Several months ago, I attended The Yarns Men; for the first time as a learning opportunity for my own wellness and to pick up on some ideas as part of our FABRUM. Wellbeing team.
Now, I make a point of attending these gatherings when I am home in Christchurch, both to continue to pick up ideas for work and also because I think this is a bloody good idea.
Mental Health, Well-being, and Suicide are all terms that, when I was younger, were shunned, taboo, and kept in the closet.
Recently, it has become almost "trendy" for some people to spin them out as clickbait to increase followers and influence socially. This is NOT the intention of this post. I really want to contribute to a community that wants to make a difference.
My engagement with Matthew Steans and what The Yarns Men want to achieve has reinforced my belief that the most essential part of a Yarn is to listen actively.
I continue to learn and refine this skill of active listening, as I am no expert at it.
Yarning is not Therapy, and The Yarns Men are not mental health experts. It is a growing network of people (Men and Women) who want to build a community where it is okay to have a yarn.
The education within the network can support engagement with experts and support structures if necessary, helping people learn to listen actively, not judge, not have all the answers, and, at a minimum, provide some support and guidance.
Last night's session was, at times, fairly raw, and Kieran Sutherland was fantastic at delivering his Yarn.
Unfortunately, I am likely to be travelling internationally for the next event, and will miss the opportunity to hear a yarn from a friend James Laughlin
So, my key message is that I am #OPENTOYARN with anyone across my network. I don't have the answers. I am certainly not a Mental Health expert. But I will listen actively and can at least provide support and insight to anyone who needs a Yarn.
Kia Kaha Ki Te Ao Hou - Lets Empower a Better Future
