User:KennyMammarellaD'Cruz/sandbox



Kenny Mammarella D'Cruz Born: 1964 Nationality: British, of Goan decent, born in Uganda. Profession: Personal and Professional Development Consultant, Author, Agony Uncle, Group Facilitation Trainer, Speaker.

Early Life and Background

Kenny's life story reads like an adventure novel with a heartwarming twist. Born in Uganda, he was a child refugee who fled the turmoil of his homeland. His early years were marked by navigating the stormy seas of PTSD and mental health issues, including conquering OCD while working with dying men alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta.

Kenny's journey has spanned continents and experiences. From the tranquil villages of Fiji, where he learned from the elders, to co-running a natural health centre in Sydney, he has dedicated his life to men's health. In April 1st, 1996, he held his first personal development groups in Sydney, Australia, which became the foundation of his passion for creating safe spaces for people to grow into their true and authentic selves.

On April 1st, 2000, Kenny founded MenSpeak, holding his first men's group with over a dozen of his closest male friends. By 2018, MenSpeak moved online, amassing a community of 3,500 members. The transition to the digital space marked a significant milestone in making support accessible to more men worldwide.

From the first day of lockdown, Kenny launched daily online sessions supported by facilitators that he trained, that continues to this day. These sessions now not only hold safe spaces for men to hang out, be heard and get real but also provide facilitators with a space to practice, supported by seasoned professionals.

His contributions to men and mental health were recognized when he shared his facilitation tools in his Amazon #1 bestselling ebook "Online Men's Groups Success: A Step-by-Step Guide to Facilitating Personal Development Groups for Men." Since 2020, Kenny and his facilitators have held the worlds first male psychology module at the University of Sunderland Department of Psychology, further cementing his influence in the field.

On the 18th October 2021, Kenny's training program became the only accredited course for the facilitation of men's groups offering Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points to therapists, coaches, organisational psychologists, charities and leaders of men.

Kenny works from his central London therapy room, online and travelling across the UK and Europe holding sessions, leading trainings and retreats for private clients and corporate organisations. Kenny's current focus is passing on his tools through training and supervision with the aim of making men's groups as available and accessible as 12-step programmes, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Media and Publicity

Kenny is a familiar face in the media, regularly appearing on radio, tv, podcasts and mainstream media. Since January 2024 Kenny has been the iPaper's Agony Uncle, and is regularly booked as a speaker and panelist for corporate events and socially conscious non-profits.

His expertise is frequently showcased in publications:

"He's a gentle voice in the ears of the many men who come to him for help with life - he's The Man Whisperer," Newsweek

"Consultant, coach and guru of all things men," Daily Express

"Kenny is a thoughtful facilitator... It is not only easy to talk to these men about my own private demons, it is a relief," Tony Parsons, GQ Magazine

Personal Life

Despite his grounded and jolly persona, Kenny's greatest achievement has been overcoming his mental health challenges (including https://thebookofman.com/community/refugee-story/). His greatest service has been his daily men's groups and before that was working with dying men alongside Mother Theresa in Calcutta - this is where he overcame his OCD. His most daring feats have been skydiving, bungee-jumping, fire-walking, shark-feeding and even escaped a minor kidnapping. Kenny's life has been a thrilling rollercoaster of death-defying feats, some by choice and others by circumstance. Kenny now a stable, happily married man continues to empower individuals to transition from unconscious habits to connected presence, enabling them to live the lives they were born to live, whilst working on his next book.