John Crisp opened “Blah… Blah… Blah… Coffee For Blokes” as somewhere for men to come and talk about their everyday problems in our normal, day-to-day society.
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“Such as depression, drug and alcohol and heart disease,” John said.
“I offer them a set of ears to try to find out what is going on and them I refer them back out to the community, a doctor, social security or whatever they might need.”
As a victim of all three things listed above, John thinks he has plenty of experience with those sorts of problems, and he also has a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.
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John recently ran a similar group In Coffs Harbour where he said he had a broad range of about 16 men who attended each week.
“The age group was from about 19 to 90,” he said.
“Anyone who would like to come along is welcome. We hold a discussion group on Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm in the Jacaranda Room at the rear of Kent House at 141 Faulkner Street.
“Men can come along and have a yarn about anything. I remember the first bloke we talked to, he started to talk about football to begin with. Then about three months later we got onto his health. It takes time and I’ve got time.”
John stressed he was not a counselor.
“I’ve just got a set of ears and a lot of life experience I can pass down to other men,” he said.
“I wish I’d have had a men’s group to go to and discuss certain things and get an outlet and referrals to go somewhere else. It would have helped me.”