Men’s circles are helping rural Australians express their emotions – but experts say more support is needed

Aaron Schultz founded the charity Outback Mind, which runs men’s circles around rural Australia, after losing a friend to suicide. Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The Guardian

Peter Farlow’s father never spoke to him about his emotions. “That’s a common thing with men,” the 65-year-old says. It made seeking help difficult; for four years he struggled with anxiety and depression, visiting various clinics but never finding his way.

“That’s when I heard about this men’s circle being set up,” he says. “So I went along with the encouragement of my wife and there was a group of men there who could verbalise their emotions and talk about things I probably have never been able to talk about with other men.”