Speak About It Mate is among the authentic psychological well being assist teams that has hyperlinks with the MAN v FAT neighborhood.
Mike Richard tells us all about it!
What do you do at Speak About It Mate?
We concentrate on creating areas for folks to attach in as we imagine within the energy of individuals serving to folks. Our work has developed over the previous 5 years from informal meetups and occasions in Manchester to extra organised peer assist areas which we had been in a position to transfer on-line throughout the pandemic.
Alongside these, we had been in a position to join folks by WhatsApp teams, with our primary group nonetheless going sturdy to today. We run an additional soccer recreation on Monday nights and the lads know there’s somebody they’ll converse to in the event that they want assist.
Prior to now couple of years, we have now been in a position to present a spread of face-to-face peer assist teams reminiscent of males’s teams and combined strolling teams. Now we provide three weekly daytime males’s teams in Salford with most of the individuals being referred into us by social prescribers.
How did you get TAIM up and operating?
I’ve at all times had struggles with my very own psychological well being which solely turned clear to me in 2004 aged 18, after I was recognized with melancholy. The panorama has modified significantly since then and looking out again I can see that what I actually wanted was areas to speak and open up about what was occurring for me, which I didn’t have.
Because of this, I struggled for 12 years earlier than experiencing a psychological breakdown and looking for assist within the type of counselling. I used to be determined for others to not undergo what I’d been by, so after I moved again to Manchester after just a few years away I made a decision to create a small meetup group known as ‘Speak About It Mate’ since then it has modified my life for the higher in each means.
I used to be in a position to cease instructing and begin coaching as a counsellor alongside rising TAIM, now I juggle each roles and issues are rising on a regular basis.
What’s TAIM’s relationship with MAN v FAT?
Following my breakdown and whereas I used to be dwelling in London I made a decision (whereas having remedy) to lastly sort out my points with confidence and vanity. As this principally got here from how I felt about my weight, this was the primary time I’d ever thought-about making an actual change.
I joined MAN v FAT in Leyton and performed up till coming again up north, after I joined the freshly launched Salford league. After some time I additionally joined the Manchester league. Being a part of the neighborhood was nice for me, not solely was I dropping pounds and rising in confidence I used to be making new friendships too.
