🤗 The Male Hug: Creating a Different Way to Reach Men I was joined by Tony Rabah, Founder and CEO of The Male Hug, for two hours talking about men, health, connection and what it takes to reach men earlier. Tony arrived in Australia from Lebanon when he was four, having spent his earliest years with his grandparents while his parents established a life here in Australia. We talked about his father, what he absorbed about being a man, and a message familiar to many boys of his generation: “You don't show weakness. You take in, but you don't let out.” Years later, Tony found himself doing exactly that as his businesses came under enormous pressure during the GFC, his marriage ended and his father was dying from cancer. He still saw himself as the man who could handle everything, until he couldn't. That part of Tony’s story helps make sense of The Male Hug, his commitment to reaching men early and the work now happening through 1800 MY BUDDY, Talktober, the Buddy program, and its network of volunteers, partners and ambassadors. Our conversation also took us into the men who can be “missing in plain sight”, particularly those whose work has become intertwined with identity and purpose, what happens when that disappears, why behaviour can speak before words do, and whether we are creating the conditions for men to engage rather than simply telling them to talk and seek help. There was plenty of laughter too, with football, family, some questionable cryptic song clues and a misunderstanding before we even went to air that became a rather fitting lesson in the value of responding rather than reacting. Thank you Tony for such an open and generous Sunday morning, for everything you continue to give to The Male Hug and the people it reaches. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nwunw1rki76U3MsKe2Hoh?si=de3f05dd086343d2 | YouTube: @raebonney7846 | Podbean: https://rae6z.podbean.com/ What Does It Feel Like, Being You, Today? www.raebonney.au 94.1FM 3WBC #TheMaleHug #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #Connection #WhatDoesItFeelLikeBeingYouToday #3WBC