In this episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser are joined by former English teacher and middle leader Mike Nicholson. Mike has a wide range of experience across the educational spectrum and early in his career developed a reputation for his ability to have a positive impact on boys and young men deemed ‘difficult’ and ‘challenging’. Mike developed and delivers the Progressive Masculinity Program which aims to give young men the freedom and confidence to reconstruct a healthier and more open-minded understanding of what it can mean to be ‘a man’. Through the episode, Mike, Luke and Fras ..read more

In the latest episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser discuss the pressures that men may feel around their physical appearance. Addressing the change in beauty standards over the years, and also the increased access to cosmetic procedures, both of them share instances where they have become more conscious of how they look, and how they wish to present themselves to the world. Breaking down the idea of the (potentially) inevitable 'dad bod' and what health and wellness actually looks like, they discuss the role of social media, not only on the expectations around male and female bodies ..read more

In this episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser discuss the role of community in our lives, and share how it's helped them throughout difficult periods in their lives, including addiction and poor health. Drawing on the evolutionary purpose of community, they discuss why groups of people are so often and easily driven apart by difference of opinion, and address communities that emerge to take advantage of vulnerable people. They also talk about the importance of community as we age, and how they regularly feel the positive effect of community on their own mental health. Finally, they di ..read more

In this week’s episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser discuss the much debated and somewhat maligned ‘man flu’.  Is it a real illness? Is it an overreaction to a regular cold or flu? Do men really suffer more than women?  Discussing studies on the difference in severity of illness and also attitudes towards health in both men and women, Luke and Fraser address societal expectations around sickness which can often lead to worse outcomes for both genders.  Alongside this they also highlight the effect of not only periods, but also pre menstrual syndrome and pre menstrual ..read more

In the newest episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser discuss the idea of 'midlife crisis'. Breaking down the subject and addressing misconceptions around it, they look into the reasons why someone may want to change or address the way they live their life, and how this may end up alienating people around them. They also wonder if a 'midlife crisis' is someone living more authentically, or if it's an attempt to break free of societal expectation. Finally, they discuss the impact both marriage and children has on a 'midlife crisis', whether due to a perceived lack of purpose or a feeling ..read more

In this episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser are joined by former BBC Correspondent and now parenting coach Rachel Richards. Rachel co-hosts the podcast 'Teenagers Untangled', which she describes as ‘an audio hug for parents going through the teenage years'. Within their discussion, Rachel, Luke and Fraser cover a number of subjects including fearless parenting, navigating parenting in the digital age, dealing with lack of communication and breaking generational cycles. Alongside this they also discuss the role that expectation plays in parenting, and the ongoing contradiction o ..read more

In this episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser are answering your burning questions! This week we handed over the agenda to our wonderful listeners, and let them ask Luke and Fraser anything (within reason of course!) that was on their mind. Addressing subjects such as addiction, sobriety, spirituality and pride, the guys share wisdom and advice from their own personal journeys and explore new topics not yet spoken about on the podcast.  Saving perhaps the best question for last, they also share how they might decide to embark on a musical career, that is if the podcasting doesn ..read more

In the newest episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser discover and explore the subject of 'weaponised incompetence'. They address the environments where it may occur, including in the home, between family members and within business, and wonder if they've ever been guilty of playing into their incompetencies. They also discuss whether both men and women can employ weaponised incompetence to avoid doing tasks they don't particularly like or find difficult to complete, and question if the portrayal of men in the media has played into this. Finally, they highlight the importance of healthy ..read more

In the newest episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser are joined by certified Breathwork Coach, prominent mental health advocate and NACOA ambassador Josh Connolly. Josh's mission centres on guiding individuals to gain a deeper insight into their own selves and emotions, fostering a connection with their intuition and body. Josh works with individuals and corporate organisations to gain a healthier understanding of what resilience truly means. In this discussion, Luke, Fraser and Josh discuss their sobriety journey, ask if people are born addicts, and address misconceptions around resil ..read more

In this episode of Understanding Men, Luke and Fraser are joined by sports agent Gab Stone. Gab was one of the most successful sports agents in the UK, managing multiple Gold Medal winners at the London 2012 Olympics including Louis Smith and Nicola Adams. However, 5 years later in 2017, Gab was sentenced to 18 months in prison, admitting fraud after losing over £40,000 of Olympic Gold Medalist, Greg Rutherford's money due to a crippling gambling addiction.   This is the first time that Gab has spoken publicly about his story, and details how he hid his addiction from family, friends and ..read more