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Hard-ly Speaking - Dr. Chris Henry

Caroline Blatter

On World Mental Health Day, we head to Christchurch, New Zealand - to an innovative group of men wanting to build a more connected community, bringing people together - something we could all do, whether on land or working at sea.

" We know it's good to talk - but doing it isn't always easy...."

Their stories are very different, but in a series of Hard-ly Speaking talks this year in April and September, a group of men stand together for change.

Here Dr. Chris Henry talks about his own experience - as a rural GP in Kaikoura.

In Christchurch for a meeting on that fateful day on 22nd February 2011, when a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the city at lunch time, Chris offered his help at the local hospital, and soon found himself at the centre of intense search and rescues in the tragedy that unfolded at the multi storey CTV building collapse, where 115 people lost their lives. It wa sa day he would never forget.
He returned to his home in Kaikoura, and duties as a Doctor the very next day, never again talking about the experience and emotions that began to haunt him.
In 2016, he was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal for the work he did in 2011 after the earthquake.

Here he speaks openly, not only about being 'human' but about what being truly brave means - acknowledging that in fact, he wasn't ok.

All of us, men and women, "must allow ourselves to be vulnerable and emotional, honouring those feelings and allowing them to co-exist with being resilient and tough."

"So make that space to talk, be persistent, be kind and be there for others..."

You're not alone....share and talk....Get help.

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