In New Zealand and globally, men are usually less likely than are women to reach out for help when they are struggling. It’s our responsibility to create a culture where all people are supported and empowered to seek help without stigma. With November/Movember just around the corner, our team has been brainstorming the best resources to support men’s mental health. We hope you enjoy the links below, and please feel free to let us know what else you’ve found helpful to support yourself, or the men in your life. Me mahi tahi tātou. Let’s all work together.
Good watches
- In Man Enough, airing on TVNZ currently, Matt Chisholm shares his two-part documentary series on Kiwi masculinity, men’s mental health struggles, and what we can do about them. The series features interviews with other Kiwi men such as Keven Mealamu (former All Black) and Jordan “How to Dad” Watson. You can read about it here, and watch it On Demand here.
- The Monkeys on Our Back by Director Hunter Williams is a great mini-documentary (only eight minutes long) on the mental health challenges facing the rural and farming sectors. You can read about it and watch it here.
Good reads
- This is Not How it Ends is a brand-new book published October 2020 by New Zealand journalist Jehan Casinader which outlines his personal journey with depression and how storytelling helped to save his life. Read about Jehan’s story here and check out his book here.
- Yeah Nah: What stops us checking in on a mate (and how to overcome it) was written by Stephen Kearney, clinical psychologist and (now) Chief Mental Health Officer at the NZ Defence Force. It shares his tips for how to check in on friends and challenges some of our assumptions that hold us back from having difficult conversations about mental health. You can read it here.
Good listens
- Lance Burdett spent 22 years in the Police and worked as a crisis negotiator. His personal experience of depression is outlined in this interview with Kathryn Ryan on RNZ and it has some great tips on how to combat stress and anxiety in the moment. Listen here.
- Out of My Mind is a Stuff seven-part podcast that shares stories from seven diverse New Zealanders, all with diverse mental health journeys and experiences. It is informative, sobering, and hopeful, and you can listen to it here.
- The Happiness Lab is another great podcast with regular episodes on positive psychology and how to boost wellbeing according to evidence-based research. It’s hosted by Yale Professor Dr Santos and features numerous guests and fellow researchers as they discuss how to live the “good life”. You can listen to it here.
Good resources
- Tough Talk is a fantastic website filled with resources and set up by a Clinical Psychologist. Its mission is to improve the mental health of New Zealanders by removing the stigma surrounding men talking about their feelings. You can scroll the website here.
- Depression.org has specific resources for men seeking help and tips for those who are looking to help a loved one. You can check it out here.
- The Movember NZ website is filled with useful tips, insights, and information about men’s health generally, and mental health specifically. For tips on how to “Spot a Bro Who’s Feeling Low”, check out this link.
- Co-founded by Sir John Kirwan, Mentemia is a great mental health and wellbeing app that is free for New Zealanders and available for download here. At this link, you can also check out blog posts, and episodes from John Kirwan’s podcast. And for more from JK, read his RNZ article on “top stress-busting tips” here.
For more resources, articles and conversations around mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand, you can find more from us here, subscribe to our newsletter here or follow us on LinkedIn. And, as always, feel free to reach out and contact us. We’re here to help.