Off the Water: Bootstraps? Let’s Find Our Boots First

Men often prioritize others, like spouses, children, friends, and coworkers: neglecting their own mental wellbeing. This is especially common after trauma, grief, or setbacks. There's a tendency to "push through" symptoms like sadness or anxiety to support loved ones. However, this neglect can lead to anger, strained relationships, attempts to numb with alcohol or other methods, and burnout.

By acknowledging our own experiences, we enhance our ability to support others.  In this conversation, Evan highlights strategies for recognizing our own emotions, offers insight into why these feelings arise, and showcases methods for expressing ourselves authentically. This enables us to genuinely show up for the people who matter most to us.

In this session of off the water, we’ll focus on:

• Common symptoms associated with neglecting mental health.
• Practical ways to check-in with yourself
• Different means of dealing with issues: solo, with your support system, or with professional help
• Learning a mindfulness strategy that allows you to put a difficult thing away for now and come back to it later.

Evan Forster, LCSW, owner of Moving Mountains Counseling Center, is an experienced trauma specialist with a background in children's grief centers, foster care, and schools. He notably supported the STEM Community in Highland’s Ranch after the 2019 school shooting and has shared his insights on trauma recovery at events like the Mental Health Corporations of America Conference. Evan also hosts the podcast "Resiliency Reimagined," exploring pathways to resilience with survivors of mass violence.