By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
The \u2018soldier on\u2019 mindset still remains for some men when it comes to mental health issues, but a local man with counselling experience wants to help Moorabool men open up.<\/p>\n
Don Fairlie from Ballan has worked on the MensLine, counselling men with concerns about mental health, and is in the early stages of planning a Moorabool support group for men with PTSD.<\/p>\n
Mr Fairlie has PTSD himself, and said that he hoped the group could address a lack of support for men with PTSD in the Shire.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been a sufferer from PTSD most of my life, and I just think a men\u2019s group would be a good way of supporting other blokes. Just talking in a confidential way is important, as the matters discussed are usually quite personal,\u201d Mr Fairlie told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some blokes who are really doing it tough, who might value some support. As far as I can see, there are no other support groups here in Moorabool.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is no obligation for anyone calling Mr Fairlie to join the support group, he said \u2013 even if they just want to ask questions or have a chat, that would be \u201cabsolutely fine\u201d.<\/p>\n
And while chatting about PTSD isn\u2019t a substitute for professional help, Mr Fairlie says it can be a helpful first step.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard for men more so than women to open up, but once they take the first step to doing it, and know that it\u2019s not going to be a pressure thing and that it\u2019s confidential, it might help them. If they want to just ring me to have a chat about it initially, without committing themselves, that\u2019s fine too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would encourage men in the first instance just to give me a ring without the need for any commitment\u2026they can just chat, if they feel it\u2019s not for them, well that\u2019s okay. I think it\u2019s a bit harder to get support in the regions, with a bit of isolation\u2026I thought I could do with a men\u2019s group, and there\u2019s probably other blokes out there that could too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The support group is only an idea at the moment, with no concrete plans on where meetings will be held or how often \u2013 but Mr Fairlie envisages meetings once a fortnight, \u201chopefully in a neutral place, depending on where people would like to meet, with maybe five or six members\u201d.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re going through PTSD and feel like a confidential chat would help you, call Don Fairlie on 0467 711 039.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis The \u2018soldier on\u2019 mindset still remains for some men when it comes to mental health issues, but a local man with counselling experience wants to help Moorabool men open up. Don Fairlie from Ballan has worked on the MensLine, counselling men with concerns about mental health, and is in the early stages […]<\/p>\n