Some members of St Nicholas Anglican Church’s men’s group in Goulburn on a mine visit earlier this year, are now digging in to support other men in the wider community. Photo: Ian Anderson.
CONTENT WARNING: This article mentions mental health difficulties and suicide.
Throughout his working life, Paul Scott worked in dangerous trouble spots around the world helping people with their mental health.
Paul is now living in Goulburn where he has responded to a group of men reaching out for support.
Semi-retired, Paul is a specialist in crisis intervention, mental health and wellbeing, with more than 35 years’ experience in crisis counselling, suicide intervention, trauma response and hostage negotiation.
He was just the bloke a Goulburn men’s group, including Ian Anderson, were looking for. Having overcome open heart surgery, prostate cancer and melanomas, Ian was worried about his mental health and the health of his mates especially as they grow older.
A St Nicholas Church parishioner and on the parish council, Ian and the church’s men’s group meet fortnightly and decided to do something about mental health.
They began looking for someone who could speak on the subject and were surprised to find Paul living in Goulburn.
A well-travelled counsellor and leader in every state and territory of Australia and abroad, Paul today provides consultancy services.
Looking back over a career which saw him combine World Vision International and Salvation Army assignments in 17 countries, Paul has often seen the huge stigma stopping many men from acknowledging their mental struggles.
“In Australia two thirds of people who kill themselves through suicide are men,” he said.
“If we look at trauma for example, we find females experience a lot more trauma as a result of the way in which domestic violence occurs and sexual misconduct and attack.
“We don’t want to leave out women, but want a special focus on men to try and separate mental health in men and why it is important and to experience and create awareness that there is hope available and let’s talk about it.”
So he is more than happy to be the guest speaker at an event in Goulburn on Saturday, 13 September focussed on men’s mental health.
“Men have particular challenges,” he said. “The literature and commentary talk about the fact men tend to not be so forthcoming in sharing their feelings and what their thoughts are when they are struggling, whereas women might be more prone to share and comment with one another.”
He will be breaking down the challenges men face and social expectations on them being strong and tough when they are prone to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Among the significant barriers to getting help for men is the huge stigma which stops them taking action. Paul will be discussing the wider implications of this and what to do about them.
Paul Scott’s work in mental health counselling and 35 years of supporting emergency responders has been recognised with an Order of Australia. Photo: Supplied.
He will be aiming to increase help-seeking behaviour and to normalise it and to look at what support networks can be established with individuals and collectively, drawing on his extensive experience.
He has provided counselling for emergency responders in Cyprus, Pakistan, Israel and Palestine.
His last deployments included Turkey near the Syrian border, Bangladesh for the Rohingya refugee humanitarian crisis and Afghanistan.
At times, like other aid workers, he has come under suspicion as a spy. Every assignment has its challenges and he and the organisations he was working for wanted to abide by and honour cultural and religious customs and act appropriately.
“Not just to be the shiny white man who comes in with Western methodology, but to ensure informed, evidence-based approaches mixed with appropriate cultural and religious relevance is absolutely important,” he said.
A different set of challenges arose for him during his 22 years as manager of mental health services for the NSW Rural Fire Service, the largest agency of its kind in the world with more than 70,000 members and nearly 2000 brigades.
“(Firefighting) is sometimes a hobby or by necessity in the very rural and remote areas, they might be the only form of immediate response or immediate support and provision of services,” he said.
Those first responders in isolated communities dealing with emergencies often did not have the support services which was another challenge on top of the mental health ones.
His talk in Goulburn will provide men with the opportunity to discuss the many and varied challenges they are facing these days.
Paul Scott’s talk, Men, meat pies and mental health, will be held from 10 am to 12:30 pm on Saturday, 13 September, at Goulburn Soldiers Club, 15-17 Market Street, Goulburn. Tickets, at $10, are available at reception.
If this story causes you distress, please seek support. If you need help, or someone you know does, call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.
