Almost audible in Jack’s warm and friendly tone, it’s answered simply: Only one way to find out.
He says a lot of blokes have doubts about counselling before they start, just like he did.
“Personally, I thought it was B.S. until I tried it back in 2013,” Jack said.
“I haven’t looked back.”
Jack has been a counsellor in various environments for around seven years, working with families and relationships, trauma victims, and in the equine therapy space.
Opening his own practice was always his goal, and one he’s kicked quicker than his game plan had mapped out, due to his former workplace, Horses for Hope, unexpectedly closing earlier this year.
Red Gum Reflections is geared for country blokes.
“For me, identifying as a regional, rural man, I know through myself, friends and family, doing things in the bush is different to in metro areas,” Jack said.
“Distance and isolation is always there for us who live in these parts of the world.”
According to Jack, whether you live on the land or not, we are all climate driven, affected by the seasons and patterns.
“In a time of change, what the future looks like is unknown. How do we cope and manage in the face of just and unjust?” he asks.
Jack says with so many pressures on people these days, many don’t take the time to sit with what’s happening, instead choosing to push mental wellness aside and push through instead.
The whole “get on with it” or “she’ll be right” attitudes persist, but Jack likens keeping yourself mentally well to keeping your car running reliably.
“It’s like getting your car serviced, you don’t wait until it’s on death’s door,” he said.
“When you go to a mechanic, it can be straightforward. You can also just go and get support for yourself without it being overwhelming.”
Jack understands it can be daunting, particularly for those who’ve never stepped into the realm of ‘talk therapy’, but insists that prevention is a better method than waiting for a crisis.
He says it takes a lot of guts for people to share the inside of their lives, but is honoured to be able to walk with men through the tough stuff.
“Stigma is real for blokes. As much as things are a bit different these days, there’s still a lot of emphasis,” Jack said.
“Men get so many messages about what they should and shouldn’t be doing.”
Initially becoming a counsellor because he “loves chatting with folks”, among a raft of other reasons, including a call to help his fellow beings, Jack says counselling is a special opportunity for people to take time and pay attention to what’s really happening for them.
“We work together, start where we start, focus on what’s tangible and where things matter to you without necessarily having to talk about feelings,” he said.
Jack hopes to help his clients find steadiness, clarity and growth in a way similar to how gum trees adapt to changing seasons and conditions, thus his practice’s name: Red Gum Reflections.
Besides his outcome-focused one-on-one counselling sessions, Jack also offers clinical supervision services, tailored to each client’s professional context.
For more information, or to book a consultation or session in person at Avenel, online via telehealth or by phone, visit Red Gum Reflections online.
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