This video captures an intimate and deeply honest conversation between Ivan and Chris, tracing an unexpected journey from the lived experience of trauma and survival to a lifelong commitment to suicide prevention, postvention, and education.

Chris reflects on growing up in a working-class family, discovering art as his first language for processing trauma, and how creativity became a lifeline long before he had words for what he had endured. What began as a path toward fine art gradually transformed into a vocation in education—one he never planned, but one that found him through recognition of his ability to connect, teach, and care.

Throughout the conversation, Chris explores how lived experience shaped his work as a university lecturer and researcher, particularly in the areas of adolescent suicide, grief, male survivors of trauma, and men’s mental health. He speaks candidly about stoicism, anger, silence, and survival—challenging common assumptions about masculinity and help-seeking, and questioning whether current systems truly meet the needs of vulnerable men.

Ivan weaves his own experiences into the dialogue, creating a space where personal vulnerability and social critique coexist. Together, they examine why talk-based therapy is not always the answer, how presence and companionship can be healing, and why research must lead to real-world change rather than remain trapped in theory.

The video ultimately calls for a more humane, gender-responsive, and culturally grounded approach to mental health and suicide support—one that honours lived experience, offers genuine choice, and recognises that healing often begins simply by not suffering alone.

This is a conversation about survival, truth-telling, and a heart that never gave up.

Dr Alexander Stevens II joins Ivan on the Authentic Leadership Podcast for a powerful conversation that begins with a heartfelt celebration of his PhD achievement and the story behind his full name, then unfolds into a deeply human journey of purpose, identity, and service.

Alexander shares how growing up around domestic violence, mental health challenges, and later experiencing firsthand exposure to sexual violence disclosures shaped the path he chose, and why he committed his life to supporting others through trauma, addiction, and recovery. He speaks candidly about navigating racism and bias in Aotearoa, why Māori often have to work “three to four times harder,” and how dignity, mana, and strategic restraint can be a form of strength.

A major focus is his PhD in sexual violence recovery and the gap he saw for men—especially Māori and other diverse communities—who disclose abuse but don’t know where to go for support. This led to the creation of StandingTallNZ (standingtallnz.org), a resource designed to meet people with safety, clarity, and cultural understanding, without triggering them. Alexander also explains the battle of doing kaupapa Māori work within Western academic systems and why preserving people’s authentic voices matters, even when institutions push back.

The episode closes with warmth, humour, and reflection: what Alexander would tell his younger self, what he wants Māori to remember in difficult times, and a grounding serenity prayer offered as a closing karakia.

In this deep conversation, Ivan and Dan unpack the hidden cost of mental health misdiagnosis and why our healthcare systems often treat people as isolated individuals instead of whole humans held in relationships. Dan shares what it feels like when a diagnosis changes but the symptoms stay the same, and how that moment can shatter identity, create isolation, and force someone to “start from scratch” without any real support system.

They explore the crucial balance between individual responsibility vs collective care, and why the system frequently stops at “problem solved” while real life continues. The discussion also dives into the power of peer support, relational healing, and why true recovery is not just clinical—it’s social, emotional, and community-based.

You’ll also hear a practical breakdown of co-design in mental health, why many organisations get it wrong by rushing outcomes, and how trust, time, and lived experience are essential for meaningful change. If you’ve ever felt dismissed by labels, struggled with identity after a diagnosis, or wondered why mental health care can feel so lonely, this episode will speak to you.