When she first started looking into what mental health resources were available for men a few years ago, Candace Chisholm was not prepared for what she found.

Chisholm is co-founder of Okanagan tech company . She launched the company with her husband after working for a non-profit, with services primarily for women and children, but often getting calls from men inquiring about mental health resources.

Now, the company has developed the he app for men害羞草研究所檚 mental health and wellness.

害羞草研究所淚 always had a place for women to go, but for men, everything out there was really reactionary,害羞草研究所� said Chisholm. 害羞草研究所淵ou had to be addicted or going through some kind of anger management. There wasn害羞草研究所檛 really anything with a proactive approach.害羞草研究所�

After leaving the non-profit she did extensive research into statistics and what mental health resources were available to men. What she found was staggering.

害羞草研究所淔ive men, every hour, die by suicide in North America alone,害羞草研究所� she explained. 害羞草研究所淓leven Canadians die every day by suicide and eight of them are men.害羞草研究所�

Further research revealed many men struggling with mental health issues, by all appearances, seemed like they had it all. A good job. Family. Success.

害羞草研究所淭hat just didn害羞草研究所檛 sit with me,害羞草研究所� said Chisholm. 害羞草研究所淚 have two sons. I have a husband. I just didn害羞草研究所檛 want a world that didn害羞草研究所檛 address it.害羞草研究所�

Chisholm also found several men she interviewed, from every walk of life, shared many things in common.

害羞草研究所淚t really came down to a couple of things,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淟oneliness, because they felt they were the only ones going through this, and purpose was the other one that came up. So we wanted to make sure that men realized that they aren害羞草研究所檛 alone, that there are a lot of guys out there who just want to connect.害羞草研究所�

That was the beginning of the he app.

害羞草研究所淕ender norms have been the way they have for so many generations,害羞草研究所� added Chisholm. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been, man up. Suck it up. Move forward. But the world has really shifted and we figured it was a good time to bring something like this into the market.害羞草研究所�

The beta version of the app has been running for a year and is available on and the . It害羞草研究所檚 currently free.

害羞草研究所淭he app is really in its infant stages right now,害羞草研究所� explained Chislom. 害羞草研究所淭he plans that we have for it, we害羞草研究所檙e so excited to bring them forward, and we害羞草研究所檙e updating as we go.害羞草研究所�

Chisholm害羞草研究所檚 husband Mike hosts podcasts through the app called heCast. Guests have included Humboldt Broncos crash survivor Ryan Straschnitzki, local business owners and residents, and a soon-to-be-released podcast featuring Hockey Night In Canada害羞草研究所檚 Ron McLean.

害羞草研究所淪ome of the men on the podcast have lost children or gone through a divorce, or lost businesses,害羞草研究所� said Chisholm. 害羞草研究所淭hese are things that create stresses, that if you don害羞草研究所檛 have some way to manage it, they can have devastating results.害羞草研究所�

The app also includes a community just for men to share. Chisholm felt it was vital they have that space.

害羞草研究所淲e were intent of having that community be that,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淥ur mantra is 害羞草研究所榯ake what you need and leave what you know.害羞草研究所� You know things other guys can glean from, but you can also take from that too and add to your life about how to navigate a new situation.害羞草研究所�

Chisholm pointed out, that as a society, we still have stigma around mental health, but it害羞草研究所檚 not a word she likes to use or hear.

害羞草研究所淭his isn害羞草研究所檛 just about mental health, she said. 害羞草研究所淭his is about all levels of your fitness. It害羞草研究所檚 like riding in a car with a flat tire. You may not even notice it for a while, but eventually, you hit the rim and you stop. That害羞草研究所檚 really indicative of how what it害羞草研究所檚 like to balance our fitnesses.害羞草研究所�

Read More: Kelowna men running for mental health awareness

Read More: B.C. mental health expert offers tips for dealing with seasonal blues on Blue Monday

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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