ESTEVAN — A new local group is giving men in Estevan a safe place to talk about mental health, grief and life’s challenges.
Mark Pettitt, an Estevan resident, has launched Men’s Mental Health Anonymous, offering weekly Monday evening meetings at 7 p.m. at the Nicholson Centre.
Pettitt said he started the group because there was nothing similar available in Estevan, because he knows people in the area who have faced difficult times, and because of his own mental health journey.
“In the last couple of years there’s been a lot of people that I know who have lost someone to suicide, a male to suicide, so I thought we maybe need to set a space where anyone can show up and just have a safe space to talk, whether they’re going through grief or anger or a break-up, or an actual mental health diagnosis, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a place for people to come together,” Pettitt said.
He welcomes initiatives for men’s mental health because they create awareness, but he also wanted to do something specifically for Estevan.
The first meetings, held Sept. 22 and 29, were well received, Pettitt said, with participants offering positive feedback.
“It’s just nice and positive to get that feedback in and among the group. I think over time as people become aware of it … that it will become a permanent consistent place with ongoing support for men in our community,” Pettitt said.
Attendance is flexible — men don’t need to come every week — and confidentiality is a key part of the meetings.
“The men that show up are there because they want to be and they want to have a space, and it’s been really, really positive,” Pettitt said.
The Nicholson Centre’s size means there is no limit to the number of participants. Pettitt doubts they will reach capacity but appreciates having the location.
“We wanted a location that was central to Estevan, where you could walk,” Pettitt said.
At the Sept. 29 meeting, men talked for two hours and probably could have continued for two more. Participants are under no obligation to speak if they’re uncomfortable.
“That, I think will go a long way in creating a safe space because sharing some of your personal details can be very vulnerable,” Pettitt said.
The Envision Counselling and Support Centre is also starting its own men’s mental health program in October. It will run for eight weeks with male counsellors, group therapy and tools to take home. Pettitt said it’s “fantastic” and encourages men to attend.
“They were totally excited about having this other type of space where men could come and there’s no itinerary, there’s no plan. People show up and once we get started, it just sort of happens.”
Pettitt believes providing a safe place for men fosters a stronger sense of community and belonging in Estevan. It can also lead to more connections outside the meetings.
“I think people are going to share what they’re willing to share, and listen and learn while other people are sharing, and that’s the cool thing when you start talking and sharing with people, there’s so much to learn,” he said.
It could also inspire members to meet for coffee or chat when they see each other in town.
With addiction and suicide impacting Estevan and communities across Saskatchewan and Canada, Pettitt believes safe spaces for men are essential.
