On World Mental Health Day we’re being reminded that it’s good to talk.
Events are taking place across Merseyside this week to promote good wellbeing – something the Mental Health Foundation calls a “universal human right”.
Phil Roberts is the CEO of JourneyMen, a men’s mental health charity based on the Wirral. He spoke about how reaching out for help, particularly for men, can be challenging but he stressed that help is available.
He said: “For years we’ve been told that men don’t talk or that you shouldn’t talk and they don’t know about the wonderful services that are out there.”
JourneyMen was founded at the start of the pandemic and organises events for men including walking, social clubs and movie clubs where men struggling with mental health can socialise and talk with other men in similar situations.
They also offer one to one support where men can arrange sessions with dedicated support workers.
Phil also encourages men to talk not only with charities, but with other men as well: “That peer to peer support is quite strong… when it works it’s quite powerful.”
A series of events marking today’s World Mental Health Day are taking place across Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter on Thursday October 12. Details and tickets can be found here.
