What happens when you spend years telling everyone you’re okay — while everything inside you is slowly building towards breaking point?
For much of his life, Find Ya Feet founder Tommy Herschell struggled with low self-worth, disconnection and emotions he didn’t know how to express. Instead of saying “I’m struggling,” he turned to alcohol, anger and looking after everyone around him.
At 35, the pressure finally exploded.
Tommy opens up about the night years of suppressed emotion came pouring out, the mate who finally refused to enable his behaviour, and the following day when he walked into a treatment centre and simply said, “I need help.”
Today, Tommy takes what he learned into schools, sporting clubs and elite sporting environments through Find Ya Feet — creating the kind of honest conversations that can change, and sometimes even save, lives.
Through his work, Tommy has seen what can happen when one person has the courage to go first. When people drop the mask and talk honestly about what they’re carrying, it gives others permission to do the same — and reminds them they’re not as alone as they thought.
Having worked with organisations including the Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles, Tommy also shares what the best high-performing cultures have in common — and why belonging, vulnerability and genuine human connection can be just as important as talent and standards.
Together, Geoff and Tommy explore self-worth, masculinity, bullying, suicide prevention, parenting and why simply telling people to “speak up” isn’t enough. Sometimes, it’s the conversations we’re most afraid to have that matter the most.
In this episode:
🧠 Bottling up emotions and reaching breaking point
💬 How honest conversations can change — and sometimes save — lives
🎭 Why the people who seem happiest may still be struggling
🤝 The power of being the first person to open up
🏆 What Melbourne Storm, Manly and other high-performing teams get right
🛑 What Tommy has learned from working with bullying in schools
👨👩👧 Raising emotionally resilient kids through vulnerability
Content note: This episode contains discussions of suicide, suicidal thoughts and mental health struggles.
Follow Into Deep: @intodeep_pod
Follow Tommy / Find Ya Feet: @findyafeet
Follow Geoff: @geoff_intodeep
