men’s mental health
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The Car Park Moment That Matters More Than You Think
It was a Monday night. Just before 7pm. Cold. I was outside, doing the sweeper role at Andy’s Man Club. The sweeper role is exactly what it sounds like. You’re out front. You’re the first face someone sees. And more often than not, you’re the reason a new man doesn’t just drive straight past and…
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Nearly a Year at Andy’s Man Club – My Honest Reflection
It’s almost been a year. A year of Monday nights, of sitting in a circle, of listening to other blokes talk about things they’ve likely never said out loud to anyone before. That doesn’t get old. Every Monday night at AMC has positives! I became a member almost a year ago, then a facilitator months…
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The Night a Stranger Walked In and Already Knew Me
It was another Monday night at Andy’s Man Club, and I was on sweeper duty. That means standing outside, being the first face people see when they arrive. I do it a lot. I don’t mind it. There’s something about that role that suits me. A new guy turned up. We had a brief chat…
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Still Finding My Feet as an Andy’s Man Club Facilitator
This one’s a bit awkward to write, honestly. I’ve written before about my journey with Andy’s Man Club – what it meant to me when I first walked into a session as a member, and then what it felt like to go through the training and come out the other side as a facilitator. A…
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Andy’s Man Club Louth. Walking Through a Door
A few months ago, I walked into Andy’s Man Club for the first time. No real idea what to expect. Just… went. A couple of months after that, I was invited to become a facilitator. Which, honestly, I didn’t see coming. So we got our local group set up in Louth, Lincolnshire. A couple of…
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I’m Going to Be an Andy’s Man Club Facilitator
It’s been a couple of months since I first walked through the door at Andy’s Man Club, and I’m still not entirely sure I can explain what it does to you. Not in a way that doesn’t sound a bit soft, anyway. But something shifted. It’s hard to put your finger on it at first.…
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I Finally Went to Andy’s Man Club. Here’s What Happened.
I’d been putting it off. For a while, actually. Longer than I’d like to admit. Jason had been messaging me for weeks. He’d spotted me asking questions in the Andy’s Man Club Facebook groups and kindly offered to take me along. No pressure. Just a genuine offer from a bloke I’d never met. And still,…
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Why Men Stop Going to Andy’s Man Club
Last time I wrote about Andy’s Man Club, I ended with “I don’t know yet.” I still don’t know. But I did what I always do when I can’t make a decision. I went looking for information. Read about how it works. Read about the research behind peer support. Read about what actually happens in…
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A Man Club – Should I Trust It or Not?
I keep hearing about this thing called Andy’s Man Club. Monday nights. Men only. Talking. Apparently it’s everywhere now. Loads of groups all over the country. Thousands of men turning up each week. On paper, that sounds impressive. But here’s the problem. I’m in a mess. 2022 has probably been the worst year of my…
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When a Mental Health Space Said I Was Too Much
A few years ago, around 2017 or 2018, I was deep involved in mental health support. With help from my wife I’d built a mental health chat group online, dozens of members, people posting at all hours because that’s what people in crisis do. No 9-to-5, no “back in the morning.” I was also running…