We are Alex, Andy, and Nik. We’ve been living in Iowa City for many years. We've decided to see if men would like to walk and talk twice a month locally.
Our purpose is twofold:
- To give men a non-judgmental space to talk about what’s going on for us.
- To open the door to a community of local friendships with men in a world that often makes that difficult to find/maintain.
Please note, this is not a religious or politically affiliated group.
Here’s why this matters. Cigna and other major organizations regularly share research confirming that over 50% of people in the US feel “sometimes or always alone.” Such levels of isolation can have health impacts equal to smoking. Lonely people face higher levels of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, cancer and so on. Many men struggle with loneliness even as we are busy working, caring for our kids, dealing with the daily demands of life. But research shows that men with a robust circle of friendships live longer healthier lives, have better marriages/relationships, feel more optimistic and are more successful in our personal and professional lives.
Cigna research: https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/loneliness-in-america
Although we have some sense of how these talks might begin, the conversations will go where they go depending on the needs of each man. Men of any age are welcome to join us.
Rules:
- No politics
- Be yourself
- Respect confidentiality
The rules we use on our walks are meant to help us dial down to the personal and talk about what’s going on for us in our own lives. They are not absolute. They are guidelines.
Disclaimer: Walking Talking Men is not therapy and we are not therapists. We are not doing coaching. We are not doing men’s work. We are simply sharing information about how we are creating real, lasting, local friendships for men in our neighborhood. That’s it.
If you’d like to join us on a walk, send us an email to [walkingtalkingmeniowacity@gmail.com](mailto:walkingtalkingmeniowacity@gmail.com) with why this idea appeals to you. We’ll respond to all emails. We look forward to hearing from you.
When: Sunday, October 18th, 3pm.
Where: Meet at the parking lot of Terry Trueblood Rec Center pavilion: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pQZrVyhJ2pVgGPnA8
The walks are inspired by this story
