James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, 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 suicidal thoughts 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
GREEN BAY (WLUK) — A recent murder-suicide in Suamico is shining a spotlight on men’s mental health.
For many men dealing with a mental health crisis, getting the help they need isn’t always easy. But Harry Sydney the founder of a men’s mentoring program called My Brother’s Keeper, said luckily there are some resources.
“We all deal with stuff, but men are taught that they have to handle things differently. So if we don’t change our thought process there is usually a lot of damage,” he explained.
Sydney said a lot of the struggles men are facing today should be considered an epidemic and more resources are needed to help them. Especially with middle aged men having the highest suicide rates in Wisconsin.
“So the most recent data that we have from 2016 we had 676 identified as made for death by suicide and 186 identified as female out of 862,” said Leah Rolando with Prevention Suicide Wisconsin.
Prevention Suicide Wisconsin is another statewide resource for anyone going through a stressful time, which can sometimes trigger suicidal crisis.
“We know suicide is complex and there is no one way to solve this. So some risk factors are relationship problems, economic stress, family problems, which is why we try and focus on connecting them with resources,” she said.
My Brother’s Keeper’s mentoring program not only provides one-one one support for men. It also offers group sessions for schools and businesses.
There are also resources for women who are in violent or abusive relationships.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
