How To Listen So Men Will Talk is the latest book from award-winning barber, Tom Chapman and is out now, encouraging men to start talking about mental health.
Tom is founder of mental health charity the Lions Barber Collective, set up to raise awareness for the prevention of suicide. This book uses the LBC’s established training approach to give you the tools you need to play a supportive role and listen effectively. Did you know Tom Chapman welcomed the first Lions Barber Academy?
Tom lays the foundation for how we, as a community, can improve our approach to men’s mental health. From building the confidence required to start these conversations, advice on being more self-aware of our own wellbeing, the skills needed to better our listening and the ultimate tool, knowledge of available mental health resources.
Through recognising the signs, asking good questions and then listening well, we can all make a difference.
Suicide remains the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 in the UK. Suicide prevention is the responsibility of the entire community and we can all make a difference if we know how to react and respond when people open up. For some, the stigma and taboo around mental health make it a difficult subject to speak about or ‘admit’ to due to shame of being seen to be weak, especially in men who are working against ingrained ideas about what’s ”acceptable” to talk about and what’s not.
What can you do about it? What steps can you take that could make a real difference to the men around you – and point toward the right help?
The four-pillar approach
This effective approach was created with the help of psychiatrists and mental health professionals and teaches you to:
- Recognise the signs that someone may need help or may be suffering with their mental health
- Ask the right questions to get them to open up
- Listen with empathy and without judgement
- Help and support, making a plan with them