Mending Piece By Piece Newsletter

Breaking the Silence

Grief, depression and anxiety do not discriminate.
But how we experience it—and how we are allowed to express it—often does.

For many men, emotional pain is carried quietly.
Not just grief… but anxiety, depression, stress, and overwhelm.

From a young age, many men receive messages like:

• “Be strong”

• “Man up”

• “Don’t cry”

• “Handle it”

And while those messages may be intended to build resilience, they often come at a cost.

Because emotions don’t disappear when they are pushed down.
They just find other ways to show up.

Expanding the Conversation

As a therapist—and through my own lived experience—I have seen how often men struggle not just with grief, but with:

• Anxiety that feels constant and hard to name

• Depression that shows up as irritability, withdrawal, or numbness

• Stress that builds silently over time

• A sense of pressure to hold everything together for everyone else

And too often, these experiences go unseen… or unspoken.

That is why this summit is not just about grief.

It is about the full emotional experience of being human—and giving men permission to feel it.

Introducing the Summit

🧠 Breaking the Silence: Men’s Grief & Mental Health Summit
🗓 Saturday, April 11, 2026
💻 Virtual Event

This summit is designed to open honest, real conversations about:

• Grief and loss

• Anxiety and depression

• Stress and emotional overwhelm

• Identity, pressure, and expectations

• Healing, coping, and connection

We are creating a space where men can feel seen, heard, and supported—without judgment.

Why This Matters

When emotional pain is ignored or minimized, it doesn’t go away.

It can show up as:

• Anger or frustration

• Isolation and disconnection

• Difficulty in relationships

• Increased anxiety or depression

• Physical symptoms or burnout

This summit is about changing the narrative.

Moving from:
“Stay strong” → to “You don’t have to carry this alone.”
“Man up” → to “You’re allowed to feel.”

Meet the Speakers

I am honored to bring together a group of powerful voices—men who are not only professionals, but individuals who have lived through grief, mental health struggles, and personal challenges.

Featured speakers include:

Jim Rinere
Jim Rinere knows this experience well.

A former Division 1 athlete, CEO, and author, Jim hid his struggles with depression and anxiety for years before realizing he couldn’t carry it alone anymore.

At the Breaking the Silence: Men’s Mental Health & Grief Summit, Jim will share his story—and help break the stigma around men talking about mental health.

Michael Straley
No parent expects to lose a child.
Michael Straley has lost two.

Through the pain of losing his children, he has had to navigate a level of grief most people cannot imagine.

Like many men, he could have stayed silent in that pain.
Instead, he chose to speak about it—to help other families facing addiction, loss, and grief feel less alone.

At the summit, Michael will share what that journey has really looked like.
Not the version people see on the outside…
but the reality of carrying loss and continuing to show up.

If you’ve experienced loss, or are struggling with the weight of something you don’t talk about…this conversation is for you.

Dr. EJ Hanhart Losing your partner changes everything.
Dr. EJ Hanhart knows this experience personally.

As a widower, caregiver, and someone who has worked in high-stress, frontline roles, he understands the kind of grief that doesn’t always get talked about—especially among men.

The kind where you’re expected to keep going.
To stay strong.
To handle things.

But inside, everything has changed.

At the summit, Dr. EJ will share what grief, loss, and resilience have looked like in his own life—and what it means to navigate that as a man.

If you’ve experienced loss, stress, or the pressure to carry everything on your own…
you are not alone. Each speaker brings honesty, vulnerability, and real-life insight into what it means to struggle—and to begin healing. Which story resonates most with you?
Sometimes just hearing one person speak what we’ve been carrying can make all the difference. Register Today at: https://www.lindafalascolcsw.com/menssummit Scholarships are available. If cost is a barrier, please reach out confidentially  at [email protected]

With Gratitude to Our Sponsors

This event is made possible through the support of organizations committed to mental health, grief awareness, and community healing.

Community Sponsor: Aversa & Linn 

Supporting Ally Sponsor: Oliver Heating & Cooling

Mending Friend Sponsors: Delaware County Suicide Awareness & Prevention Task Force

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