Kirwan in Wellington for Author Talk

Media release: 1 Oct 2014, for immediate use

Kirwan in Wellington for Author Talk

Blues rugby coach, and spokesperson for mental health awareness, Sir John Kirwan will be in Wellington for one night this October to talk about his new book,Stand By Me: Helping your teen through tough times. Wellington based clinical psychologists, husband and wife team, Elliot Bell and Kirsty Louden-Bell, are JK’s co-authors and will join him on stage for a conversation led by children’s author Kate De Goldi.

Building on JK’s very popular autobiography All Blacks Don’t Cry, where he addressed his own experiences of battling depression, this new title is about JK wanting to help others catch and address those symptoms early, in order to nip them in the bud.

"The goal of this book is to help equip people with the knowledge and courage to be active and supportive in children’s lives,” says JK.

“I’m a dad and I’m looking to share the answers that I have found from talking with the professionals, the kids, and all their supporters, who’ve been there through the tough times.”

“Studies indicate that anxiety and depression are increasing among our young people,” say the co-authors Elliot and Kirsty.

“It’s not clear whether this is an actual increase, or whether it’s a result of better screening and reporting. It may be a mixture of both but one thing we do know is that it’s all around us.

“According to the Gluckman Report, more than 80% of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders are left untreated at the moment, and that’s a recipe for future misery because recurrence rates are high. There’s a 70% chance of a further episode within five years and each episode increases the probability of a further one, but the good news is that these illnesses are treatable and the earlier we identify the symptoms, the better the chance of success.”

Stand By Me: Helping your teen through tough times is being launched with a nationwide tour by Penguin Books during Mental Health Awareness Week (6-12 October). The Wellington event will take place in the Wellington Girls College auditorium on Tuesday 7 October.

Tickets are $19 and $15 (plus $1 booking fee) through Eventfinder.co.nz or on the door on the night (cash only).

Doors will open at 5.45pm, light refreshments are included in the ticket price and will be available on arrival.

Audience members are invited to email through any questions they may have in advance, with “Wellington” in the subject line, to: standbyme@penguin.co.nz

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WHAT: John Kirwan Stand By Me Author Event

WHEN: Tuesday 7 October, 6.15-7.15pm

WHERE: Wellington Girls College auditorium, Pipitea Street, Thorndon

TICKETS: Tickets are $19 and $15 (plus $1 booking fee) through Eventfinder.co.nz or on the door on the night (cash only)

Details of the event can be found on Facebook and on the publisher’s website here.

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