Stand Tall Empower

On 16th March Kendal Rotary Club’s speaker was Stephen Hall who has set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) “Stand Tall, Empower” to champion men’s mental health.

A former teacher of English, Stephen retrained as a therapist, focussing on male trauma and addiction: his empathy comes from lived experience. 

Research suggests that movement enables easier processing of challenging emotions. He uses the outdoors for his walk and talk approach and explained that sometimes woodland is an ideal safe environment, whilst those suffering PTSD usually need open spaces, free from potential hiding places and threat. 

Stephen uses fire as a therapeutic tool by building a fire from scratch, and the challenge of cold water swims to manage the nervous system. Men tend to respond positively to challenge and feel a sense of achievement.

He works with volunteers who are trained in emotional safety and how to handle and respond to challenging conversations and can work in 1:1 and in corporate situations in the workplace.