Episodes

  • Psilocybin vs Depression: Why This Research Changes Everything | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 72

    Psilocybin vs Depression: Why This Research Changes Everything | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 72
    Jan 30 2026

    Psilocybin and mushrooms for mental health are changing how doctors and researchers approach PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction, and sleep. In this Raw Minds Podcast episode, host Erick sits down with Michael from Spores MD for a real, grounded conversation about trauma, healing, and what the research actually says.

    This episode is not hype. It is not medical advice. It is about real research, lived experience, and responsible discussion.

    Michael breaks down current research on psilocybin and treatment resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction recovery, sleep, and neuroplasticity. Erick shares his personal experience using mushrooms during one of the darkest periods of his life and how it helped him step away from suicidal ideation.

    They also dive into functional mushrooms including Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Reishi, Cordyceps, and Muscimol, covering nerve growth, immune health, deep sleep, stress regulation, and long-term mental wellness.

    This episode is for men who feel stuck, numb, burned out, or exhausted from trying the same answers that never worked. It is about safety, responsibility, curiosity, and healing.

    Use promo code RAW26 at sporesmd.com for 20 percent off.

    If this episode hits you, share it with someone who needs it. That is how Raw Minds reaches men who think they are alone.

    Website
    https://www.sporesmd.com

    Use promo code
    RAW26 for 20 percent off

    Website
    https://www.rawminds.ca

    Email
    rawmindspodcast@gmail.com

    YouTube
    https://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ci

    Spotify
    https://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdt

    Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast

    TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast

    Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qh/

    If you are struggling or having thoughts of self harm, please reach out.

    Canada
    Talk Suicide Canada
    Call or text 988
    https://talksuicide.ca

    United States
    988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
    Call or text 988
    https://988lifeline.org

    If you are outside Canada or the US, please check your local crisis line.

    Subscribe to the Raw Minds Podcast
    Leave a comment
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    Reach out if you need help

    You are not alone.

    GUEST LINKS. SPORES MDRAW MINDS PODCAST LINKSMENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTCALL TO ACTION
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Infant Loss, NICU Trauma, PTSD, and the Miracle That Saved His Son | Raw Minds Podcast S2 Ep. 71

    Infant Loss, NICU Trauma, PTSD, and the Miracle That Saved His Son | Raw Minds Podcast S2 Ep. 71
    Jan 30 2026

    Infant loss, NICU trauma, PTSD, and a father’s mental health journey are at the center of this Raw Minds Podcast episode.

    Nathan Wieser shares the true story of losing his infant daughter after medical failure, surviving multiple miscarriages, and enduring a life threatening NICU battle when his son was born at 26 weeks. This is a real conversation about grief, trauma, PTSD in fathers, and survival.

    This episode of the Raw Minds Podcast tells the full, unfiltered story of infant loss, NICU trauma, PTSD, and survival from a father’s perspective.

    Nathan Wieser and his wife Lucy endured more than a decade of loss. Four miscarriages. The death of their infant daughter Mary after a catastrophic medical failure. Trauma that nearly destroyed their mental health and their marriage.

    Then came Otto.

    Born at 26 weeks. Under two pounds. Intubated. Multiple surgeries. Organ failure. Two resuscitations. A code blue that pushed everything to the edge.

    This episode exposes what men are rarely allowed to say out loud.
    Grief. Rage. PTSD. Substance coping. The pressure to stay strong while breaking inside.

    This is not a motivational story.
    This is survival.

    This conversation is for fathers.
    For parents who lost children.
    For men carrying trauma in silence.
    For anyone who has waited in a hospital hallway with no control and no answers.

    ABOUT THE GUEST

    Nathan Wieser is the author of We Did It, a memoir written from a father’s perspective after enduring repeated miscarriages, infant loss, and a life threatening NICU journey that saved his son.

    BOOK LINK

    We Did It by Nathan Wieser
    Amazon Canada
    https://www.amazon.ca/We-Did-perspective-enduring-miscarriages/dp/B0FLQM148S

    MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

    Canada
    Talk Suicide Canada
    Call or text 45645

    United States
    988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

    Raw Minds exists so no man feels alone.

    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Intro
    02:10 Pregnancy loss
    09:45 Losing daughter Mary
    18:30 Medical trauma and PTSD
    28:40 Coping and substance use
    38:20 Otto’s premature birth
    47:15 Code blue moment
    56:40 The miracle
    1:05:10 Fathers and silent grief
    1:14:30 Life after trauma

    CALL TO ACTION

    Subscribe to Raw Minds
    Like the video
    Share this with someone who needs it
    Leave a comment and join the conversation
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • From Soldier to Chaplain: What Nobody Tells You About Coming Home | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 70

    From Soldier to Chaplain: What Nobody Tells You About Coming Home | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 70
    Jan 23 2026

    What does healing look like after war? Who helps the helpers when they break? And how do men face the pain they’ve buried for decades?

    In this soul-level conversation, Erick sits down with Chaplain Sy Alli—a man who served with honor and now leads with heart. From military combat to mental health recovery, Sy’s journey reveals what happens when strength collapses, faith is tested, and identity is shattered.

    He doesn’t speak in theory. He speaks from scars.

    They explore the unspoken trauma many veterans carry, how emotions were trained out of them, and what it takes to finally feel again. Sy opens up about grief, loss, suicidal thoughts, and how his work as a chaplain is not about preaching—it’s about presence.

    You’ll hear about his book Out of the Storm, his work with the PHIT Squad, and why leadership today must begin with vulnerability.

    This episode is for men who are tired of pretending. For fathers, soldiers, helpers, and healers. For those ready to stop performing and start processing.

    Whether you’re a veteran, a man in crisis, or someone who’s never told the full truth out loud—this episode will meet you where you are and help you move forward.

    BOOKS / COURSES / PRODUCTS
    Out of the Storm – https://phitsquad.com/product/out-of-the-storm-ebook/

    CHAPLAIN SY ALLI – LINKS
    Website – http://www.phitsquad.com/
    LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/syalli
    X (Twitter) – https://x.com/syalli1
    Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ChaplainSyAlli

    BONUS SHOUTOUT – J4T JUNK REMOVAL
    Thanks to J4T Junk Removal for doing great work in the Vancouver area.
    Website – https://www.j4tjunkremoval.com/

    RAW MINDS PODCAST LINKS
    YouTube – https://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ci
    Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdt
    Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast
    TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast
    Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qh
    Website – https://www.rawminds.ca
    Email – rawmindspodcast@gmail.com

    MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
    You are not alone.
    Canada: 1 833 456 4566
    USA: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

    PLUMBING SUPPORT (BC, CANADA)
    Need reliable plumbing?
    Sukh from Paradox Mechanical Ltd is Erick’s trusted plumber.
    Call: 604 719 3251
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Grief, Faith & Healing After Unimaginable Loss Marcia Earhart | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 69

    Grief, Faith & Healing After Unimaginable Loss Marcia Earhart | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 69
    Jan 16 2026

    She lost both her sons. One to murder. One to tragedy. Her mother passed. Her youngest battled mental health. But Marcia Earhart didn’t break — she rebuilt.

    In this powerful conversation, Erick sits down with Marcia, founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, to explore deep grief, unspoken pain, spiritual healing, and the process of learning to live again.
    This isn’t theory. This is a raw, lived journey through hell and back.

    You’ll hear how grief affects the body, how trauma rewires the brain, and what healing really means when nothing makes sense anymore.
    Marcia shares how she found purpose again and how you can too.

    If you’ve lost someone.
    If your soul is tired.
    If you feel like you’ll never be whole again…
    This is the one to watch.

    ABOUT MARCIA EARHART
    Marcia is a Life Grief Trauma Brain Mental Health First Responder Coach, Mediator, and HeartSync Minister.
    She’s the author of Gripping Grace in the Garden of Grief A Place for the Heart — a raw and redemptive journey through loss and resurrection.
    She’s also the founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, a nonprofit that walks with people through trauma, grief, and deep emotional healing.

    FEATURED BOOK
    Gripping Grace in the Garden of Grief A Place for the Heart
    https://a.co/d/0vQhaA0

    THE STERLING ROSE SANCTUARY
    Website: https://www.thesterlingrosesanctuary.us
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesterlingrosesanctuary/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSRS21
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcia-earhart-the-sterling-rose-sanctuary-943a8410b/
    Email: thepearlyone@gmail.com

    HER SON’S MUSIC
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2BUWeK2UbkArY4zE0iw7e9
    Track: Rise Above Everything

    MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
    If you're struggling, you are not alone.
    Canada: 1 833 456 4566
    USA: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

    PLUMBING SUPPORT
    Need reliable plumbing in BC?
    Sukh from Paradox Mechanical Ltd is Erick’s trusted plumber.
    Call: 604 719 3251
    Company: Paradox Mechanical Ltd
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • ADHD Is Not a Flaw | Addiction and Purpose With Ron Souers | Raw Minds S2 Ep 67

    ADHD Is Not a Flaw | Addiction and Purpose With Ron Souers | Raw Minds S2 Ep 67
    Jan 9 2026

    Welcome back to Raw Minds. I’m your host Erick.

    Today’s episode is about ADHD, men’s mental health, addiction, and purpose. Not from a textbook. From lived experience.

    I sit down with Ron Souers, coach, speaker, and host of the podcast Dont Mind Me I Just Have ADHD. Ron works with men navigating adult ADHD, addiction recovery, depression, and identity struggles later in life.

    Ron believes ADHD is not a flaw. It is a different operating system. In a world built for linear thinking, neurodivergent men are often told they are broken, lazy, or failing. This episode challenges that narrative directly.

    We talk about adult ADHD in men, why it often goes undiagnosed for decades, and how it shows up as addiction, burnout, anger, depression, shame, and self sabotage. Ron explains why so many men turn to substances, overwork, or isolation before they ever understand what is actually happening in their brain.

    This conversation also goes deep into recovery.

    We talk sobriety, emotional regulation, personal responsibility, and building a purpose driven life without pretending to be someone you are not. Ron shares lessons from his own journey and from coaching men who feel misunderstood, exhausted, or stuck in cycles they cannot explain.

    This episode covers men’s mental health honestly. ADHD. Addiction recovery. Depression. Emotional intelligence. Identity. Purpose. And why men over forty are often carrying decades of unspoken damage.

    If you are a man who feels different, scattered, burned out, addicted, or disconnected from who you thought you would be, this episode will hit close to home.

    This is not motivation talk.
    This is clarity.
    This is responsibility.
    This is Raw Minds.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    Adult ADHD in men
    ADHD and addiction connection
    Late diagnosis and identity collapse
    Neurodivergent minds and purpose
    Men’s mental health stigma
    Sobriety and recovery
    Emotional regulation
    Depression in men
    Breaking shame cycles
    Building a purpose driven life
    Why men stay silent
    How ADHD can be a strength

    This conversation is honest.
    It is uncomfortable.
    And it matters.

    CONNECT WITH RON SOUERS

    Website
    https://dadhdwss.com/

    Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085316747632

    TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@ron.solo1

    Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/ronnyreel/

    LinkedIn
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-souers-9162b1a0/

    RAW MINDS PODCAST

    YouTube
    https://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ci

    Spotify
    https://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdt

    Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast

    TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast

    Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qh

    Website
    https://www.rawminds.ca

    Email
    rawmindspodcast@gmail.com

    If this episode hit you, like it, comment, subscribe, and share it.
    Raw Minds reaches people because men stop staying silent.

    IF YOU’RE IN CRISIS

    Canada
    Call or text 988 any time.

    United States
    Call or text 988.

    Everywhere else
    Use your local crisis line or emergency number.
    You are not weak. You are needed here.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Bullied Behind Bars The Brutal Truth About Prison Trauma on Men’s Mental Health | Raw Minds S2 Ep 67

    Bullied Behind Bars The Brutal Truth About Prison Trauma on Men’s Mental Health | Raw Minds S2 Ep 67
    Jan 2 2026

    Welcome back to Raw Minds. I’m your host Erick.

    Today’s episode is uncomfortable. It’s not polite. And it’s necessary. I sit down with Matt Melvin, author of Bullied Behind Bars, to talk about prison trauma, bullying behind bars, men’s mental health, and what incarceration really does to the human mind. Matt made one impulsive decision while working at a car dealership.

    That decision sent him to prison. What followed nearly destroyed him. In Bullied Behind Bars, Matt lays out life inside the prison system as someone already marked. Gay. Christian. Trump supporter. Later diagnosed with autism. Those labels made him a target inside a system that punishes difference instead of protecting human life.

    His story documents prison bullying, gang threats, physical assault, sexual assault, rape, denial of mental health care, and repeated time in solitary confinement. It shows what happens when the criminal justice system stops seeing a human being and starts seeing a problem to manage.

    This conversation goes far beyond the book. We talk fear, isolation, survival, and the psychological damage caused by incarceration and solitary confinement. Matt opens up about being denied mental health care while clearly breaking, being targeted by gangs, and living in constant fight or flight while inside prison.

    He also talks about where healing actually started after release. Journaling. Men’s groups. Faith. Vulnerability. Forgiveness. Letting go of ego. Turning pain into purpose instead of letting it destroy him.This episode explores men’s mental health, prison trauma, autism in the justice system, bullying, criminal justice reform, and recovery after incarceration. It is a raw look at what many incarcerated men experience but rarely feel safe talking about.

    This episode is for anyone who has ever been bullied, silenced, locked up, written off, or felt trapped in their own mind. It’s also for parents, families, and anyone who believes conversations about prison reform and men’s mental health need to go deeper than slogans and surface-level takes.

    This is Raw Minds at its core.

    Real stories. Real pain. Real accountability.IN THIS EPISODE

    Prison life from the inside

    Bullying behind bars

    Gang violence and constant fear

    Sexual assault in prison

    Solitary confinement

    Denied mental health care

    Living in fight or flight

    Journaling as survival

    Finding faith in isolation

    Forgiveness and healing

    Men’s groups and real vulnerability

    Why silence destroys men

    Criminal justice reform Turning pain into purpose

    This is not a soft conversation.

    It’s real. It’s raw. And it matters.

    CONNECT WITH MATT MELVIN

    Websitehttps://bullybehindbars.com

    Instagram @bullybehindbars

    FacebookMatthew.Melvin.5621

    X @BarsBullied

    Emailbullybehindbars@gmail.com

    Matt is available for speaking engagements, men’s groups, and conversations that actually help people. Reach out.

    ABOUT THE BOOK

    Bullied Behind Bars is a raw, firsthand account of surviving prison as someone already marked as different. It exposes bullying, violence, sexual assault, and systemic failure inside the criminal justice system, while also showing the power of journaling, faith, accountability, and forgiveness.

    The book is available on Amazon.

    RAW MINDS PODCAST

    YouTubehttps://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ci

    Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdt

    Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcast

    TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcast

    Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qhWebsite

    https://www.rawminds.ca

    Emailrawmindspodcast@gmail.com

    If this episode hit you, like it, comment, subscribe, and share it.

    Raw Minds reaches people because you do.

    IF YOU’RE IN CRISIS

    Canada

    Call or text 988 any time.

    United States

    Call or text 988.Everywhere else

    Use your local crisis line or emergency number.

    You are not weak. You are needed here.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Erectile Dysfunction Is A Warning Sign: Men’s Health Truths With Dr. Elliot Justin | Raw Minds S2 Ep.66

    Erectile Dysfunction Is A Warning Sign: Men’s Health Truths With Dr. Elliot Justin | Raw Minds S2 Ep.66
    Dec 19 2025
    Welcome back to Raw Minds. I’m your host Erick.Tonight I sit down with Elliot Justin, an emergency physician, healthcare entrepreneur, and innovator who has spent over 25 years working at the intersection of men’s health, technology, and real world medicine.Elliot is the co founder of FirmTech, the company behind the TechRing, an FDA registered wearable designed to objectively measure nocturnal erections, which are a critical early indicator of men’s sexual health, cardiovascular health, hormone balance, and overall male wellbeing.This conversation goes far beyond sex.We talk about why erectile dysfunction is often an early warning sign, not the problem itself. ED can signal deeper issues like heart disease, poor circulation, hormonal imbalance, mental health struggles, chronic stress, trauma, sleep disorders, and lifestyle collapse.Most men are told to pop a pill and move on.This episode explains why that mindset is dangerous.Elliot breaks down how data driven health tools are changing the way men understand their bodies instead of guessing, masking symptoms, or avoiding the conversation altogether. He shares insights from analyzing over 100,000 documented erections, and why objective data helps men catch problems before they turn into life altering health events.This episode is about:men’s mental healtherectile dysfunction explained honestlysexual health and male identityperformance anxiety and shameheart health and ED connectionwearable health technologypreventative healthcare for mentaking responsibility before it’s too lateThis is not a gimmick episode.It’s a real conversation about men, truth, health, and accountability.If you’re serious about understanding your sexual health, heart health, and overall male performance, check out FirmTech and the TechRing.The TechRing is an FDA registered wearable that gives you real data, not guesses, about what’s happening in your body while you sleep. This kind of insight can help identify health issues early, long before symptoms get worse.FIRMTECH DISCOUNT FOR RAW MINDS LISTENERSRaw Minds listeners get 15% off any FirmTech order.👉 Use code: Raw888👉 Website: https://myfirmtech.comUsing this code supports Raw Minds and helps keep these conversations alive.Men’s sexual healthErectile dysfunction explainedMental health and performance anxietyHeart health and circulationThe TechRing and wearable health dataWhy pills don’t fix root problemsObjective data vs guessingShame and silence in menPreventative health and early detectionTechnology and the future of men’s healthThis conversation is honest.It’s uncomfortable.And it matters.Websitehttps://myfirmtech.comX (Twitter)https://x.com/myfirmtechInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/myfirmtech/TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@myfirmtechYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46J3ibyYyQNPBr5T58DpFgLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/myfirmtech/Pinteresthttps://www.pinterest.com/myfirmtech/YouTubehttps://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ciSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdtInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcastTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcastFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qhWebsitehttps://www.rawminds.caEmailrawmindspodcast@gmail.comIf this episode hit you, like it, comment, subscribe, and share it.Raw Minds grows because men stop staying silent.CanadaCall or text 988 any time.United StatesCall or text 988.Everywhere elseUse your local crisis line or emergency number.You are not weak. You are needed here.
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    48 mins
  • CTE Almost Killed Him Hyperbaric Therapy Saved His Life | Raw Minds S2 EP65

    CTE Almost Killed Him Hyperbaric Therapy Saved His Life | Raw Minds S2 EP65
    Dec 12 2025
    Welcome back to Raw Minds. I’m your host Erick.Tonight I sit down with William Person, a former nine-year Team USA Bobsled athlete who pushed his body and brain to the absolute limit — and paid the price in ways most people never see.After years of extreme impacts and head trauma, William began experiencing CTE-like symptoms that slowly destroyed his memory, emotional control, and sense of self. At his lowest point, he could barely get up off the floor. He lived in confusion, depression, intense headaches, and a deteriorating brain that doctors struggled to explain.Like so many men, he tried to push through it in silence.Then everything changed.William discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, and for the first time in years, his mind began to come back online. His thinking cleared. His vision sharpened. His emotions stabilized. And his life — which he thought was slipping away — returned with purpose.Today, William is on a mission to raise awareness around brain injuries, CTE, men’s mental health, and untreated trauma in athletes, military veterans, and civilians. He is working to open a nonprofit CTE Recovery Center where people battling brain injury symptoms can receive treatment at no cost.This episode is about survival, healing, and doing something meaningful with the pain you’ve lived through.If you or someone you love has experienced personality changes, memory loss, rage, depression, or unexplained mental decline, this conversation may answer questions you’ve been carrying for years.CTE and brain injury explainedLife as a Team USA bobsled athleteExtreme head trauma and long-term damageMemory loss and identity collapseDepression and silent sufferingHyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)Healing the brain instead of masking symptomsMen’s mental health and accountabilityVeterans, athletes, and untreated traumaBuilding a nonprofit CTE Recovery CenterHelping families recognize warning signsTurning pain into purposeThis is not a soft conversation.It’s real. It’s honest. And it matters.GoFundMe – Support the CTE Recovery Centerhttps://gofund.me/93ff9c6eWilliam is raising funds to purchase a medical-grade hyperbaric oxygen chamber to open a CTE Recovery Center where athletes, veterans, and civilians battling brain injury symptoms can receive treatment at no cost. By removing the burden of cost, he hopes to give quality of life back to as many people as possible.TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@hyperbarichealingYouTubehttps://youtube.com/@braininjurysurvivalInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/willp1234567Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/one.man.with.a.chamber.hbothttps://www.facebook.com/william.person.792233LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/william-person-4072b417/YouTubehttps://youtube.com/@rawminds-cs3ciSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdtInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/rawmindspodcastTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcastFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/share/1CRWJaV5qhWebsitehttps://www.rawminds.caEmailrawmindspodcast@gmail.comIf this episode hit you, like it, comment, subscribe, and share it.Raw Minds reaches people because YOU do.CanadaCall or text 988 any time.United StatesCall or text 988.Everywhere elseUse your local crisis line or emergency number.You are not weak. You are needed here.
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    57 mins