This past year has been particularly traumatising, with innumerable tragedies clustering the new-stream and personal losses affecting almost everybody. As we grow older and get better-versed in adult life, our responsibilities grow exponentially, making it even more difficult for us to focus on what is most important: our overall wellbeing. Often it is easy to put work, or family responsibilities or duties to friends first ahead of our needs, but in the end this only lead to burn out and in some cases, several visits to the trenches.

In line with our responsibilities as a community-first media hub, last month The NATIVE partnered with Eudaimonia Wellness to host our inaugural NATIVE Wellness Hub at the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, a retreat event designed to encourage our community to put their mental health first through resetting and re-centring. 

 

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During this retreat, one of our male guests expressed how the pervasive “men don’t cry” mindset stopped him from expressing his mental health needs. Nigerian men are very often denied the freedom to express their emotions, nor are they afforded the space to confront their inner thoughts. Unfortunately, the rigid expectations our society places on men pays no mind to their mental wellbeing and actively encourages men to ignore it or hide their struggles. For fathers, these troubles are especially heightened, as they carry the weight of the whole family on their shoulders.

Recognising the need for safe spaces for men in our community and beyond, this Father’s Day, NATIVE and Eudaimonia will host our second ever Wellness Hub, to offer a day of mindful meditation, and relaxing activities that will give dads the much-needed break that society instructs them to be ashamed of taking. 

Open to young and new fathers, seasoned dads and their kids or friends, if they wish to come along, The NATIVE and Eudaimonia’s Father’s Day Wellness Hub will include a Kung Fu class to kick off the session, followed by a cocktail making class powered by Johnnie Walker. With two 3-hour sessions taking place, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, this Wellness Hub can fit easily around your day, but will still ensure that father’s get the chance to prioritise their own wellness, for the day and be inspired to be attentive towards their mental wellbeing for life. 

Sign up for yourself, your dad or a loved and cherished father you know here, for a chance to attend.

ICYMI: FOR US BY US: PRIDE IS EVERYWHERE