(Editor’s note: The Times is aware of the recent tragedy in Gunnison. While this story does not discuss that incident directly, it does address the topic of suicide. We recognize this may be a difficult subject for some readers. People in crisis should call the Colorado Crisis Services Hotline at 844.493.8255 or text TALK to 38255. Their trained professionals provide free, immediate and confidential help 24/7, 365 days a year. Crested Butte Youth Wellness offers four free counseling sessions for kids between grades 6-12 and CB State of Mind provides 10 free sessions with a local therapist. For peer support specialists at Gunnison Valley Health, email behavioralhealth@gvh-colorado.org or call 970.648.7128.) Just days before Christian Schlegel took his own life in 2023, he had one final conversation with someone close. Later, his mother Chris Peterson learned what had been said — and it flipped her entire understanding of men’s mental health and inspired her own journey in suicide prevention. “On his final day speaking to someone, that person said, ‘You need to talk to someone, a counselor, therapist, something,’” Peterson said. “[Christian] responded, ‘I would talk to someone, but nobody would understand.’”
Peterson realized that modern-day therapy wasn’t the answer to the mental health crisis looming over the Gunnison Valley — and Christian wasn’t alone. That same year, seven men between the ages of 21 and 41 took their own lives. Last year, Peterson and her husband Ben Nielsen created Brothers Helping Brothers, a new mental health resource to transform how local men communicate and support one another. “Getting rid of that stigma and getting guys to communicate with each other goes a long way in suicide prevention, and not just that, but also quality of life,” Nielsen said. “Life’s hard enough as it is and having a place to hang out and blow off some steam goes a really long way.” In the wake of Christian’s death, Peterson rallied county employees and local businesses to find a way to raise awareness for suicide prevention. She asked construction companies and businesses like Western Lumber, Ace Hardware and Christopher Klein Construction to build portable putt-putt golf holes. On March 23, 2024, over 400 people flooded into the Fred Field Center and played mini golf, participated in a silent auction and learned how to prevent suicide. At the event, Peterson polled Gunnison Valley men and used the results to format a new mental health resource. She partnered with Andrea Breiner, a local therapist, who lost her father to suicide when she was only two years old. “All five of our board members have lost a male family member to suicide,” Peterson said. “We all sat down with so many men in the community and the one common thread we found among at least 90% of them was traditional therapy and counseling was completely off the table — they would not consider it. So, we tried to think of something they would consider.” The board called their program “Brothers Helping Brothers” and designed it to bring men of all ages and across all backgrounds together to discuss the challenges they face and learn from others who have been through similar experiences.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Brothers Helping Brothers began with weekly meetings, called “Dude Talk Dinners.” Danny Lefebvre, owner of Mario’s Pizza and The Dive, became one of the first major supporters and started serving and hosting the event at The Dive on Monday nights when the restaurant was closed. But recently, Dude Talk Dinners relocated from The Dive to the Echo Ridge Excavation shop to move away from a bar setting. “Rural communities, and especially mountain communities have higher rates [of suicide],” Peterson said. “I think it’s the cold, the isolation and there’s a lot of people that don’t ski and don’t want to go out in the cold. So it’s about having a group to connect with for game nights, to play pool and not be in a bar setting.” In the first number of meetings, attendees gathered around the table, introduced themselves one-by-one and shared whatever topics came to mind. But Nielsen felt that the original format was a bit “too formal” and, over time, Dude Talk Dinners has evolved into a catered men’s hangout. Visitors are welcome to shoot pool, play darts and enjoy a setting away from a bar, or even their normal group of friends. Despite the change, Nielsen said incredible conversations have continued to emerge around the dinner table. “When you’re hanging out and meeting guys, conversation comes naturally and we really want guys to have organic conversation and to be able to support one another in that way,” Nielsen said. “The really cool thing is when guys start opening up, the amount of support from the rest of the group is amazing. There’s no judgments, no interruptions. Guys really can support each other in a really profound way.” As Brothers Helping Brothers continues this year, Nielsen said he is most excited to introduce volunteer work and community service to the program. Many of the past attendees have been skilled tradesmen and work as carpenters, electricians and mechanics — valuable skills that could help the community, Nielsen said. This month, Brothers Helping Brothers hosted two Dude Talk Dinners on Oct. 8 and 22. But Nielsen said he’s noticed an even larger impact outside of the bi-monthly meetings and in his everyday routines. While on a job site, he said he’s far more likely to check in with an employee, to initiate tough conversations and recognize when someone might be struggling. “[Brothers Helping Brothers] has been the starting point of getting guys to recognize that other men may be having problems and that they can talk to them,” he said. “It gets easier and easier as you start to open up with other guys and that’s what starts to kill that stigma surrounding men’s mental health.”
