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香蕉视频直播檚 mental health and wellness.

香蕉视频直播淚 always had a place for women to go, but for men, everything out there was really reactionary,香蕉视频直播� said Chisholm. 香蕉视频直播淵ou had to be addicted or going through some kind of anger management. There wasn香蕉视频直播檛 really anything with a proactive approach.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淔ive men, every hour, die by suicide in North America alone,香蕉视频直播� she explained. 香蕉视频直播淓leven Canadians die every day by suicide and eight of them are men.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淭hat just didn香蕉视频直播檛 sit with me,香蕉视频直播� said Chisholm. 香蕉视频直播淚 have two sons. I have a husband. I just didn香蕉视频直播檛 want a world that didn香蕉视频直播檛 address it.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淚t really came down to a couple of things,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淟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香蕉视频直播檛 alone, that there are a lot of guys out there who just want to connect.香蕉视频直播�

That was the beginning of the he app.

香蕉视频直播淕ender norms have been the way they have for so many generations,香蕉视频直播� added Chisholm. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�

The beta version of the app has been running for a year and is available on and the . It香蕉视频直播檚 currently free.

香蕉视频直播淭he app is really in its infant stages right now,香蕉视频直播� explained Chislom. 香蕉视频直播淭he plans that we have for it, we香蕉视频直播檙e so excited to bring them forward, and we香蕉视频直播檙e updating as we go.香蕉视频直播�

Chisholm香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 Ron McLean.

香蕉视频直播淪ome of the men on the podcast have lost children or gone through a divorce, or lost businesses,香蕉视频直播� said Chisholm. 香蕉视频直播淭hese are things that create stresses, that if you don香蕉视频直播檛 have some way to manage it, they can have devastating results.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淲e were intent of having that community be that,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淥ur mantra is 香蕉视频直播榯ake what you need and leave what you know.香蕉视频直播� 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.香蕉视频直播�

Chisholm pointed out, that as a society, we still have stigma around mental health, but it香蕉视频直播檚 not a word she likes to use or hear.

香蕉视频直播淭his isn香蕉视频直播檛 just about mental health, she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his is about all levels of your fitness. It香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 really indicative of how what it香蕉视频直播檚 like to balance our fitnesses.香蕉视频直播�

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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