Join us for an extraordinary conversation with Kevin Humphreys—former Australian Army helicopter pilot, mental health advocate, and keynote speaker—as he shares the hidden battles behind his decorated military career. From operational deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan to surviving his own silent war with depression and suicidal ideation, Kevin opens up about the life-altering power of vulnerability, leadership, and reclaiming your story.
In this episode, Kevin takes us deep into the mindset of high-performance environments, the trauma of toxic leadership, and how he rebuilt himself after a breakdown that nearly cost him everything. His journey from the battlefield to the stage is a raw and powerful reminder that mental illness is not weakness—and that healing begins when we speak the truth.
About our guest:
Kevin Humphreys is a retired Army helicopter pilot, former Commanding Officer, and now a nationally recognized keynote speaker and mental health ambassador. After 20 years of service and multiple deployments, Kevin faced a personal crisis that forced him to confront the shame, silence, and stigma around mental health. Today, through storytelling, coaching, and corporate leadership training, he helps organizations create cultures of trust, resilience, and high-performance without burnout. Kevin’s message is simple but profound: it’s not weak to speak.
Follow Our Guest:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinhumphreyskeynotespeaker/
Website: https://linktr.ee/kevinhumphreys
Follow Us On:
Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestevehodgson/
Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharewithsteve/
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Episode Trailer
01:19 - The cave Kevin feared to enter: revealing his secret
03:02 - Suicidal ideation, breakdown, and surviving silence
05:22 - Military pride, shame, and the fear of going “jack”
08:44 - 20 years in service: helicopters, deployments, and leadership
11:23 - The truth about risk in combat vs. toxic culture
13:45 - The micro-cogs of the military machine
17:13 - Missions, humanitarian work, and moments that changed him
21:17 - Firefights, dust clouds, and high-risk decisions under fire
25:51 - Breaking the rules to save lives
29:38 - Leading with intent and clarity
33:14 - Empowering decision-making from the ground up
36:06 - Civilian leadership vs military command
40:03 - Followership and workplace influence
43:12 - PTSD, night terrors, and unspoken trauma
45:17 - Alcohol abuse, emotional shutdown, and the hidden battle
50:15 - The voice that saved his life
52:00 - The $6 Million Man mindset: rebuilding from the ground up
55:23 - “Damaged goods” and the shame of reintegration
58:15 - Accepting what was: how real healing began
01:01:12 - The room that changed everything
01:03:23 - Becoming Coach 2.0: from silence to service
01:05:17 - Turning pain into purpose as a keynote speaker
01:06:27 - To those “toughing it out”: don’t
01:08:48 - Mental illness is normal, manageable, and recoverable
01:11:19 - Final message: your brain is trying to protect you—get support
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