This session is open to anyone who genuinely wants to understand why so many men stay silent, even when life is falling apart behind the scenes. People often say men should talk more, but that ignores the reality. Many men do try to talk. They just are not always heard. Others have learnt over years that speaking up leads to judgement, embarrassment or being treated as weak. For many men silence is not stubbornness. It is protection.

This talk with Dr Robin Hadley will help you understand the hidden barriers behind that silence. Men often avoid talking about personal or sensitive issues because they fear shame or being judged. Society teaches men to see emotional honesty as a weakness, which makes vulnerability feel dangerous. Instead of talking things through, many men try to fix problems quickly or act their way out of them. When men do not feel safe expressing their feelings, they can become isolated. That isolation is where the real risk grows.

Across England and Wales men still account for about three quarters of all suicides. Many never speak to family, friends or professionals before reaching crisis. This session is designed to help everyone understand the problem before it reaches that point. If you work with men, live with men, support men, or simply care about the men in your life, you will take something important from this hour.

About Dr Robin Hadley

Dr Robin Hadley is an Associate Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, a research consultant, and one of the leading voices on male childlessness, ageing and the emotional lives of men. He describes himself as a late onset academic, beginning his academic journey in his mid-50s. He is also a mediated childless man and speaks openly about how that shaped his understanding of identity, grief and ageing.

Robin grew up in a working class family as the 7th youngest of 8 children. He left school with few qualifications and spent more than 30 years as a scientific photographer until digital technology transformed the industry. In his mid-40s he retrained as a counsellor. His MA explored male desire for fatherhood. His MSc and PhD followed, focusing on the impact of male childlessness, a subject that had been largely ignored.

Since then he has been highlighting the invisibility of men in health and social care and the emotional pressures men carry without saying a word. He was a founder member of Ageing Without Children and continues to challenge assumptions about what a man’s life should look like.

Robin brings humour, honesty and solid research. His insight helps us understand why men struggle to talk and what needs to change in how we listen.

Why Attend

If you want real insight into why men stay silent, what keeps them from talking, and how to make it easier for men to open up, this session is worth your hour. You will leave with a clearer understanding of what men need and how to support them before things reach breaking point.