Here and There with Twin Cities Men
"Thanks for the wonderful work you do and for the years of great newsletter issues.”
– Lynda Cramer 2024-06-14
“I truly admire your care for me and the TC men’s community. As men we struggle, fail, get sad, get mad, and get screwed over by gender politics. You understand and offer an ear for men and women. Keep doing your great work helping men of all types. Yet also spend time to take care for yourselves—stay positive. A humble, heartfelt thank you! Much respect!”
– Jeremy A. 2024-04-23
As reported in the April-May issue of Men Talk, Men’s Center co-founder and long-time volunteer, Scott Bartell died May 5, 2024 at age 75. His memorial celebration was this past weekend, September 14th filled with song and poetry. At TCMC he was an active, energetic volunteer, board member and support group facilitator. As a volunteer staff member, he served as Volunteer Coordinator in 1983. Scott helped organize the first directory of resources for men as part of the Men’s Survival Resource Book in 1978 and kept the list updated until the mid-1980s when it was incorporated into Men Talk. He led workshops at several Midwest Regional Men’s Conferences in the 1980s and was active in the Bi-Sexual Support Group at TCMC into the 1990s.
– Andy Mickel, 2024-09-17.
TCMC Office Manager Tom Maher participated in the S.A.V.E. Ride in Faribault, where he met Colonel B. Wayne Quist of vetsempowered.org. Their new book, “Veterans In Crisis” is about treating the unique needs of those who have served. Colonel Quist was very interested in learning about TCMC, and sent 2 copies of the book for our library. He is interested in opportunities to collaborate with TCMC in the future. – Tom Maher, 2024-08-12.
TCMC again participated in Mental Health Day at the State Fair on Monday August 26th along with more than two dozen other organizations hosted by NAMI (National Alliance Mental Illness). Our booth was staffed by: Bob S., Patrick G., Tom W., Derek G., Matt B., Jim H., Andy M., David K., and Jamie W. We spoke with hundreds of fair goers about TCMC services and activities. – Tom Maher, 2024-08-12.
The 6 Relationship Successes Great Men Achieve: Which Ones Are You Missing?
I have found that there are six relationship successes that all men hope to achieve during their lifetimes. I said they all require a great deal of learning and support, which is why the first rule in my book, 12 Rules for Good Men, is “Join a Men’s Group.” Men don’t necessarily address these six issues in the same order I did and we often address each one multiple times in our lives before we achieve ultimate success:
- Becoming a Great Father.
- Finding Your Calling and Taking It to the Limit.
- Connecting With Your Tribal Brothers.
- Finding and Keeping Your Soul Mate From Here to Eternity.
- Standing Up To the Destructive Dominators When Your Time is Called To Act.
- Becoming the Man You Were Meant to Be.
Read more at: https://menalive.com/the-6-relationship-successes-great-men-achieve/
– Jed Diamond, 2024-08-25.
World Suicide Prevention Day 2024: Changing the Narrative For Men and Their Familites + An Evolutionary Approach for Healing Depression and Preventing Suicide, Part 4
In Part 1, I shared my challenges with depression, the fact that the suicide rate for males is so much higher than it is for females, and how these realties have impacted men and their families. ... Males and females face many challenges as we age, but it is older males who more often end their lives by suicide with rates 8 to 17 times higher rates than for females.
In Part 2, I looked more deeply into the underlying causes and potential solutions to this world-wide problem. ... Men not only take greater risks than women, but also are less resilient and more prone to feelings of failure when they don’t feel they can offer something of value to those they love.
In Part 3, I offered on an evolutionary understanding of what we need to know to help us address the major problems of male violence, directed inwards and outwards. ...
Suicide is the most prevalent form of violence and is the cause of more death than either war or homicide. We don’t often think of suicide as a form of violence or depression as an underlying cause of violence, but they are intimately related.
In Part 4, I offer guidance for all those who are ready to see the truth about the times in which we live and how we can live, love, and work, for good in the world ... An old kind of masculinity on the way out is based on the dominator system. Throughout the world emotionally wounded men who ascend to power have chosen a dominator approach to asserting power. A new kind of masculinity has been quietly emerging based on the partnership system. Men and their families to embrace the partnership system and have recently created a way for organizations and individuals to belief in these ideas and practices to stay connected.