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Roman Catholic priest Father Gerard McGlone has called for greater support for men facing mental health difficulties in Trinidad and Tobago, warning that financial pressures and expectations surrounding masculinity can make it harder for them to seek help. The Trinidad Guardian reported that McGlone made the appeal during a Samaritan Movement seminar at the St Joseph RC Retreat Centre in Scarborough last Thursday. The two-day programme brought together participants from different religious denominations for training in adult mental health awareness and suicide first aid. The programme, described in the report as adapted from the World Health Organization, aimed to equip participants to support people in their communities. McGlone said churches were encountering abuse, violence and suicide, and described the country’s mental health situation as worsening. He linked those concerns to financial hardship, including unemployment; these were assessments attributed to him in the report. McGlone said the church had developed programmes addressing men’s mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. He argued that differences in how boys and girls are raised can influence how they express emotions and ask for assistance as adults. Expectations that men must provide for others and remain strong through adversity can make vulnerability difficult, he said. His appeal focused on creating support that recognises those pressures and encourages men to attend to their own well-being. Programme facilitator John-Michael Mader stressed the importance of confidentiality. He said protecting trust was particularly significant in small communities such as Tobago, where breaches could reinforce the stigma surrounding mental health difficulties. McGlone also discussed limits to confidentiality when someone may be at risk of harming themselves, a child or another person. He said people seeking help should be informed of those limits and accompanied in obtaining further assistance when a high suicide risk is identified. Dr Alina Williams, director of the Department of Wellness, Prevention and Health Promotion, attended and was available to support participants affected by the subject matter. McGlone said more than 260 people in Trinidad had already completed the programme. He called for faith-based organisations to extend their work into communities, arguing that trained local support networks could help address stigma and ease pressure on public health services.
Roman Catholic priest Father Gerard McGlone has called for greater support for men facing mental health difficulties in Trinidad and Tobago, warning that financial pressures and expectations surrounding masculinity can make it harder for them to seek help.
The Trinidad Guardian reported that McGlone made the appeal during a Samaritan Movement seminar at the St Joseph RC Retreat Centre in Scarborough last Thursday. The two-day programme brought together participants from different religious denominations for training in adult mental health awareness and suicide first aid.
The programme, described in the report as adapted from the World Health Organization, aimed to equip participants to support people in their communities. McGlone said churches were encountering abuse, violence and suicide, and described the country’s mental health situation as worsening. He linked those concerns to financial hardship, including unemployment; these were assessments attributed to him in the report.
McGlone said the church had developed programmes addressing men’s mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. He argued that differences in how boys and girls are raised can influence how they express emotions and ask for assistance as adults.
Expectations that men must provide for others and remain strong through adversity can make vulnerability difficult, he said. His appeal focused on creating support that recognises those pressures and encourages men to attend to their own well-being.
Programme facilitator John-Michael Mader stressed the importance of confidentiality. He said protecting trust was particularly significant in small communities such as Tobago, where breaches could reinforce the stigma surrounding mental health difficulties.
McGlone also discussed limits to confidentiality when someone may be at risk of harming themselves, a child or another person. He said people seeking help should be informed of those limits and accompanied in obtaining further assistance when a high suicide risk is identified.
Dr Alina Williams, director of the Department of Wellness, Prevention and Health Promotion, attended and was available to support participants affected by the subject matter.
McGlone said more than 260 people in Trinidad had already completed the programme. He called for faith-based organisations to extend their work into communities, arguing that trained local support networks could help address stigma and ease pressure on public health services.
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