TOOELE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES MAN THERAPY TO HELP MEN MAINTAIN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH THE MANLY WAY
Man Therapy’s Groundbreaking, Humorous Approach Provides Resources for Men to Tackle Depression, Divorce, Suicidal Thoughts and More
Tooele, Utah (November 2020) – Tooele County Health Department Prevention Services have partnered together with Life’s Worth Living Foundation to launch a new countywide campaign targeted at working-aged men to erase the stigma surrounding mental health. Man Therapy reshapes the conversation, using humor to cut through stigma and tackle issues like depression, divorce and even suicidal thoughts head on, the way a man would do it.
Man Therapy™ provides men approaching crisis, and the people who care about them, a place to go and learn more about men’s mental health, examine their own and consider a wide array of actions that will put them on the path to treatment and recovery, all within an easy-to-access online portal at www.mantherapy.org.
Upon visiting www.mantherapy.org, men and their loved ones will find they have a virtual appointment with Dr. Rich Mahogany – a character created to greet visitors, make them feel at ease and provide an overview of what they will find and explore during their visit. Dr. Mahogany is a man’s man who is dedicated to cutting through the denial with a fresh approach using his rapier wit, odd sense of humor, straightforward approach and practical, useful advice for men. His tone debunks the age-old stigma that says mental health disorders are an unmanly sign of weakness.
Man Therapy initially launched in Colorado on July 9, 2012 as the result of a unique partnership between Cactus, a Denver-based advertising agency and the Office of Suicide Prevention at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This groundbreaking new approach to men’s mental health issues has since launched in several states across the U.S., as well as internationally.
“This campaign goes beyond just awareness to really engage men and draw them into the conversation,” says Peter Clegg, Prevention Coordinator. “These may not be the best conversation starters for all audiences, but our local data suggests men are the ones who need this the most. In Tooele County, we’re not only going to start the discussion, we’re going to connect men with healthy ways to cope, professional resources and hilarious content to make the point ‘life sucks sometimes, but you don’t have to go through it alone even when you’re the manliest man in town.’ If this only helps a handful of men push through a rough patch, it’ll be worth it.”
Founder of Life’s Worth Living Foundation, Jon Gossett is quoted saying, “We recognize that a high number of suicides are of working aged men, ages 25-54. This has been an area of concern within our community. Man Therapy is a mental health campaign, that uses humor to tackle issues that men struggle with, like depression, anxiety and divorce. It is done in a way that will connect with men, and make them laugh and realize it’s okay to talk about it. Life’s Worth Living Foundation loves our community and hopes this campaign saves lives. “
Tooele County Health Department Prevention Services
TCHD Prevention Services aims to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce substance abuse. They utilize evidence-based practices and work to engage community leaders, organizations and agencies in uniting their prevention efforts. They focus on community level change, so they aim to educate and provide skills to the general public on alcohol, drugs, suicide prevention, and sexual violence. Get involved by joining Tooele Communities That Care Coalition, Grantsville Communities That Care Coalition, Stansbury Communities That Care Coalition, or the Wendover Prevention Group. Please contact Prevention Services at preventionservices@tooelehealth.org or call 435-277-2363.
Life’s Worth Living Foundation
Founded in 2014, Life’s Worth Living Foundation was created to raise awareness of, educate on, and prevent suicide. They are a registered 501c3 charity primarily focused on the Tooele County area. Life’s Worth Living holds a monthly support group on the 4th Thursday of the month at 7pm at Mountain West Medical Center.
https://www.facebook.com/lifesworthlivingfoundation
