By Fergus Allen
For some, the call of the mountain is inescapable.
This was the case for Peter Tucker when he first set eyes upon the Rockies. Upwards of four decades later, Peter now serves as the executive director of the ACMG, the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Canada’s foremost authority on the training of mountaineering professionals.
The mountaineering lifestyle is an alluring one. This is why the past year has been especially hard on some of the ACMG’s members. “We have seen a lot more struggle,” says Peter, speaking of the effects COVID has had on his team, “It’s difficult not being able to ply one’s trade.” Certainly, being unable to partake in an activity you live and breathe for can have serious ramifications on one’s mental health.
For many, the rugged landscapes and serene atmosphere make it a dream job, though even under normal circumstances, it is not without its drawbacks, says Peter: “The intensity of the work can be draining, there are high levels of fatigue.” Guides are often away from friends and family and wider support networks for long periods of time.
These drawbacks are further compounded by the stoic nature of the vocation. “There’s an expectation that guides be perceived as infallible, invincible, 100% assured in their convictions.” Displaying vulnerability simply is not compatible with this, and so many guides feel as if they have no one to talk to. “They can’t talk to their peers (what will they think of me?) nor to clients (what if they never hire me again?).” It’s easy, then, for a feeling of helplessness to take hold, and it’s for this reason Peter decided there was a need to normalize discussions surrounding mental health within the ACMG.
Over the past year, the organization has received two workshops from the Crisis Centre of BC, each specifically geared towards de-stigmatization. They’ve proven enormously successful, not just due to the content, but how that content is delivered: “There’s a reassurance there,” says Peter, of these workshops, “that makes people relax. All tension around the topic dissipates.”
Opening the door for such conversations to happen is an important step in preventing mental health issues from reaching a crisis point. They foster the realization that, should one have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help out there. Resources, such as the ACMG’s mental health counselling fund, do exist. “There is nothing wrong with having such thoughts, they are far from uncommon,” says Peter. “They don’t make you a freak.”
It ultimately comes down to making people more comfortable asking for help. “If you have a physical injury, you go to a doctor…And there’s nothing wrong with that.” The same can be said of seeking assistance for your mental health.
“It does not indicate weakness. In fact, it displays tremendous strength.”
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If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call:
- Vancouver Coastal Regional Distress Line: 604-872-3311
- Anywhere in BC 1-800-SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433
- Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789
- Online Chat Service for Youth: www.YouthInBC.com (Noon to 1am)
- Online Chat Service for Adults: www.CrisisCentreChat.ca (Noon to 1am)