MN Wild Hockey Talks
In an effort to shine a light on mental health, the Minnesota Wild hosted its first-ever Hockey Talks program on Thursday, March 24 when the Wild hosted the Vancouver Canucks. The Wild are one of 17 NHL teams that are encouraging conversations about mental health and are sharing support and information from leading exerts in the hopes of alleviating the misconceptions and stigma associated with mental illness.
Guest speakers included Clint Malarchuk, Joan Goodley, and Chris Hawkey.
Clint Malarchuk
Malarchuk, a former NHL player, and current mental health advocate, shared his story about living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and OCD. He serves on the board of The Ranch, a non-profit organization designed to support former athletes and veterans who are affected by mental illnesses. They consider their staff “teammates for life”, because we are all on the same team when it comes to living our best lives.
Joan Goodley
Goodley is a former figure skater and an advocate for those who are supporting someone who is suffering from a mental illness. She and Clint Malarchuk got married in ____ and since then she has been supporting his struggles with his own mental illnesses. She shared her story of how she got the courage to see it was not her fault for his actions. Joan spoke about the reality of loving someone who is not mentally well and the toll it can take on a person if you are not taking care of yourself first.
Chris Hawkey
Chris Hawkey is a musician, talk-show host, and father. During the MN Wild Hockey Talk he shared about the realities of raising his kids, knowing that he passed on his mental illness to them. He mentioned that what he hates the most is knowing he can’t change it, but what helps him is knowing that he has survived it and is a better father because of it - he can help them because he has helped himself. Hawkey shared about his struggles with OCD, depression, and anxiety throughout the course of his life, all while cultivating a conversation of honesty and inclusion.
