When dad becomes the primary caregiver: Fatherhood through postpartum depression with Sindiso Nyoni
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I'm joined by my friend Sindiso Nyoni, a renowned Zimbabwean graphic artist, illustrator, and activist whose work has been showcased from New York to Berlin. But today we're not talking about his international acclaim - we're diving deep into his experience as a hands-on father navigating an unexpected journey into primary caregiving.
Sindiso shares the reality of becoming a father during COVID while his partner experienced severe postpartum depression. For two years, he took on what many would consider the "traditional maternal role" - night feeds, constant care, being the primary attachment figure. This experience challenged everything he thought he knew about fatherhood and masculinity in an African context.
We explore how his brain literally changed through this intensive caregiving, softening his art from "edgy and rigid" to more considered and gentle. Sindiso reflects on the strange looks he gets changing his son's diaper in public, the politics of vulnerable masculinity, and how becoming a father shifted his artistic focus toward children's rights and global justice issues.
This conversation touches on mental health stigma, the isolation of immigration, finding support systems, and how art became his lifeline through the chaos of early fatherhood. An honest look at modern masculinity, attachment, and the transformative power of showing up fully as a parent.
Follow Sindiso on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sindiso/?hl=en
Website: https://studioriot.com/
Follow Carly on:
Website: https://onthecouchwithcarly.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfBi56xQookfRGL3zvWVzCg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onthecouchwithcarly/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthecouchwithcarly/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onthecouchwithcarly
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/on-the-couch-with-carly/id1497585376
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3t7A2FMnISQ2fz9D5p0Xuw
Sindiso shares the reality of becoming a father during COVID while his partner experienced severe postpartum depression. For two years, he took on what many would consider the "traditional maternal role" - night feeds, constant care, being the primary attachment figure. This experience challenged everything he thought he knew about fatherhood and masculinity in an African context.
We explore how his brain literally changed through this intensive caregiving, softening his art from "edgy and rigid" to more considered and gentle. Sindiso reflects on the strange looks he gets changing his son's diaper in public, the politics of vulnerable masculinity, and how becoming a father shifted his artistic focus toward children's rights and global justice issues.
This conversation touches on mental health stigma, the isolation of immigration, finding support systems, and how art became his lifeline through the chaos of early fatherhood. An honest look at modern masculinity, attachment, and the transformative power of showing up fully as a parent.
Follow Sindiso on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sindiso/?hl=en
Website: https://studioriot.com/
Follow Carly on:
Website: https://onthecouchwithcarly.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfBi56xQookfRGL3zvWVzCg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onthecouchwithcarly/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthecouchwithcarly/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onthecouchwithcarly
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/on-the-couch-with-carly/id1497585376
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3t7A2FMnISQ2fz9D5p0Xuw
