Andy Bishop—The transformational strength of our stories
If you're standing on the edge, having those thoughts… what saves your life? Andy has been there, experienced that, and literally wears the t-shirt. Andy founded Man Gang to help show men ‘it’s not weak to speak,’ break the stigma, and find support.
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Andy Bishop
Andy grew up in a small village in South Wales where he would often play soldiers in the local woods. His childhood dream became a reality when he joined the British Army. His 22-year career took him all over the world. Yet, all this time, Andy held a secret: He suffered with poor mental health. Scared that any admission would see him labelled as weak, Andy put on a mask to protect his career. He would maintain a ‘tough guy’ exterior while denying anything was wrong to those closest to him.
This act took took him close to the end on more than one occasion. Following the loss of a close friend to suicide, Andy opened up about his journey and following the grief of his mate’s death. He started to share that ‘it’s not weak to speak.’ By talking about what troubles us, we begin to find a way through the dark back towards the light. Andy now shares his story regularly, as a plenary speaker for Mental Health First Aid England on instructor courses, and has shares his journey with a range of businesses.
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Hosted by Peter Larkum, Mentality Meets is a weekly online conversation with mental health advocates and experts as we explore stories and strategies on how to change the culture of mental health in the workplace.
Recorded live on 1st October 2020.
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Mentality Meets (Season 2) is recorded live on Zoom every Thursday from September to December 2020.
