Ep 7 - Finding your why with NRL's Joel Thompson

This week our guest is the NRL player Joel Thompson. Joel grew up in a remote community in NSW around domestic violence, unstable housing, and drug and alcohol abuse. This led to self-destructive behaviour in adulthood which threatened to destroy his professional rugby career and personal relationship. After struggling for years with his mental health and seeking professional help in 2011, it wasn’t until 2019 that Joel started to question his relationship with alcohol. Last November an accident at a party left Joel in hospital in intensive care - and it was there that he vowed to stop drinking for a year. In this chat we talk about Joel's difficult upbringing and how it’s given him resilience, strength and a passion to help inspire a new generation of Indigenous men to reach their potential. He talks about the effect that removing alcohol has had on his life, how he’s approached sobriety surrounded by a macho drinking culture and what he hopes for the future. Joel’s story is powerful, honest and inspirational. We really hope you enjoy listening to Joel and take away some of his resilient spirit. You can find Joel on the socials and through his work with The Mindset Project. Instagram: @_joel.thompson_ @the_mindset_project https://themindsetproject.com.au/