A focus on male mental health and mindfulness
Thrive is more than a day out for shopping, working out and learning new recipes. One of the key focuses of the event is mental wellbeing, and since the event’s inception in 2019, this has been a key topic. Mental health is an essential part of overall wellbeing, with the World Health Organisation defining mental health as a ‘state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community’.
For the event in 2020, a key focus will be on male mental wellbeing. One of the key speakers in this area will be Milk For Tea. A UK-based social enterprise founded by Daniel Edmund and Jack Norman, their mission is to progress men’s wellbeing and personal development. One of their biggest aims is to help combat the male suicide rate which is currently one of the leading causes for death in males in the UK and in many other countries. They are passionate about progressing modern masculinity and are hyper aware that there are a plethora of issues that are exacerbated by men, many having a negative impact on women, the LGBTQ+ community and others. They believe if they can help men have a better relationship with themselves and other men it will have a positive impact on everyone else.
Irish artist Maser will also be at Thrive discussing male mindfulness. Maser has recently partnered with The Dublin Boys Club which is a ‘nomadic man’s group exploring healthy masculinity’ where men can learn to communicate better with each other and grow into the most authentic versions of themselves. Originally hosted in Berlin by Irish meditation teacher Conor Creighton, the ‘Berlin Boys Club’ is a platform for healthy masculinity where the importance of safe spaces for men to talk is highlighted. The Dublin Boys Club’s aim is to respond to rising suicide levels, anxiety and depression amongst men. The club has taken place in prisons, schools, homes, storage containers, positive haBits: Author Fiona Brennan experts: Daniel Edmund and Jack Norman, and, left, Maser bars and bedrooms, in Los Angeles,
New York, Limerick and the Mojave Desert. Laura Lynch, who is a life and executive coach, will also be on hand to talk about mental health. Laura will speak about her experience detoxing from social media and will share her tips on managing anxiety with festival goers. Speakers in a similar realm include Fiona Brennan, author of the best-selling book The Positive
Habit. Fiona will be discussing her ‘6 Steps for Transforming Negative Thoughts into Positive Emotions’. This aims to help people learn about their relationships and how to not take things personally in order to grow in their personal and professional life. A clinical hypnotherapist, mindfulness and certified neuro-linguistic programming practitioner, Fiona is a TEDx speaker, blogger and an ambassador for positivity in the media.
Siobhán Murray, author of The Burnout Solution returns to Thrive for 2020. A resilience, burnout and stress coach and psychotherapist, Siobhan will speak about ‘Resetting Your Resilience’ and how to avoid burnout. Her talk aims to help people overcome burnout, how to manage the demands of their personal and professional roles as well as how to embrace self-care.