an attempt to cope with trauma and often childhood abuse. That wasn't the case for Culley. He describes having the perfect childhood, growing up with great parents who gave him all the love he could've asked for; but that didn't stop him getting on the ice and every …

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If I Don't Take A Break, I'm Not Going to Survive | Memorable Moments 13:12

1y ago13:12

13:12

Over the Christmas holiday period we're taking you back to some of our most memorable moments from our most popular episodes. Kian Rafie is a junior lawyer who got what he thought was the dream start to the career he'd always wanted, when a mental health crisis threatened to derail it. Scroll back in our podcast library for the full episode: Legal …

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I Couldn't Understand Why I Was Like That | Memorable Moments 13:25

1y ago13:25

13:25

Over the Christmas holiday period we're taking you back to some of our most memorable moments from our most popular episodes.For many years, Nathan hated the man staring back at him in the mirror. Deeply sad and angry, with no clue what was at the core of his distress, it took doing the hardest thing he'd ever done to start making progress - asking…

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It Was Either Get Help, or I'm Going to Lose My Life | Memorable Moments 15:17

1y ago15:17

15:17

Over the Christmas holiday period we're taking you back to some of our most memorable moments from our most popular episodes.Addicted to drugs and gambling in his late teens and early twenties, Angus eventually came to a fork in the road that was life or death... Scroll back in our podcast library for the full episode:The Trifecta: Quitting Drinkin…

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Is Men's Mental Health Getting Better or Worse? | Dr Ian Zajac & Dr Michael Billows 1:21:00

1y ago1:21:00

1:21:00

It’s an unstable time to be a young man right now… The world is rapidly evolving around us, job markets are changing, traditional gender roles are shifting; polarising content served by our algorithms is pushing us ever deeper into echo chambers of opinion and the social discourse that men are the problem looms in the background. With me today to c…