For men who feel alone in their struggles, Cory Delorme is offering something rare — a safe, honest place to connect. His new group in Pincher Creek encourages open discussion and real support.
For men who feel alone in their struggles, Cory Delorme is offering something rare — a safe, honest place to connect. His new group in Pincher Creek encourages open discussion and real support.
For many men, speaking openly about struggles with mental health can feel daunting, isolating or even like something to be ashamed of. That’s why Cory Delorme of Pincher Creek has launched the Windy South Self-Help Group, which offers men a safe, judgment-free space to connect, share and support each other.
The group currently meets weekly online, aiming to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health by offering open discussions and topic-based meetings. Whether participants are looking to talk about their own challenges or simply listen, the goal is to create a space where everyone feels heard and comfortable.
“I believe what inspired me was the years of my own struggles, but also hearing from other men about certain aspects of their lives where they didn’t feel heard or understood and were criticized by others when they shared anything that made them feel vulnerable,” Cory says.
After a good friend motivated him to put pen to paper, so to speak, Cory got to work on forming the group.
In October 2024, he took to Facebook to gauge public interest in starting a local men’s self-help group. The response was encouraging, with Cory receiving a tremendous amount of support from men and women alike.
Cory believes one of the biggest benefits of starting this group is that it will help men struggling with their mental health fill their “lonely time,” which is what Cory calls the period of time when you’re alone with your thoughts and unsure of what to do.
Participants will be met with a flexible meeting structure, alternating between open discussions and topic-based sessions, allowing them to either speak on a subject they feel strongly about or simply share what’s on their mind.
“I wanted to make sure the group gave people the chance to talk about what matters to them, without pressure or judgment,” Cory says.
While the group is currently meeting exclusively online, Cory hopes to transition to in-person meetings as soon as a suitable location is found.
“I felt this group was needed sooner rather than later, so I launched it online to get things started,” he says.
Cory envisions the group expanding to include workshops, guest speakers and other resources; counsellors are already reaching out to see how they could help. Ultimately, his vision is to create a support network that reaches beyond Pincher Creek.
For those on the fence about giving the group a chance, Cory understands that taking the first step can be difficult. Many men, he says, have been conditioned to believe that showing emotion is a sign of weakness.
“Lots of us were raised to not talk about our feelings, as it makes us weak and vulnerable, [and] that you are supposed to be ‘the man,’ this rock that holds things together, but it’s not like that anymore,” he explains.
For Cory, this group is more than just a community project — it’s a personal mission to provide others the same help he once needed. In particular, he hopes that his work is something that his son can one day look at and be proud of.
“I want to create something my son can look back at and say, ‘Hey, that’s my dad, and I’m so proud of him and everything he has done in order to help himself and others,’ ” he says.
“This journey means the world to me. It started off as an idea of me wanting and needing the change, and now it’s allowed me to help others achieve the same things. I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t share those awful things I went through or caused in my life.”
The Windy Slope Self-Help Group meets for 30 minutes to an hour every Friday at 7 p.m. online via Zoom. Cory asks that anyone who might have a suitable location in mind for in-person gatherings reach out to him.
Men interested in attending a meeting or learning more can contact Cory by sending him a message at www.facebook.com/cory.delorme.
For many men, speaking openly about struggles with mental health can feel daunting, isolating or even like something to be ashamed of. That’s why Cory Delorme of Pincher Creek has launched the Windy South Self-Help Group, which offers men a safe, judgment-free space to connect, share and support each other.
The group currently meets weekly online, aiming to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health by offering open discussions and topic-based meetings. Whether participants are looking to talk about their own challenges or simply listen, the goal is to create a space where everyone feels heard and comfortable.
“I believe what inspired me was the years of my own struggles, but also hearing from other men about certain aspects of their lives where they didn’t feel heard or understood and were criticized by others when they shared anything that made them feel vulnerable,” Cory says.
After a good friend motivated him to put pen to paper, so to speak, Cory got to work on forming the group.
In October 2024, he took to Facebook to gauge public interest in starting a local men’s self-help group. The response was encouraging, with Cory receiving a tremendous amount of support from men and women alike.
Cory believes one of the biggest benefits of starting this group is that it will help men struggling with their mental health fill their “lonely time,” which is what Cory calls the period of time when you’re alone with your thoughts and unsure of what to do.
Participants will be met with a flexible meeting structure, alternating between open discussions and topic-based sessions, allowing them to either speak on a subject they feel strongly about or simply share what’s on their mind.
“I wanted to make sure the group gave people the chance to talk about what matters to them, without pressure or judgment,” Cory says.
While the group is currently meeting exclusively online, Cory hopes to transition to in-person meetings as soon as a suitable location is found.
“I felt this group was needed sooner rather than later, so I launched it online to get things started,” he says.
Cory envisions the group expanding to include workshops, guest speakers and other resources; counsellors are already reaching out to see how they could help. Ultimately, his vision is to create a support network that reaches beyond Pincher Creek.
For those on the fence about giving the group a chance, Cory understands that taking the first step can be difficult. Many men, he says, have been conditioned to believe that showing emotion is a sign of weakness.
“Lots of us were raised to not talk about our feelings, as it makes us weak and vulnerable, [and] that you are supposed to be ‘the man,’ this rock that holds things together, but it’s not like that anymore,” he explains.
For Cory, this group is more than just a community project — it’s a personal mission to provide others the same help he once needed. In particular, he hopes that his work is something that his son can one day look at and be proud of.
“I want to create something my son can look back at and say, ‘Hey, that’s my dad, and I’m so proud of him and everything he has done in order to help himself and others,’ ” he says.
“This journey means the world to me. It started off as an idea of me wanting and needing the change, and now it’s allowed me to help others achieve the same things. I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t share those awful things I went through or caused in my life.”
The Windy Slope Self-Help Group meets for 30 minutes to an hour every Friday at 7 p.m. online via Zoom. Cory asks that anyone who might have a suitable location in mind for in-person gatherings reach out to him.
Men interested in attending a meeting or learning more can contact Cory by sending him a message at www.facebook.com/cory.delorme.
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