Men-only walk by charity Clarity Walk to lead the way in mental health in Inverness and Highlands
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Men now have a walking support group set up especially for them.
Matt Wallace, of charity Clarity Walk, has set up a new group that will begin just before Christmas to help those who need support.
Mr Wallace (30) said: “There needs to be more for men’s mental health in Inverness and the Highlands and we have a solution.
“Young men are currently suffering with their mental health but often don’t reach out for help as it’s perceived as ‘weakness’, making us reluctant to phone crisis lines or approach statutory services.
“I met with a young man called Chris who was 18 and tried to take his own life by jumping in front of a car. Thankfully it stopped in time and he was not harmed but it did scare him and his family, so his mum Jen reached out to me for help.
“Jen was aware of the work we do with Clarity Walk and how I overcame suicidal depression, so she asked if I could do a one-to-one walk with Chris.
“I explained that I am not a psychologist or mental health professional but I was willing to listen, let him vent and provide advice if he wanted it. They both liked the sound of it so we agreed a time, date and location.”
He continued: “On the day I took Chris to Craig Dunain woods where we simply went on a beautiful scenic walk for an hour without the distraction of digital devices.
“I simply listened to him, let him vent and asked him open ended questions so he could make his own choices, for autonomy. By the end he felt less distressed, more relaxed and had action points he could take away that he came up with himself.
“Feedback from Jen said that it made a great difference for him and was very thankful.
“Chris enjoyed it because it was easily accessible as it was simply walking and talking with me for an hour and we talked about more than just his mental health.”
Mr Wallace confirmed this inspired the idea for the Men’s Only Project.
He said: “The project would involve providing one-off one-to-one sessions for young men to walk and talk with us, like the scenario above, which would then progress into the men’s only group, allowing them to meet new people, feel connected and build healthy habits for their wellbeing.
“This project will also be collaborating with the University of the Highlands and Islands apprenticeship program to support their apprentices but will be open to other young men too.”
The first men’s event will be on December 23 at 10am at Ord Hill to support men during the festive season.
For more, see claritywalk.co.uk
