A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist

A Cuppa with Nathan Bolton, Former Aust. Special Forces, Director Bolton Bros Psychology

July 07, 2021 Con Koutsikas Season 2 Episode 5
A Cuppa with The Con Versationalist
A Cuppa with Nathan Bolton, Former Aust. Special Forces, Director Bolton Bros Psychology
Show Notes

On this episode of a Cuppa with The Con Versationalist,  I chatted with former Special Operations Engineer with the Australian Special Forces and now Director of Adelaide based psychology company, Bolton Brothers.  The stories he shared were confronting, to say the least.

Nathan was deployed twice to Afghanistan with the Australian Special Forces. Responsible for the search and clearance of IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices)  A high-stress, high-stakes role…responsible for the lives of his mates from a threat that no one could see. A role, that ended up taking a heavy toll on his mental health and wellbeing and almost cost him his life.

Unable to speak, he suffered in silence, ashamed of the man he had become.

His mission is to use the lessons of his past to open up the discussion of mental health and raise awareness of how it can affect us all. We all bear our own struggles, but at times, our struggles can become so overwhelming…that they ultimately impact our very way of life.

His passion now lies in sharing stories that delve into the heart of who we are, opening up the discussion of pain, struggle, and the remarkable resilience of the human spirit. A message shared from an unlikely source…a message from a soldier once living at the upper echelon of hyper-masculinity.

Having once stood behind the mask of “Stoicism”, he has born witness to its strengths on the battlefield. But also has lived through its flaws, here, back home, in trying to cope with and overcome the impact of war and live through the minefield of everyday life.

Mental Health is a crisis within our community and the work Nathan does is invaluable.  Please help raise awareness and share.