✅ In this powerful exchange, Kieran Anders shares his raw and honest journey through paternal postnatal depression after losing his first child as a young father, revealing how grief, avoidance, and unprocessed trauma nearly destroyed his family. He opens up about rebuilding his mental health, redefining masculinity, and the vital importance of support for new dads through his work with Dad Matters UK.

Guest:
Kieran Anders is the Dad Matters Lead at Home-Start UK, where he leads the development of Dad Matters, a national initiative supporting fathers during the critical first 1,001 days of their child’s life.
Through Dad Matters, Kieran works with local Home-Start charities and partner organisations to build father-inclusive services that recognise the vital role dads play in children’s early development and family wellbeing. His work focuses on strengthening support for fathers around attachment and bonding, perinatal mental health, and the transition to parenthood.
Kieran supports local services to engage fathers more effectively, develop peer support for dads, and embed father-inclusive practice across maternity, early years and family support systems. He is also involved in national conversations around fatherhood policy and contributes to research and professional learning on the importance of supporting dads in the early years.

Website:
www.dadmatters.org.uk
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⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Kieran's story: Early trauma and the loss of a child
04:31 Identifying the signs of paternal depression and avoidance
07:40 Building a "mental health toolbox" and finding resilience
13:39 Rethinking masculinity: Lessons from a stoic father
18:10 The transition to fatherhood and parenting with confidence
26:01 The "protector" trap and the importance of self-care
39:17 Dad Matters UK: Resources and support for new fathers
43:13 Conclusion
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🎙️ Unfolding Fatherhood – The podcast for men who want to become better fathers by working on themselves first.
_________________________________________

Host:
✨ Robert Klinkowski
🔗 FATHER Coach & Self-Discovery
@robertselfdiscovery-coach

📺 Podcast Unfolding Fatherhood:
UNFOLDING FATHERHOOD

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