The Men’s Health and Wellbeing program is one of the specialist services at Student Health, Wellbeing & Inclusion, aimed at supporting the diverse needs of our students.
Our Senior coordinator of Men’s Health, Wellbeing and Counselling, psychologist Jason Campbell, describes the program and what is on offer:
“We recognize the unique needs of the men of La Trobe when it comes to maintaining good mental and physical health. The role of the Men’s Health and Wellbeing program is to help support you in achieving your own goals and what you want to get out of life”.
Why is a wellbeing program specifically for men important?
Beyondblue reports that at least one-third of young people experience challenges with their mental health by the time they’re 25 years old.
More than 70% of men experience issues with mental health but when it comes to accessing support services, less than 20% see their GP about mental health.
Only one in four men who experience anxiety or depression access treatment and overall, only 27 per cent of men seek professional help.
Tragically, men are also three times more likely to complete suicide.
We want to help change that.
Men seeking & finding support – both are not always easy!
We understand that sometimes men can find it challenging to seek out support or feel the services available don’t feel like the right fit for them.
We also know there are often beliefs we inherit as men that we need to be independent, to be strong and to sort things out for ourselves. Jason reminds us that “these are great qualities, but they sometimes don’t help guys when they are struggling”.
“Thankfully men are learning to be more flexible with these beliefs and expectations and are considering that seeking support is also a sign of strength”. Jason notes “men also want to have more conversations to help other guys and that is a big part of this program”.
Support for the Men of La Trobe
La Trobe University’s Men’s Health & Wellbeing service is designed to provide dedicated counselling, information, and opportunities for connection for the men of Latrobe. Services include:
- Counselling tailored specifically for men.
Yes, guys do seek counselling each and every day at our service! “The reasons for seeking counselling and the support received is as individual as the men we see”. Support for guys interested in looking after their mental health, men’s related issues or for guys that have a preference to see a male counsellor. Counselling is relaxed, easygoing, confidential and tailored specifically for you and what you want to achieve.
- Workshops and group sessions:
We work with the group ‘Tomorrow Man’ (ABC TV Series ‘Man Up’) who provide workshops for men on supporting your mates, yourself and posing the question of what it is to be a man today. These workshops are run intermittently during the year and are a great opportunity to connect with other like-minded men to continue the important conversation about men’s health.
- Men’s health and wellbeing information:
Throughout the year we provide regular men’s health and wellbeing information via student communications (e.g., MyLatrobe). This included updates, the latest news and research and soon stories from guys themselves on how they look after their mental health.
More information:
Men’s wellbeing counselling is available in-person (Melbourne campus) or via Zoom (all campuses). Visit the Men’s Health and Wellbeing website to make an appointment.
If you need more immediate or crisis support use our La Trobe University Crisis Line for Out-of-Hours Mental Health and Wellbeing Support. Phone 1300 146 307 or text 0488 884 100. This service operates 5pm-9am on weekdays and 24 hours during weekends and public holidays.