Men's Wellbeing
The Silent Crisis Of Men's Mental Wellbeing
I want to talk about something we rarely speak about, yet it affects every workplace, every family and every community, and that is … the silent crisis of men’s mental wellbeing. This is not just a personal story - it’s a workplace story, a family story, and ultimately, a human story.
When I walked into work every day, I looked the part of a confident professional. I smiled, shook hands, led discussions, and continued to render a service in my capacity as a Human Resources Manager. To the outside world, I had it all together. But the truth? Inside, I was crumbling. For years, I carried crippling anxiety, stress and possibly bouts of depression, that left me spiralling into dark and frightening thoughts of giving-up and simply throwing in the towel. Thoughts I couldn’t dare share with anyone. And yet, no one knew. Because and like most men, I had mastered the art of silence. Most men never walk into Human Resources and say, “I’m struggling.” The truth is, many don’t know how—or worse, they’re terrified of being judged, seen as weak, or treated differently. This is how a crisis stays invisible. Hence, the silent crisis.
Like so many men, I grew up in a culture that rewarded toughness and punished vulnerability. From a young age, we are told: “Boys don’t cry.” and “Be a man.” or “Don’t show weakness.” We inherit a script about masculinity that tells us our value comes from being strong, stoic, and self-reliant. We’re taught that emotions are dangerous, that admitting we’re not okay is failure.
And when you carry that conditioning into the workplace, it gets even worse. This is more prevalent in hard-core industries like construction, mining, mineral processing, materials handling, manufacturing and engineering, where men are expected to perform at all cost. You don’t crack. You don’t slow down. You don’t burn-out. You keep delivering, no matter what’s going on inside. The unspoken rule is simple: don’t show cracks, don’t admit struggle, and never - ever - let them see you break.
But here’s the problem ... read more
So How Do We Change This?
This crisis won’t be solved by policies or word alone. It will be solved by people and by organisations.
By conversations. By compassion. By courage.
By sharing stories. By creating safe spaces.
One man at a time.
We start by redefining strength. Strength is not how much you can endure alone. Strength is the courage to say, “I need help.” Strength is the willingness to be honest, to connect, to be human. We start by creating safe spaces. Imagine workplaces where men feel safe to speak. Where the words “I’m struggling” are met with support, not judgment. Where leaders don’t see vulnerability as a liability, but as a path to resilience. And we start by building cultures of compassion. Not soft. Not indulgent. Compassion that is practical, measurable, and transformative. Because when men feel supported, they show up differently. They lead differently. They live differently.
It is a social responsibility of both society and organisations to create an environment which does not let our past dictate our future. Organisations ought to play a greater role promoting mental wellbeing, especially in the workplace, and discouraging any stigmas associated with seeking help and support … affording men the opportunity to express themselves in a safe and comfortable environment. This would mean creating an environment / culture which promotes mental wellbeing, by establishing a holistic mental wellbeing strategy. Because only then, can we as men build healthier more meaningful lives … and the real good news is, when our mental wellbeing is stronger, healthier and more meaningful, it actually creates a positive ripple in the lives of everybody around us, including being more present and engaged in the workplace.
And if the most difficult part for us men ... read more
As the saying goes: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Knowing what to learn and how to apply it, paves the way for healing, growth and fulfilment … especially when combined with a fully immersive multidimensional approach to healing and transformation.
For more information on our other service offerings, click the relevant links below:-
What Happens When Men Heal?
When men heal:
- they become more present fathers,
- they become more connected partners,
- they become more engaged colleagues,
- they become more authentic leaders.
Healing doesn’t just change a man - it changes everyone around him.
We all have the power to redefine what it means to be strong. Not by hiding our struggles, but by sharing them. Not by silencing our pain, but by healing through it. And if we do this - if we choose connection over silence, compassion over stigma - we won’t just change the lives of men. We’ll change the lives of families, of organisations, and of future generations.
The greatest gift an organisation can give its employees is not a pay cheque - it’s a culture that values employees and the greater humanity.
Together let’s end the “silent crisis” of men’s mental wellbeing by breaking down the stigma, and this happens one conversation and one man at a time. It begins here. It begins now and it begins with US!
So, here is my challenge to you: as leaders, colleagues, fathers, brothers, and friends - will you be part of the silence, or part of the solution?
About Michael
I’m Michael - a seasoned Human Resources professional, a life-tested soul and a man who has come to deeply understand the complexities of the human experience. For over 35 years, I worked in the corporate world, counselling and guiding individuals through personal and professional challenges in my role in Human Resources. Backed by a postgraduate qualification in Human Resources and numerous certifications - including Life and Transformational Coaching, Relationship Facilitation and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Neuro Coaching and mBIT (multiple Brain Integration Techniques) International Coaching - I’ve spent a fair portion of my life supporting others as they navigated their way through conflict and change.
What I didn’t realise at the time was that all those years of supporting others were quietly preparing me for my own personal journey – and the deep emotional work I’d later have to face myself. In many ways, that path laid the foundation for what would become my greatest transformation: turning my own pain into purpose, and using everything I had learned to guide others through theirs.
Like so many other people, I have faced many challenges I never expected to – I personally experienced professional burn-out on three separate occasions, I struggled with work-life balance and I received numerous death threats, simply for carrying out my professional duties. I also lost a marriage of almost two decades, and experienced the heart wrenching effect of having to live life in a broken family. Simply put, I lost myself and my true essence. I spent many a month gripped by anxiety, stress and sleepless nights. At time the stress and anxiety was so strong, it made breathing feel like a chore. And still, I said nothing. I didn’t speak up. I didn’t ask for help. Why? Because I thought my responsibility - as a man, as a father, as a husband, as a Human Resources leader - was to be the rock, the provider, the carer and continuous giver of unconditional support. Simply put - to hold it all together for everyone else.
With the limited knowledge I had, I tried to keep my relationship, family and profession together … sacrificing my own mental wellbeing along the way. I simply didn’t have the tools, the support, or the awareness I needed back then … and in the absence of that, my profession became a roller-coaster ride of many lows, trying to navigate many workplace and mental wellbeing challenges, my marriage unravelled, and I experienced the soul wrenching reality of divorce. Looking back now, I realise that with the right guidance, support and tools that we openly share in our Courses and Neuro Coach & Mentor Programs … my life, my profession and ultimately my mental wellbeing could have been very different.
The truth is, none of us were ever taught how to succeed at life, at relationships, at our professions or at navigating emotional pain, experienced when trying to cope with life, workplace and relationship challenges. We never went to “life, workplace or relationship school”. We weren’t handed manuals on how to live a happy and authentic life, or how to overcome life, workplace and relationship challenges. So, when life tests us, we do what most people do - we try, we struggle, and we failed ... often.
But from those failures came wisdom. And from that wisdom came my purpose.
Today, I continue to walk alongside others, coaching and mentoring them, as they navigate their way through their own life, relationship and workplace challenges. My approach is a structured one, blending conscious awareness with evidence-based neuro techniques. I support others to identify and connect with their truths, to balance and align their actions, to reclaim their power, to rebuild connections, and to find the clarity they need to rewrite their own stories - with compassion, with courage, and with the guidance that we all wish we had, back when we needed it most.
Request A Free Exploratory Session
Leaders, colleagues, fathers, brothers and friends - are you ready to be part of the solution? InnaSerenity is but a call away.
Click here to schedule your free exploratory session with Michael, and gain clarity on how our immersive multidimensional approach to transformation can meet your needs.
As humans, we are truly blessed to have the gifts of choice and decision making. We don't have to simply accept living with all the hurt, pain and despair present in our lives, relationships and workplaces. The decision is yours, and yours alone. Living a life and having a relationship filled with happiness, joy and fulfilment, is ultimately a choice and best of all, it's YOUR CHOICE!
Life is far too short!
So why wait?