After 6 months yesterday Mr. Perfect received our backdated (to February 2017) sign-off from the ACNC that we are now an official "Advancing Health" Charity.Incredible work by our legal guys (Baker McKenzie - Posy McGrane and Angelique Wanner), the greatest humans in law! But the biggest shout-out and thanks goes to the Leadership Team (Jason Cuffe, Peter Regan, Ilan Hurwitz, Tom Daven and Jeremy Hyman).Mr. Perfect does not exist without you guys and it would still be an anonymous blog that no-one read - how we have achieved this so far on a shoestring is mind-blowing.There are also a large group of individuals and organisations that have formed our Support Team and helped with the website, logos, sponsoring Meetups, offering...
I have always been “sensitive” at times, whatever that means. For the majority of people that knew me growing up it presented as the opposite, at times a pure, distant coldness. As a child and teenager it could manifest itself as me reacting to a comment, rejection or negative action from another by internally beating myself relentlessly. Personal or not, I took most things extremely personally and could become defensive or more than likely retreat into my safe shell. Contrary to my wife’s sometime opinion of my obliviousness, like when she has a new haircut, I CAN be observant. Obsessively so. I think about people I walk past daily, what their life may be like, why there is so much...
Me on my wedding day (June 2016) Name: Jeremy Hyman Nickname: Jez Medically diagnosed: a highly functioning, socially anxious man with incredible good looks. Treatment and coping strategies: Psychiatrist and psychologist, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, anti-depressant medication, a glass of wine, freaking out and reality television. Support networks: My wife, parents, sisters, mates (both male and female), mentors acquired through my professional life and a team of white lab coat doctors and scientists working around the clock, day and night in Vienna. My two sisters and I Background: Aged 37, losing my hair and newly married to a beautiful and highly intelligent doctor (nephrologist) with whom I share my life with in a recently purchased 3...
Despite being an early-bird 5:45am starts are never easy, especially in winter. Especially when you are about to go to the beach with it’s ocean breeze and especially when you are wearing thongs and plan to take a dip or surf. But it was Friday at Bondi Beach. And Friday’s mean one thing and one thing only. Fluro. “Fluro Friday” to be exact, founded and run weekly by the OneWave community. As they so perfectly describe it, for “the surfers, sufferers and survivors, we are a non-profit surf community tackling mental health issues with a simple recipe…saltwater therapy”. This community has multiplied tens of times over with beaches across the world holding their own versions weekly that continue to thrive. ...
By Terry CornickBrevity in the written word is never my strong point. But for this summary of a mental health event (The Garden Rooms) I attended last night I promise to be as concise as possible (As my wife pointed out recently by creating a meme, I can sometimes be good at not writing, the meme's text hovered over a picture of me saying "Calls himself a writer. Doesn't even write me a Mother's Day Card).Forwarded to me by email from a friend, I signed up to this event eagerly. It was FREE after all. And focused on “Mental Health in Sport” with some high profile guests and speakers.After yet again dealing with my failed inner compass that somehow causes...
By Terry Cornick "Mate, why didn't you tell me?!" The first words a close mate asked me when he came back into work after paternity leave. "You cruised through it!" I wanted to scream out, "You have no f***ing idea!", but I just smiled. I am a good actor. Honed by years of hiding mental illness. You cannot prepare anyone for a first child. Life does not stop; it just shifts seismically to a scenario where you cannot remember what came before. Even the simplest of daily decisions completely revolve around your child's routine and moods. Sleep deprivation, the noise torture of crying, the constant rocking and standing on your feet to settle, the several changing of nappies a...
As I write this I am stuck in traffic on the way to Sydney Airport before flying to Melbourne to play a big game during the festive period. Late last year Terry from Mr. Perfect reached out and asked me to be an Ambassador for their cause. It is a huge honour to be part of this movement for men that allows them to seek non-clinical support should they be suffering from mental illness or they have been affected by a friend or family member’s illness or they just want to understand mental health more. Recently I noticed ex-team mates and other professional footballers writing blogs about mental health so it inspired me to try my own. Be kind as...
By Elizabeth Manwaring I have been working either as a student counsellor or qualified counsellor in the field of eating and body image issues for two years now. During this time, I have seen dozens of people come through the agency where I did my practicum in 2015 seeking help for eating issues and several in my own private practice since then. I was also exposed to the broader eating issues community in Brisbane – the carers' association, the hospital network, other agencies, etc. Of all the people with eating issues that I saw, only three were male. One did a short course of counselling with the agency, another came to the agency for help and left after one appointment and...
