Heart & Soul: A Men’s Wellness Collective is a free event that will bring together health care professionals, mental health providers, community organizations and expert speakers to inform, educate and inspire men to be proactive about their mental health. Presented by Baptist Memorial Health Care in honor of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 at the Agricenter International Expo Center in Memphis. Please keep reading for more details on educational sessions and celebrity guest speakers.
“Baptist is presenting this event because the Community Health Needs Assessment that we conduct every three years to gauge the wellness needs of the communities we serve showed a great need in this area,” said Keith Norman, vice president/chief government affairs and community relations officer for Baptist. “This event will assist males with ‘heart and soul,’ meaning their physical, mental and emotional health. We want to make sure that the total person is healthy in mind, body and spirit.”
Norman said that Heart & Soul is a potentially life-changing event where men can connect with each other in a safe place, build relationships and follow through on their health care needs. With continued engagement from churches across the community, the effort to focus on men’s mental health and wellness will be sustained beyond this event.
“We realize from our Community Health Needs Assessment that many of the issues we encounter can be prevented or managed if they are dealt with early on, so the idea of getting men to open up and talk about it and find ways to connect to practitioners and health care systems that can help them can be a life-changing moment that we’re searching for,” said Norman.
According to Norman, the event will give men the tools they need to better engage with their families and contribute, not just financially, but also emotionally and spiritually.
Celebrity Guest Speakers and Educational Sessions
The Grizz Girls and Grizzlies Grannies & Grandpas will be at the event along with actress Elise Neal, actor Da’Vinchi and celebrity guest speakers Michael Jai and Gillian White.
Heart & Soul will also feature presentations from mental health experts, breakout discussion sessions, free health screenings, vendor booths, door prizes and giveaways.
Participants can attend educational sessions covering anger management and conflict resolution, brotherhood and mentorship, family planning and resources, legal support and resources, suicide prevention and workforce development.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Doors open at 8 a.m., and free parking is available.
Please click here to register for this free event, or email Community.Relations@bmhcc.org for more details.
