38-year-old Rob Osman of Bristol, England has fought anxiety and depression basically his whole life. Over the years, he struggled to find a truly effective way to better his own mental health. He’s admittedly spent time couch surfing and smoking way too much marijuana, according to Bored Panda. Fortunately, Rob eventually found an outlet, something that’s changed the way he lives and copes.
Rob set out to pursue a psychology and counseling degree, which helps him deal with his own anxiety. But the biggest emotional change came simply from walking his Hungarian Vizsla, Mali. He noticed the short trips were an incredibly effective way to ease his mind and relax, relieving tension as his walks progressed.
Like Rob, lots of men struggle with everyday frustrations without a truly therapeutic way to deal with them. And so, Rob founded the community-based mental wellness program Dudes & Dogs.
The idea is that a group of men go out on a walk together with a dog. One would provide the dog – the so-called “dog dude” – while others could tag along for the ride. Osman tells Bristol TV that on these walks, “You can talk about the big stuff, you can talk about the small stuff, you can talk about the sport this weekend, or you can just tag along, it’s completely up to you.”
Rob wanted to share an idea that worked for him. Soon enough, Rob received a ton of support from others. Eventually, more and more people began coming out for group walks.
Osman asserts that men often struggle with interpersonal interactions and just talking things through. He wanted to create a method and platform by which men could deal with their pent-up emotions, or simply enjoy the company of other people (and dogs).
He goes on to tell Bristol TV, “Everyone knows fresh air’s good for you, everyone knows animals can be good for you, and everyone knows that talking’s good for you.”
Rob asserts that men often have trouble in traditional settings whereby people are alone and talking about their feelings face-to-face. Dudes & Dogs provides an entirely different therapeutic outlet, where one is given the space to operate under his own terms during a walk. The talks can be a little less traditionally formal, seeking to provide a pressure-free environment for men to better themselves.
Rob clearly has a vision and wants to empower other men to take control of their mental health and ultimately, their lives. Osman is trying to secure funds to take his idea across England, bringing the social service to other cities.
Dudes & Dog functions as a therapeutic way to bolster mental health, talk, walk, or just enjoy the company of others. The organization has already garnered a ton of support across the web. Feel free to check out the organization and send support to its Twitter page. “Rather than saying ‘let’s sit down and have a talk,’ it’s ‘come on mate, let’s go for a walk.’”
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