June 02, 2023
Boys can cry mental health message
A new roopu is encouraging tāne Māori to talk about their mental health.
Health worker John Kingi, who started Soften Up Bro four years ago with clinician Hemi Kapa-Kingi, says Health Ministry figures show tāne Māori are twice as likely as non-Māori males to report having an anxiety or depressive disorder.
He says they face a multitude of issues, and they need to find ways of coping that suit them without being trapped in unhealthy stereotypes.
“We have a slogan at Soften Up Bro, boys can cry too. It’s not the invitation to say boys have to cry or men have to cry all the time, it’s that you’re able to express your express your emotions however that seems right to you,” Mr Kingi says.
Soften Up Bro’s usual format is to invite up to 50 tane to a panel of three of four speakers who can discuss their mental health journey.
It can be reached through Instagram or Facebook.
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