S2E18: Clarke Carlisle - From Premier League to Rock Bottom and Back Again

Clarke Carlisle was once known as the “brainiest footballer” — a Premier League defender, PFA chairman, and TV pundit.

But behind the public persona was a man crumbling under the weight of expectation, alcohol dependency, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Clarke sits down with Craig White to talk about the cost of tying your identity to performance, the masks men wear to survive, and the brutal reality of hitting rock bottom.

He also shares the turning point that changed his life in 2017 - discovering cognitive analytical therapy (CAT), finding hope, and learning how to rebuild as a father, husband, and leader.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own success, or wondered what it takes to come back from the darkest places, this conversation will hit home.

Show Notes

Identity & Collapse

• How injury and loss of football destroyed Clark’s sense of worth
• The dangers of tying identity to performance

Alcohol, Avoidance & The Mask

• Drinking, gambling, gaming — and the exhausting cost of hiding struggles
• The mask men wear to survive

Rock Bottom

• Depression, hypersomnia, bottles by the bed
• Suicide attempts and the moment he almost didn’t survive

The Turning Point

• 2017: NHS psychiatric hospital and cognitive analytical therapy (CAT)
• How CAT therapy gave him hope and a way out

Purpose & Transformation

• Rebuilding as a husband, father, and leader
• Turning his mess into his message with his wife
• Why speaking out, and knowing who to talk to, saves lives