At The Good Fight Gym in Brisbane, we run a free fortnightly program called The Combat Mind. It’s a movement-based, peer-led mental health initiative for men who don’t do therapy, don’t do feelings, and don’t want to be told they’re broken.
We’re not therapists. We’re fighters. But what we’ve built might just be saving more lives than we ever expected.
This program began after the suicide of a dear friend, Ethan. No signs. No warnings. Just silence. It lit a fire in me that hasn’t gone out since. I knew we needed something different. Something men would actually walk into. No forms. No pressure. Just pads, movement, story, and connection.
In this presentation, I’ll share how The Combat Mind works and why it’s resonating so deeply with the men who normally fall through the cracks.
We’ll unpack:
Why traditional services don’t reach the men who need help most
The neurobiological and emotional logic behind movement-first intervention
Real words from men: “This saved my f***ing life.”
The 4-Round Method we use to build connection and regulation:
1. Story – Real fight stories open the door to emotional themes like failure, anger, fatherhood, and shame
2. Reflection – We ask bold, relatable questions that prompt insight without forcing disclosure
3. Training – We train like fighters. Movement regulates the nervous system and teaches resilience
4. Integration – We finish in circle. No pressure. Just presence. That’s where it lands
This isn’t a lecture. It’s a live-wire call to rethink what male mental health support can look like. Raw, grounded, embodied, and built on brotherhood.
If we want different outcomes, we need different tools. And sometimes, a pair of gloves can open doors that words never could.