Leon is a Māori man who experienced a life of turmoil including sexual and physical abuse, a marriage breakdown, a restraining order, suicidal feelings and time in a men’s refuge. He credits a self-development course with the change in his story and founding of Haka for Life. This grew out of an ANZAC Day where he saw the haka as a way for men ‘in the war of the mind’ to express themselves, describing its power as an explosive, energetic release of expression, and a kind of medicine.
Adrian is a volunteer with Lifeline WA. He grew up in a household where his mother was treated for bipolar and chose to volunteer in mental health after his career in retail banking. He talks about his work with Lifeline, explaining that his role is to get the caller to talk about what is happening for them and that the act of listening can sometimes be enough to change the way a caller is thinking.