Focus on Buller Men's Health and Well-being

• Published date: 20 October 2021
• Publication title: West Coast Messenger, The

Recognising that these events will have impacted on men's health and well-being, a number of community organisations have been working on ways to help men through.

One of the organisers, counsellor Bernard Smith, says men are great stepping up to help others in times of crisis like the flooding, "but we are not always so on to it in terms of stepping up and looking after ourselves!" "Over the years I've heard all sorts of 'a-ha' moments from men I've counselled who realise they cannot be the best partner or dad if they don't focus on their own health and well-being first," he says.

A couple of typical comments from Bernard's clients: ľ "It was a real shock to realise that my son was learning about how to be a man from my behaviour and that my daughter would to some degree be thinking about possible partners or boyfriends based on how I treat their mother.

I need to be a better man."

ľ "When I got the cancer diagnosis I was only 43 and to be told you could be dead in a year, it was a shock and really made me think about my lifestyle, the booze and the job stress had to change."

"At the moment all the Buller health and well-being agencies are seeing a spike in issues to do with men.

We've pulled together a couple of programmes to try and give men a chance to help themselves," Mr Smith says.

The first event in the Buller Men's Health and Well-being series, on Tuesday, October 19, features: ľ Craig Scanlon (physical health) ľ Doug Hendrie (mental health) ľ Bede O'Connor (rural men's health) Homebuilders West Coast Trust chief executive Lorraine Scanlon says men often do not speak out when they are in situations involving...