David Smith, better known as The Mindset Soldier, has spent years telling men to face the things they would rather run from.

But that message comes from a life where David spent years running from his own pain.

Taken into the care system as a young child, David experienced sexual abuse, instability and trauma that would follow him long into adulthood. He later joined the Grenadier Guards, served in Afghanistan and became a decorated soldier. He was the man others could rely on when things went wrong.

But when the fighting stopped, a very different battle began.

David talks openly about PTSD, terrifying night terrors and being scared to sleep. About cocaine, ketamine and alcohol. About violence, self-harm, suicide attempts and reaching a point where, in his own words, he simply needed “a break from being me.”

And he talks about what happened when he finally stopped running.

This conversation goes far beyond David’s military career.

We talk about childhood sexual abuse and the confusion it created around his identity. The reality of coming home from Afghanistan with nobody waiting for him. Losing his sister. Becoming a father and realising that his voice will become the inner voice his children carry through life.

David also shares the unexpected turns his search for belonging and meaning has taken. Being homeless. Finding community after converting to Islam as a teenager. And later discovering Christianity and a faith in Jesus that he says changed his life.

Today, David is an NLP coach and the man behind The Mindset Soldier, using everything he has lived through to help others change the way they see themselves and the situations they face.

But this isn’t a story about pretending the past didn’t happen.

It’s about responsibility.

About recognising the difference between what happened to you and what you choose to do next.

About changing the people and environments keeping you stuck.

About gratitude, journaling, movement, faith and learning to sit with difficult emotions instead of constantly trying to escape them.

And above all, it’s about what can happen when someone who once couldn’t see a way forward survives long enough to become that person for somebody else.

This is David Smith. The Mindset Soldier.

One of the most raw and wide-ranging conversations we’ve had on Mental Reset.

If something in David’s story makes you think of somebody, send them this episode. You never know when hearing someone else speak openly might be exactly what they need.

Mental Reset exists because we believe these conversations matter. Sharing what we’ve been through can make somebody else feel a little less alone.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow or subscribe to Mental Reset and help us reach more people. 💙

NEED SUPPORT?

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for support.

Samaritans: Call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day

Shout: Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential 24/7 text support

NHS 111: Call 111 or use NHS 111 online for urgent health or mental health advice

Your GP: Contact your GP surgery for ongoing mental health support

999: If you or somebody else is in immediate danger or there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.

You don’t have to wait until things reach crisis point to ask for help.

In this deeply personal episode of Mental Reset, Ryan sits down with Verity, a close friend of almost 20 years and someone who played a pivotal role during the darkest period of his life.

Six years ago, Ryan experienced a severe mental health crisis. His mental health had deteriorated to the point that he was experiencing symptoms of psychosis, intrusive thoughts and suicidal thoughts, eventually leading to him being detained under the Mental Health Act.

Verity was one of the few people who recognised just how unwell Ryan had become.

As both a close friend and a mental health practitioner, she noticed the subtle changes others couldn't see. She kept checking in. She persuaded Ryan to make a promise that if he ever felt he was at risk, he would call her.

Eventually, that call came.“Verity, I need you to help me.” What followed was an intervention that save Ryan's life.

Six years later, Ryan and Verity have never truly sat down together and talked through what happened...what Ryan was experiencing, what Verity could see from the outside, the decisions she had to make when his life was at risk, and the impact that moment has had on both of them.

Until now.

Together with James, they revisit that period honestly and openly, hearing parts of each other's experience for the first time.

This is an emotional and deeply human conversation about friendship, intervention, mental illness, recovery and what can happen when somebody notices that something isn't right... and chooses not to look away.

For Verity, sharing this side of the story meant stepping far outside her comfort zone. We are incredibly grateful to her for trusting us with it.

Mental Reset exists because we believe one person's lived experience can become someone else's survival guide. We hope this conversation gives hope to somebody who can't currently see beyond the moment they're in — and gives somebody worried about another person the confidence to check in, keep asking and act when something doesn't feel right.

If you know somebody who might need this conversation, please send it to them.

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**NEED SUPPORT?**

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for support.

• ​ Samaritans: Call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day
• ​ Shout: Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential 24/7 text support
• ​ NHS 111: Call 111 or use NHS 111 online if you need urgent health or mental health advice
• ​ Your GP: Contact your GP surgery for ongoing mental health support and advice
• ​ 999: If you or somebody else is in immediate danger, has seriously harmed themselves, or there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E

You do not have to wait until things reach crisis point to ask for help.

In this powerful episode of Mental Reset, we sit down with Ben Lynch, Director of the UK Calisthenics Organisation, mental health advocate, coach, and someone whose life story is a testament to resilience, growth and hope. Ben shares his journey from a childhood shaped by trauma, addiction and loss, through foster care, grief, depression and suicidal thoughts, to finding purpose through movement, travel, self-discovery and helping others.

We explore:

Growing up with an alcoholic parent

Foster care, loss and family trauma

The impact of grief on mental health

Depression, suicidal thoughts and recovery

Why movement can be a powerful mental health tool

Calisthenics and the mindset behind elite performance

The importance of community, connection and brotherhood

Why “one more rep” became “one more day”

One of the most powerful messages from this conversation is that recovery isn’t about finding a perfect blueprint. It’s about learning yourself, finding what works for you, and continuing to take the next step...even when life feels overwhelming. If you’re struggling right now, we hope this conversation reminds you that your story isn’t over.