Through poetry, performance, and honest conversation, Mikey Tableman is using storytelling to encourage people, especially men, to speak openly about mental health struggles instead of facing them alone.
For years, Mikey Tableman built his career in the worlds of hospitality, nightlife, and music festivals, creating high-energy environments filled with sound, movement, and distraction. But when the pandemic brought those industries to a halt, he found himself confronting something he had spent years avoiding: his own mental health.
That period ultimately became the foundation for his upcoming book, My Manic Maze, a spoken word and storytelling project scheduled for release this summer. A mix of poetry and memoir built around his experiences with addiction, anxiety, depression, mania, and recovery, the project combines written work with an album-related audio performance designed to immerse readers in the emotional weight behind the words. “The album will bring those same pieces to life through sound, pacing, and delivery, adding a layer that words on a page can’t always carry on their own,” shared Tableman.
For Tableman, the goal is not to present himself as someone who has all the answers. Instead, he hopes the project helps people feel less isolated in their own struggles.
“My Manic Maze isn’t here to fix you. It’s here to sit with you in the dark long enough to remind you that you’re not alone in it,” he says.
Tableman describes the transition into mental health advocacy as something that happened gradually through honesty rather than strategy. During the COVID-19 shutdowns, the fast pace of hospitality disappeared, forcing him to sit with years of unresolved pain and addiction.
As he began opening up to people around him, he noticed a pattern. Friends and colleagues who appeared successful and composed on the outside were quietly carrying their own struggles. Those conversations eventually led to the creation of A Mind’s Pursuit, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on storytelling, creativity, and mental health support.
The mission arrives at a time when conversations around men’s mental health remain urgent. According to national mental health statistics, nearly one in 10 men experiences depression or anxiety, yet fewer than half seek treatment. More than 6 million men experience depression each year, while men die by suicide at rates more than four times higher than women.
For Tableman, those numbers reflect the cost of silence and stigma.
His work now centers on helping people connect through shared experiences, whether through spoken word performances, poetry, podcasts, or events tied to the growing mental health community.
Alongside the upcoming book release, Tableman has continued expanding his podcast work through Chaos Controlled and a new show centered around men’s mental health, Conversation with the Boys.
Created with co-host Danny J. Gomez during the pandemic, Chaos Controlled began as a space for hospitality workers and creatives to discuss the uncertainty they were facing. Over time, the show developed into a broader platform focused on mental health, identity, addiction, and personal growth. Episodes mix humor and vulnerability in a conversational style that feels closer to a late-night discussion among friends than a formal interview series.
The podcast is now preparing for its fourth season, with Tableman moving into an executive producer role as the project expands into live seminars, spoken-word performances, and community-driven events centered around Conversation With the Boys
Tableman says those conversations often become the most meaningful part of the work: “The moments that matter aren’t loud. They’re the ones where someone quietly decides to keep going… and you had a small part in that.”
While My Manic Maze stands at the center of Tableman’s current work, it also reflects a larger creative direction that includes live storytelling experiences, future art projects planned for 2026, and continued nonprofit outreach through A Mind’s Pursuit.
His approach blends creativity with direct conversation about difficult subjects, particularly in industries where mental health discussions are often avoided or minimized. That perspective has resonated with audiences ranging from nightlife professionals to readers looking for stories about overcoming challenges in honest, human terms.
For readers struggling quietly with anxiety, depression, addiction, or self-doubt, Tableman hopes My Manic Maze offers something simple but meaningful: connecting on a deeper level. “Content can open the door, but connection is what actually keeps people engaged and supported,” says Tableman.
The album tied to the project will be available on major streaming platforms, while the book will launch through retail stores and Amazon later this year. Follow his journey on social media @Mikeytableman and AMindPusuit.org
