Check-in with them after your chat.

Checking in is a key part of this process. It sends a clear message to the person that you care and that you’re genuinely in their corner.

In difficult times, reaching out can give someone hope and a sense of how powerful their support network is.

Develop trust

Building a relationship and nurturing trust can be a slow process. It's important to be genuine, honest, consistent, and always maintain confidentiality. Follow up when you say you’re going to follow-up. Clear communication is important - especially if your plans need to change.

Plan a follow-up

Ongoing conversation is key to ensuring the enduring value of the connection. Once you’ve asked, listened, and encouraged action, always arrange a time to check in and follow up your chat.

You can send a text, make a phone call or catch-up face to face.

Asking questions can help to open up a conversation: “How have you been since we last spoke?” or “How has your sleeping/mood been we last spoke?” or ‘How has your mood been since last week?’

Ask if they’ve sought professional help or if they’ve given it any thought (if it was something they said they’d do). You could ask, “How did you go getting in contact with….”

Also, remain available for the men in your life.

If we model healthy behaviors when it comes to taking care of our own mental health, we encourage and empower the men we care about to be proactive in managing their own wellbeing.