Why is a woman hosting a Men's Health Week event?

There are so many reasons that men's mental health needs a spotlight, but when Corey Lum from the Big Three: Strive, Thrive, Live approached me for this event there were three main drivers for me:

Firstly, I have been on the receiving end of men that did not take care of their mental health. Mental health is not an excuse for bad behaviour. Still, I do often reflect on whether circumstances would have been different had mental health struggles been attended to rather than buried for whatever reason.

There are so many reasons that men do not address their mental health issues, and these are just a few:

• Cultural taboos – in many cultures mental health is exceptionally taboo it is buried and as a result acts like an out of control cancer, eroding people and destroying relationships,

• It is far more normalised for women to talk about their feelings than men - men talk but how many conversations are deep talk as opposed to superficial banter. I have heard horrible derogatory comments men refer to themselves about what they think of themselves, including I'm not a pussy, soft cock, weak and the list goes on.

• We accept anger at face value instead of exploring what is driving the anger

• We don't add better tools to the toolbox on how to solve problems

• Men see labels as weaknesses

My second reason for jumping on board this amazing and vitally important initiative is that I have sons myself. I see myself as having a key role in nurturing their holistic well-being development. To be well-rounded young men, I want them to know that their emotions are important also and if we attend to the thoughts and feelings that drive our action or inaction, hopefully, they will feel better equipped with the uncertainty that life throws at them (and if COVID-19 has taught us nothing else, it is that uncertainty is inevitable).

Having the right tools which include the ability to talk, acknowledge their feelings, and explore them without being consumed by them.

Knowing what can help and what is available out there to help them move through these thoughts and feelings when they have them to be able to take action that works for them.

Holding space for this process and modelling for them, gives them permission to feel their feelings. Me asking for help when I need shows, that it's OK for them to ask for help when they need it.

Thirdly, I was an educator for over 20 years. I taught and supported young people from 4 to 18 years of age, and I genuinely believed that the biggest contributing factor to the overall success (or lack of) is holistic well-being. My background is in complex behaviour, disability, and trauma and the fundamental key is, to understand the ‘function’ of behaviour, look past what was displayed on the outside to really see underneath, and support the young person to navigate this space. By creating safe and supportive environments, we could walk with our young people to create the change they needed.

As I pivoted from education that always stuck with me.

That is why this event is so important to me. Because I want to create a safe and supportive environment for Real People with lived experience to have Real Conversations and share their stories to empower Real Change.

This inaugural men’s mental health interview series titled Your Life: Your Story, comprises 12 people’s incredible stories, about working through things and choosing to be the author of their own stories.

I want to personally thank our guests:

• Preston Campbell - the Preston Campbell Foundation

• Michelle Mitchell- author and speaker

• Damien Rider- endurance athlete and owner of One Breath Meditation

• Anthony MacShane - Director of MACFORCE

• Bosco Anthony- Digital Strategist and TedX speaker

• Mark Henderson- Marketing and Communication Specialist

• Dr. Marilyn Casley- Professor, Griffith University

• Corey Lum- Owner of Big 3: Thrive, Strive, Live

• Rob Mokaraka- Actor and Writer

• Neil Geddes- Army Veteran

• Mary Bartlett Johnson- Suicide First Responder and Counsellor

There is no one size fits all model for navigating mental health and this series showcases that. This platform, shares such a variety of different people, sharing their journeys and how they were able to change their stories.

We truly hope that you find something powerful for you, in one, a few, or many of these stories and it helps you create the change you need to live your best life!