A SPACE FOR DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Impacts of COVID-19 In the Wellness of Men
A Courageous Conversation on the Wellbeing of Sons-Fathers-Men
COVID-19 has manifested the holes in the souls in men over the first eight months of 2020. The rates of depression, despair, and challenges for men, husbands, fathers, son, and more has increased from heart-breaking losses of life or unable to help parents and grandparents. The difficulties of losing employment or significant reduction of income challenging men to find support amid community-based organizations and interfaith providers also reduced the capacity to be in services.
Let's come together to listen and have a real conversation on men's wellness. The suicide rate among American men is about four times higher than among women, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women are more likely to attempt suicide, but men are more likely to succeed. Major depression was most prevalent among Hispanics (10.8%), followed by African Americans (8.9%) and Whites (7.8%).
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Mr. Carlos J. Edwards
Carlos has dedicated his life to helping others identify their strengths and skills to live happier and healthier. The oldest of 8 children and raised by a single mother, Carlos, forfeited his childhood to help support his family. Facing adversity as a child and young man, Carlos was bullied and angry, which resulted in making bad decisions. With the dedication and devotional support of Pastor Ronnie Greene from JITA Outreach Ministries, Carlos decided to change his life and became clean and sober in 2004. Carlos channeled his trauma into helping himself, into helping change the odds for others. In 2014, Carlos graduated with his BSW in Child Welfare from Florida Atlantic University and then obtained his MSW from Barry University in 2017.
During an internship in 2016, Carlos began his career in substance abuse and continues this work today as a Clinical Therapist at a Substance Abuse Treatment Facility. During this journey, Carlos now specializes in supporting male mental health. Carlos helps men understand and focus on the root of their trauma and not just treat their outcomes. Carlos provides a safe space for men to talk, break down barriers, understand pain, and identify strengths.
Carlos is a proud and dedicated husband of almost ten years to Shaniqua, and father to 4-year-old Jaderrick and 3-year-old Jaida. Additionally, Carlos is involved in his community as the VP of the Gate International Church Advisory Board. Carlos knows a happy and healthy family must have a healthy husband and father, and is he is dedicated to making that happen! Carlos' mantra in life is, "I See You,"; which is now a program Carlos created for Men helping Men be better Men, Husbands, and Fathers!
Brett Scudder
Mr. Brett Scudder is a humanitarian, entrepreneur, philanthropist, counselor, life coach, national motivational/inspirational speaker, mentor, suicide attempt survivor, and domestic violence survivor. He is the Executive Director of SISFI's Abuse and Suicide First Aid Response and Wellness Center where he continues to develop his work and studies in the fields of health and wellness, human behavior, psycholinguistics, psychology, sociology and socioeconomics in working directly with people, victims and survivors on early detection, care, and prevention of human suffering and emotional distress. After one of Brett's suicide attempts in 2005, he decided to dedicate his life fulltime to helping people prevent or manage emotional pain, crisis, and distress to prevent suicide ideations and attempts.
Mr. Scudder is a public speaker and conducts workshops and presentations on health and human wellness, technology, social media, education and suicide awareness, and prevention. His speaking engagements are in schools, churches, business places, organizations, and agencies across the world, requesting his expertise and unique approach of human services and emotional wellness. He works with individuals as well as families and groups of people. He sits on various health, mental health, education, anti-violence, community safety, and development councils across NYC, where he shares his expertise in the human conditions of life to create effective, humane services and support systems.
In 2013, Brett founded and launched the Suicide Institute to provide research, specialized education, intervention, postvention, and training in crisis intervention, response and management, and various first aid skillsets such as; mental health, psychological, trauma, domestic abuse, and suicide and psycholinguistics. His motto for the council is "suicide is a human condition that requires love, humane support, patience, and ongoing care to understand, heal, overcome and prevent." In 2018 the council grew to over 1400 actively engaged organizations, churches, agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, survivors, and practitioners focusing more specifically on emotional pain, depression, and suicide. His efforts to address suicide so openly, realistically, and publicly has given him the title of 'the suicide man" wherever he goes.
In 2013, he founded and launched The Suicide Institute to provide research, specialized education, intervention, postvention and training in Crisis Intervention, Response, and Management and various First Aid skill sets such as; Mental Health, Psychological, Trauma, Domestic Abuse, and Suicide and Psycholinguistics. His vision for the Institute is to take training to people in places where they work, worship, study and on the ground in communities on these skillsets so we will have a better system in place to handle early detection, intervention, and prevention of mental/behavioral health crisis and mental illnesses.
Mr. Scudder is the Director of Suicide Prevention and Emotional Wellness for the New York State Chaplain Task Force where he provides training to Chaplains and Clergy Leaders on understanding Emotional Pain and meeting the human and humane needs and conditions of emotional crisis and distress that can lead to trauma and mental health conditions such as depression, addiction, substance abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and suicide. He provides self-care support and training for chaplains and faith-based leaders for them to be balanced in self to handle the work they do for others.
Brett hosts his own Human Wellness Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio, where he addresses human conditions, challenges, resources, wellness, and experiences of his work. He's a father of 5 beautiful children, two boys, and three girls. Find out more about him at brettascudder.com and his work at sisfi.org and suicideinstitute.org.
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