By Emily Alvarez
In 2013, Colorado ranked 7th in
the nation for suicide rates, a persistent trend shared by other states in the
West. Men continue to account for more than 75% of the deaths by suicide in
Colorado and contributing factors to this are divorce, depression, isolation,
and substance abuse. The 1st annual Men’s Mental Health Forum is
there to ask the question “why?” and begin to discuss some answers. The Mental
Health Forum called Healthy Men Have
Healthy Minds: A Forum to Engage Men in Dialogue about Mental Health is
supported by the Carson J Spencer Foundation, contributing co-founder of Man
Therapy (www.ManTherapy.org), and
Sondermind, whole person wellness. The forum will take place on Thursday,
November 19, 2015 from 2:15 – 5:00 pm in the Russell Pavilion at the St.
Joseph’s Hospital. Tickets are $25 until 11/6 and $40 afterward. For more
information, visit www.CarsonJSpencer.org or contact Sally Spencer-Thomas at sally@carsonjspencer.org or (720) 244-6535.
The forum features two keynote
speakers: Josh Levs and Andrew O’Brien. Josh Levs is an investigative journalist formerly with CNN and NPR, an
expert on issues facing modern families and author of All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads,
Families, and Businesses--And How We Can Fix It Together. Levs will be talking about what modern life
is doing to dads’ mental health. Andrew O’Brien is an Iraq war veteran and
suicide attempt survivor. After being lucky enough to wake up after his attempt,
Andrew decided to make a difference for all communities suffering from suicide.
O’Brien will be sharing lessons learned in resiliency.
“Mental health is just like any
other part of health. It's time to drop the stigmas and have public
conversations about the stresses and challenges men are facing,” said Josh
Levs, keynote speaker. “This is why All
In explores health issues facing men in both body and mind. It's also
why I open up about my own experiences.”
The goals of the forum are to let men know they are
not alone when feeling overwhelmed, stressed or depressed, to educate
participants about men-friendly mental health and support resources, and to
build a community of men who are interested in supporting other men going
through life challenges. Other subjects that will be discussed during the forum
are work-life balance, stress management, living with a mental health
condition, rebuilding your life after divorce, and tools for recovery.
“For a man to be the strongest
and most present father, partner, employee, friend and family member, strong
mental health is paramount,” said Jarrod Hindman, Violence and Suicide
Prevention Section Manager at the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment. “Owning when we need a mental health tune-up is a strength, and
now is the time to make it the norm.
Immediately
following the forum, there will be the 4th annual Guy’s Night Out
held at Casselman’s Bar and Venue from 5:30 – 9:00 pm on November 19th.
Here men can mingle with local music and sports celebrities at the VIP
reception, sip bourbon, eat BBQ and even get their golf swing analyzed – all in
the name of supporting an innovative approach to men’s mental health. Tickets
are $100 for just Guy’s Night Out or $115 if combined with the Mental Health
Forum. For more information, visit www.CarsonJSpencer.org.
Proceeds from Guys Night Out go to the Carson J Spencer Foundation and
the Man Therapy™ campaign (www.ManTherapy.org) aimed at
using humor to prevent suicide for working-aged men. By using compelling and
innovative media, Dr. Rich Mahogany (a fictional therapist), the focal point of
an innovative campaign called “Man Therapy,™” reshapes the conversation, using
manly approaches to cut through stigma and tackle issues like depression,
divorce and even suicidal thoughts head on, the way a man would do it. An
additional beneficiary is Project Sanctuary (http://projectsanctuary.us), a
non-profit supporting military families through therapeutic retreats.
Register now, as there is limited seating for the
forum. To register and learn more about the speakers and the event, visit www.CarsonJSpencer.org. Contact
Sally Spencer-Thomas at sally@carsonjspencer.org or (720)
244-6535 with any questions.
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About the Carson J Spencer
Foundation - Sustaining a Passion for
Living
The Carson J Spencer Foundation (www.CarsonJSpencer.org) is a
Colorado nonprofit, established in 2005.
We envision a world where leaders and communities are committed to
sustaining a passion for living. We sustain a passion for living by:
- Delivering innovative and
effective suicide prevention programs for working-aged people
- Coaching young leaders to
develop social enterprises for mental health promotion and suicide
prevention
- Supporting people bereaved by
suicide
