From prison to purpose

Known for his fierce presence on the rugby field, and for a headline making fall from grace, former rugby league player Russell Packer is now stepping into a very different kind of spotlight. At this year’s He. Event in Tauranga, Russell will share his transformational journey.

words HAYLEY BARNETT

When former New Zealand Warriors prop Russell Packer walked out of prison in 2015, he carried more than just the weight of a criminal conviction. He carried a commitment to change.

After spending a year behind bars for assault following a drunken altercation in Sydney, during which he fractured a man’s eye socket, Russell emerged from incarceration determined to rebuild his life.

Originally sentenced to two years without parole, his term was reduced to one on appeal. That year away from his young family proved to be a turning point.

Upon his release, he returned to professional rugby league, gradually reintegrating into the sport. He was signed by several clubs and played until his retirement in 2021. Since then, Russell has earned an MBA with distinction and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Legal Studies.

But even with his mammoth list of achievements, Russell felt a deeper calling, to become a voice for men who, like him, had once masked their pain with aggression and silence. Now based in Tauranga, he’s preparing to speak at the second He. Event, a community-led initiative focused on men’s mental health andemotional wellbeing.

“I know what it’s like to carry anger like armour, to mask trauma with toughness,” Russell says. “If I can show even one man that seeking help isn’t weakness, it’s survival, then all the pain I went through means something.”

When He. Event organiser Cassandra Hogan approached him to speak, Russell saw it as a chance to give back, not by preaching, but by relating.

“Pretending you’re fine when you’re drowning nearly killed me,” he shares. “Speaking at He. is about cutting through the bullshit and showing men that trust and professional help aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. If one man hears me and decides to get help, that’s a win.”

Russell plans to speak candidly about the lessons prison taught him, the struggle to rebuild from rock bottom, and the emotional tools he now uses to navigate life’s challenges. His story, he says, is one of accountability, humility, and ultimately, healing.

“Prison stripped everything back. You either face yourself or you don’t survive it. I faced my worst, and found my real self on the other side.”

Today, Russell describes himself as being in the best place of his life, not because it’s perfect, but because he finally has the right tools to deal with imperfection.

“Therapy, honesty and letting go of shame are my foundations now,” he says.

Alongside his advocacy, Russell is now building purpose- driven businesses in tech, housing and community development, which, he says, are ventures that align with his new mission: to make an impact that lasts.

“My future plans are to make more impact and less noise,” he says. “I want to use my platform to show that redemption isn’t just possible, it’s powerful.”

For tickets to the He. Event, visit

HE-MENSMENTALHEALTH.NZ

Moving mountains

Globally, on average, one man dies by suicide every minute, and in New Zealand, the number of suspected self-inflicted deaths for males is 2.5 times that of women.  Ahead of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month this November, UNO spoke to four Bay of Plenty locals, leading mental health initiatives to challenge the status quo of men’s health and help Kiwi men live longer, healthier lives. 

WORDS Karen Clarkson

Rob Dunne, Movember country manager.

In 2004, while living in London, Robert Dunne was introduced to Justin Couglan, one of the original ‘Mo’ Bro’s’ from Movember – the international movement changing the face of men’s health. He grew a moustache and ran Europe’s first event for the leading men’s health charity. Twenty moustaches later, Robert lives in Whakamarāma and works as the country manager helping the organisation tackle the three largest health issues affecting men; mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.  

“Over the past 21 years, Movember has definitely put men’s health on the map,” explains Robert. “Globally, we fund 1,300 men’s health projects and have attracted seven million supporters since we began.” 

Josh Darby, Movember project manager; Russell Wood, FENZ deputy chief executive; Robert Dunne, Movember country manager. 

Across the motu, Robert and his team work alongside organisations like the Mental Health Foundation, Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), NZ Rugby, and Māori health providers, funding health programmes to transform health outcomes for Kiwi men. He says in his 14 years as country manager, the most significant shift he has seen is the acknowledgement of suicide and poor mental health as a major health issue. 

“Mental health doesn’t discriminate. From teenagers to grandparents,
Pakeha to Pasifika – I have met CEOs, celebrities, athletes and All Blacks all struggling with their mental health. Just like our physical health, we need to prioritise our mental health – and with the right knowledge and support, we can influence the outcomes.”

Of the 45 men’s health partners Movember supports locally, 16 of these are dedicated to improving men’s mental health and suicide prevention. “Navigating the nuances of mental health is difficult, and getting the
right information and support to the right person at the right time is a balance that I don’t believe New Zealand invests enough resources in. While there is an increasing number of programmes available, it is important to note that we’re just at the start of the journey to moving the needle on our statistics.”

He says one important step is to effectively report mental health and suicide, including measuring and linking incidences of depression. In partnership with Otago University, Movember is funding a national men’s health report (to be released in 2025) – a milestone initiative which will present data to showcase the real face of men’s health in Aotearoa and aims to affect change nationally, including within government.

“We need to fully understand why men are struggling, how to support them to overcome their personal challenges, and how government, non-government organisations, iwi and community can work together. The encouraging part is that while we have issues to overcome, there are many wonderful people doing incredible work to create change within our communities.”

Kōrero and cardio

One such organisation is Men Making Miles – a Tauranga men’s mental health support group dedicated to improving mental wellbeing by combining physical activity and meaningful conversations. 

Founded in 2021 by Duncan Woonton and Eru Piwari, the not-for-profit
was inspired by Duncan’s martial arts sessions with Eru – a professional mixed martial art (MMA) athlete and combat trainer. As Duncan and Eru both faced their own mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction, their training sessions soon turned into a form of counselling. 

Duncan Woonton and Eru Piwari from Men Making Miles. 

“Like most New Zealand men, we kept our personal challenges to ourselves, but we realised talking and training turned out to be incredibly supportive,” says Duncan. “This sparked the conversation about the benefits of combining cardio and conversation, creating a supportive space for men to connect, share and train together.”

Men Making Miles runs free fortnightly sessions for men from Eru’s gym, Unleashed Training Academy. Sessions begin with group discussion, where participants take turns discussing their mental health challenges and discuss strategies to incorporate into their daily life. “Then we do a martial arts workout together catered to all shapes, sizes and skill levels,” says Duncan.

The group has attracted men from all backgrounds, most of whom are struggling with depression or anxiety, without the knowledge to tackle it and feeling too ashamed to talk about it. “Creating an environment where other men share helps others open up too. Many Kiwi men were raised with the ‘harden up bro’ attitude, bottling up our feelings and resorting to destructive habits to feel better. We are determined to break the mindset that it’s weak to speak up,” explains Duncan. 

Duncan says the response from the community has been incredible. “It gives us the confidence to continue with our goals to work alongside regional counselling services, launch a community outreach programme and ultimately launch Men Making Miles nationwide.”

A boxing class at Men Making Miles.

Creating calm in the chaos

Kristin Borchardt, experienced yoga teacher and owner of the Nook Yoga
and Pilates studio, says in the past 18 years, while building a yoga community in Mount Maunganui, she is encouraged by the increasing number of men seeking out the therapeutic benefits of yoga to support their mental health and wellbeing.

Specialising in stress management, Kristin says living in a fast-paced world operating from a place of stress where our adrenal system suffers, yoga can provide a beautiful way of supporting our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. 

Nook Yoga and Pilates 

“Each asana (pose) compresses our muscles and joints, improving circulation and providing a deep internal massage. Returning to our breath and finding stillness offers us the chance to rewire the nervous system, nourish our adrenals and shift us from a state of stress to calm,” says Kristin.

Kristin, who runs yoga retreats in New Zealand and Bali for men and women, and has worked with a number of organisations teaching yoga to
male employees, says the biggest shift alongside the rise in men arriving on the mat is the move away from dynamic practices to slower modalities.

“Slow Flow and Yin are now the first classes to book out on our schedule. These slower practices, where we hold the pose for longer, supported by blankets and props, cultivate a stronger energy flow towards vital organs, where deeper therapeutic benefits can be felt.”

Kristin says for many yoga has changed their life and provides a toolbox to manage stress. “We often live so far out of ourselves, the practice of coming in to feel, to step away from the demands of life, and sense how we really are, is so powerful and so needed for all of us.”

Recreating the village 

Choiwee Moon is on a mission to turn around New Zealand’s youth
mental health and suicide statistics. “New Zealand is in a mental health crisis, especially among young tāne,” explains the educator and trauma-informed wellness coach, who has recently launched a rites of passage programme for teenage boys.

Mātua Rautia – The Warrior’s Village is a six-month programme open to young men aged 13-18, with a mission to inspire boys to believe in themselves while gifting them life-long skills designed to enhance their mental, emotional and physical growth. 

The Warriors Village team from left: Paul Anthony, Choiwee Moon, Jethro Campbell and Glen Callahan.

With a background in prevention work that has a focus on mental health, suicide, depression, and domestic violence, Choiwee says the stigma and shame around mental health, particularly men’s mental health, is still widespread. 

“Many men feel misunderstood, isolated, lonely and unsure even how to get the help they need. We need to go upstream and recreate the sense of tribe that our young men are missing,” she says. 

Participants in Mātua Rautia – The Warrior’s Village build and learn resilience, purpose, emotional regulation, and communication skills, while undergoing four rites of passage over six months – breathwork, cold water immersion, a hikoi and a sweat lodge initiation. By facing discomfort in a supportive environment, they develop personally and bond with their peers.

The team of male facilitators or ‘pou’ are all strong, resilient, compassionate, knowledgeable men from different backgrounds, and through their own life experiences, inspire the boys to see potential in their own lives, says Choiwee. 

“Every boy is already a fierce, powerful young man. Our job is to provide a space to express themselves, to be fully accepted and support them to develop into well-adjusted, conscientious, grounded men, able to navigate all of life’s challenges.”

Suicide and depression 

To get help, phone Lifeline 0800 543 354 or text 4357.