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Stories from the journal
Journal Stories
Real entries, lightly edited, shared with permission.
Journal stories opening soon
We're preparing this collection. New writing and stories will land here soon.
Want to be told when this lands? Email us.
About these stories
Real entries from men who chose to share
Journal Stories are first-hand accounts from men in our community — some who came through the men's circle in Canterbury, some who found us online. Every entry is published with the author's written permission and lightly edited only for clarity and safeguarding.
We share them because most men have never read another man's honest interior life. Reading one is often the moment something shifts — the quiet recognition that you are not, in fact, the only one.
What you'll find here
Entries about grief that arrived late, sometimes decades after a loss. Entries about becoming a father and being terrified of the man you might turn into. Entries about the middle of the night, the drive home from work, the strange grief of a marriage that hasn't ended yet.
Nothing here is polished. Nothing is designed to inspire. The point is honesty, at the pace of a real week in a real life.
If reading one of these makes you want to write your own, the Journal Guides hub has prompts to start with. If you'd like to submit a story yourself, email info@mendtogether.org — we'll walk you through the consent and safeguarding process before anything is published.
Questions men often ask
- Who writes these?
- Men connected to MENd Together — participants in our Canterbury men's circle, walking group, and members of the online Recovery Hub. We do not commission or pay for stories.
- Are they anonymised?
- By default, first name only. Some men choose full anonymity; others use their real name. Anything that could identify a third party (partner, child, workplace) is always removed or altered.
- Can I submit one?
- Yes. Email info@mendtogether.org with a rough draft or even a paragraph. A facilitator will read it, talk it through with you, and only publish once you're comfortable with the final version and the safeguarding review.
- Is reading these safe if I'm struggling?
- The stories are honest, so some may land heavily. Each page carries content notes at the top. If you're in crisis in the UK, please close the tab and call 999 or Samaritans on 116 123 before reading further.
Coming up next
Find your next way in
Your next opportunity to connect, talk, learn, and be part of the MENd Together community.
Starts
Walk & Talk
A gentle walk together. Fresh air, slow pace, honest conversation.
- Saturday 29 August
- 9:00am
- St Peter's Church, High Street, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent CT4 5LA
- Open to all men
- Donation-based
More upcoming sessions
Tue 15 Sept
Online Peer Support Group
6:00pm · Online
Tue 22 Sept
Online Peer Support Group
6:00pm · Online
Thu 24 Sept
Monthly Fathers Support Group
6:00pm · Canterbury, Kent
Sat 26 Sept
Walk & Talk
9:00am · St Peter's Church, High Street, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent CT4 5LA
Tue 29 Sept
Online Peer Support Group
6:00pm · Online
Sat 3 Oct
The Circle
9:00am · The Yurt, The Quiet View
Tue 6 Oct
Online Peer Support Group
6:00pm · Online
We only count what we can verify. No invented testimonials, no growth-chart vanity numbers. When men share their words with consent, they show up here.
Help keep this work free for men who need it
MENd Together is a Community Interest Company. Every donation helps fund free groups, peer support and outreach across Kent.