A “bad back” that wasn’t. A silent diagnosis that changed everything.
In this powerful episode, Martin opens up about surviving two cancer battles — testicular cancer in his early twenties and later lymphoma that reached his spine — and how each fight reshaped his understanding of strength, masculinity, and mental health.

He speaks honestly about the first surgery he told no one about, the loneliness that followed, and why the hardest part wasn’t treatment — it was breaking years of silence. Martin recalls the moment he trusted his gut, demanded scans, and likely saved his own life.

From there, the conversation expands into generational masculinity, mental health in the trades, co-parenting, and the evolution of support on building sites — where leaflets, trained foremen, and simple text lines are making it easier for men to reach out.

Martin shares how Andy’s Man Club became his turning point — the place where talking stopped feeling like weakness and became survival. With a partner who spots the signs early and asks the right questions, he now recognises his triggers and prevents spirals before they start.

Then came a new chapter: building a business rooted in purpose, hiring a team, and setting goals that align with his values. Together, we explore how to spot health changes early, manage pressure, navigate online hate, and protect your mind while pursuing success.

If this story moves you, tap follow, share it with a mate, and leave a review — your support helps more men find the courage to speak up. Sometimes, your message is the one that saves a life.

Episode Highlights

• First diagnosis in his twenties — and telling no one
• Loneliness, drinking, and the pressure to appear fine
• Back pain, missed warning signs, and a brutal spinal procedure
• Trusting instincts and pushing for life-saving scans
• Why men still struggle to open up — and how to start
• Mental health resources now appearing on building sites
• Andy’s Man Club as a turning point
• Handling online trolls and protecting your peace
• Partner support, asking twice, and recognising signals
• Turning pain into purpose — and building a thriving business

“Get yourself a quote. What have you got to lose, eh?”

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It starts in a garage. Not the cool, Top Gear kind — more the “don’t touch that wire or you’ll see Jesus early” kind. One flickering light, a half-working soundboard, and a host trying to sound professional while his neighbour starts a leaf blower. Welcome to Definitely Not Therapy, where deep chats meet dodgy electrics.

We kick off with laughs — bad dad jokes, worse life choices — before rolling straight into the heavy stuff: grief, co-parenting, and that glorious myth of the “proper job.” You’ll hear how one guest kept filming from a Travelodge after his house literally burned down, why co-parenting should come with hazard pay, and how sometimes the bravest thing you can do is not post when your kids are watching.

Social media doesn’t escape either. We unpack how brands say they love “authenticity” until you actually show feelings, why virality is a liar, and what it takes to rebuild when the algorithm ghosts you harder than your ex. Expect dark humour — the kind that gets you through the worst days, not cancels you — and some unfiltered truth about mental health, trauma, and trying to stay kind in a comment section full of chaos.

Then we zoom out: schools that kill creativity, jobs that still think Wi-Fi is witchcraft, and a system that loves stats about “kids from care” but not the actual kids. The punchline? We’re still here. Still creating. Still proving that success doesn’t always wear a tie or come with HR approval.

So if you’ve ever laughed through pain, cried in the car park, or tried to make a podcast in a garage that smells like WD-40 and regret — this one’s for you.

👉 If it made you laugh, think, or shout “same,” hit follow, leave a review, and send this to someone who needs to know they’re not the only one hanging on by a dodgy extension lead.

Got a story that’s messy, raw, or just too real for polite company?
📧 Email: onlydanlawrence@gmail.com

📸 Instagram: @DanLawrenceComedy

🎧 Podcast: @DefinitelyNotTherapyPod

📘 Facebook: Dan Lawrence

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🎧 Sneak Peek – Out Now!
What happens when The Smithy Family trade viral fame for a flickering light and a half-working soundboard?
Welcome to Garage-Level Real Talk — laughs, chaos, and confessions you’d never see on the highlight reel.

They talk grief, co-parenting, creative burnout and what it’s really like when real life crashes through your feed.
It’s raw. It’s real. It’s definitely not therapy.

🔥 Full episode drops tomorrow! 10am
📩 Got a story too real for social media? Email onlydanlawrence@gmail.com

📸 Follow: @DanLawrenceComedy
| @DefinitelyNotTherapyPod

#TheSmithyFamily #GarageTherapy #DefinitelyNotTherapy #DanLawrence #MensMentalHealth #UKPodcast #RealTalk #FunnyPodcast #CoParenting #Fatherhood #PodcastLife

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