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Episode #169
Michael Collins on Grief, Men's Mental Health and Family Violence Prevention
What happens after we break β οΈ Content advisory: this episode discusses mental health & wellbeing and trauma & healing, which some listeners may find distressing. If you need support, you're not alone. Help is available: β’ Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 Β· lifeline.org.au β’ Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 Β· blueknot.org.au Michael grew up in a violent household with an alcoholic father and emotionally burdened mother, taking on the role of emotional caregiver for his family by age twelve. He spent two decades in performing arts before pivoting through myotherapy and exercise science, searching for meaning without credentials or financial security. When his mother died and his brother Marty took his own life a year later, Michael experienced profound grief that redirected his entire path. He pursued a Master of Public Health, then a PhD in men's suicide prevention and mental distress, driven by both personal loss and a conviction that men's emotional lives have been systematically constrained. He now interviews men across generations about their experiences of distress, help-seeking, and connection, finding patterns of change and hope. Michael Collins is a PhD researcher at the University of Technology Sydney investigating the lived experience of men from low socioeconomic backgrounds who experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours. A former dancer, choreographer, and fitness instructor, he returned to formal study in his 40s after losing his mother to cancer and his younger brother Marty to suicide within a year of each other. His research explores help-seeking, distress disclosure, and masculinity through interviews with men across multiple generations. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Opening: grief is not shameful 05:05 How Michael became a researcher in men's distress 10:17 Growing up in a dysfunctional household 16:11 His father's thwarted dreams and family legacy 22:53 The jobs, the searching, the lack of direction 28:20 His father's cycle: drinking, employment, abandonment 34:00 Losing his mother and brother within a year 40:14 Witnessing grief in public as an act of courage 46:54 Dance as reclamation of his body 50:49 What his research reveals about men's help-seeking 59:59 What he hates about men: violence and its aftermath 1:08:07 His message: feel your emotions in safety If this story moved you, follow Kintsugi Heroes in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 Lifeline Australia webchat: lifeline.org.au ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ABOUT KINTSUGI HEROES ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ Welcome. We're glad you found your way here. Kintsugi Heroes was created from a simple belief: every person has a story worth sharing, and sometimes the story we need to hear arrives exactly when we need it most. Our name comes from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, they are honoured as part of the object's history. We believe people are much the same. The experiences that challenge us, break us, shape us, and help us grow are often the very things that connect us to one another. This channel is home to honest conversations about resilience, hope, grief, recovery, courage, love, and what it means to keep moving forward when life doesn't go to plan. Here you'll find six podcast series, each sharing stories through a different lens: β’ Kintsugi Heroes, hosted by John Milham β’ Animals & Us, hosted by Natalie Stockdale β’ Grit Diaries: From Grit to Grace, hosted by Simone Allan and Maryan Bova β’ From There to Here, hosted by Emma Bellamy-Dodd β’ Golden Threads: Stories of Disability & Resilience β’ Pride in Stories, hosted by John Dwyer Every story shared here is offered with the hope that it helps someone feel a little less alone. A little more understood. A little more connected. Whether you're navigating a difficult season, supporting someone you love, or simply looking for meaningful conversations, you're welcome here. New episodes are released fortnightly across our series. If you'd like to help us keep these stories freely available to everyone, you can support our work here: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate Thank you for being part of this community. We help people tell the stories they need to share so others can discover the story they need to hear. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ CONNECT WITH US ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au βΆοΈ https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes https://www.facebook.com/kintsugiheroes https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes #KintsugiHeroes #LivedExperience #ResiliencePodcast #GoldInTheCracks #StoriesThatMatter #mentalhealth #grief #familyviolence #suicideprevention #masculinity #emotionalhealth #helpseeking #menswellbeing βββ Show notes by Kintsugi Studio Β· Approved by Tony Bailey Β· Australian English Mentioned in this episode: Thank You For Listening Follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, or share your own story at kintsugiheroes.com.au. Your story matters. Support Kintsugi Heroes Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit, and every story we share is free for the people who need it. If this show has meant something to you, you can help us keep going. Visit kintsugiheroes.com.au and click donate. Every contribution helps us keep telling these stories, and it's tax-deductible.
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