MenSpeak Launch First Neurodiverse Men’s Group
MenSpeak founder Kenny Mammarella D’Cruz will be facilitating the first NeuroDiverseMenSpeak men's group online on 9th May, as part of the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2022. This unique initial session will be exploring loneliness and neurovariance amongst men, hearing stories and strategies from those attending.
NeuroDiverseMenSpeak welcomes neurodiverse men whatever their condition, including ADHD, Autism, OCD, Sensory processing disorder, Dyspraxia and Dyslexia. These regular groups will be open to all men, whether clinically diagnosed, self-diagnosed or curious about the possibility they may be neurodiverse.
Patrick Hayes has been attending Kenny's online men’s groups since the start of lockdown, when Kenny launched daily MenCheck-in sessions to keep men, and so our communities, safe, sane and connected.
Patrick was recently diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 56 after being inspired by the story of another group attendee during one of the online men's groups. Patrick trained with Kenny and is now an ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists & Hypnotherapists) accredited MenSpeak facilitator and will be co-facilitating the session with Kenny.
“I discovered MenSpeak in lockdown as father of three in crisis. I was fortunate enough to meet a contributor who shared his recent Adult ADHD diagnosis. The penny dropped after years of disorganisation, distraction, and procrastination. Six months later and I’m now professionally diagnosed and wonderfully connected with a community of men, including neurodiverse men, in MenSpeak, where we discuss life hacks, and share personal experiences.”
NeuroDiverseMenSpeak will give a voice to any man who navigates their daily life affected by their neuro-programming. Men are given space to share how they are and how they cope with their conditions in a confidential and safe space, free from hierarchies and clinicians.
"The impulsiveness, lack of connected thinking, problems with prioritisation and high frustration that neurodiverse men often experience leads to panic. Across a lifetime, this can grow into loneliness, isolation and, in extreme situations, suicidal ideation. This can have a devastating impact on quality of life and how men view the world and their position within it", explained Kenny, who founded MenSpeak 20 years ago whilst in the throes of his own mental health issues that included OCD, Body dysmorphic disorder and Tourette’s Syndrome.
The connection with 'similarly wired men' that NeuroDiverseMenSpeak offers, and the insights gained into how others manage their neurodiversity will enable attendees to develop a new blueprint for life and contribute positively to society.
MenSpeak has the distinction of contributing to the world’s first male psychology degree module at Sunderland University’s School of Psychology. Senior Lecturer Dr Rebecca Owens commented, “The aim is primarily to raise awareness of male psychology and emphasise the importance of being aware of differences in people. Kenny and his facilitators allow our students to experience a men’s online group session and it is an invaluable experience through its experiential approach. We are able to understand the impact of peer-to-peer groups and their importance in early intervention strategies.”
NeuroDiverseMenSpeak will begin at 6.45pm to allow time for attendees to adjust to the online environment for a prompt 7pm start, with as many breaks and as much movement as necessary. Donations range from £0-£15 dependent on income, with the money going to the MenSpeak Community Interest Company (CIC) that was set up during lockdown to support running costs. All facilitators volunteer for free and MenSpeak are a non-profit organisation. Booking available at https://www.meetup.com/menspeak/events/284941533/.
For more information about men’s groups and facilitation training visit www.mengroups.co.uk or for details of the daily online men’s groups, YoungMenSpeak, ElderMenSpeak, DadSpeak, and all other MenSpeak groups, go to meetup.com/mensgroups.
About Kenny – Kenny Mammarella D’Cruz founded MenSpeak 20 years ago to create a community of men connecting at depth. He's the author of the Amazon No. 1 bestselling e-book “Online Men’s Groups Success: A Step-by-Step Guide to Facilitating Personal Development Groups for Men” which he wrote during lockdown, to share his tools when they were most needed. He has twenty-five years’ experience in facilitation skills and provides CPD accredited training to professionals, therapists, and coaches.