Homepage Ocean Reeve Publishing newsroom

It's Not About the Six Pack; It's About Psychology

Announcement posted by Ocean Reeve Publishing 08 Apr 2021

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 and 44. This means that nearly 200 Australians will attempt suicide every day, and of those, an average of nine will die [1]. 


One Australian who has been personally impacted by these statistics, is Leon Stensholm, who lost his brother, Dean, and two clients in a very short time, to suicide.


After his brother passed away, Leon used his body building training as a form of therapy, and through it, he was able to work towards a sense of purpose again. Quitting his then job as a tradie, Leon has since founded his own, one-on-one gym, which is an entire gymnasium built for just one client at a time.


Training, “Isn’t just about the six-pack, it’s about the psychology,” Leon said before going on to explain that having private sessions allows him to break down his client’s barriers. By doing so, Leon believes he can, “Help his clients find a sense of purpose, and a drive to start talking about their adversities, so they too can understand the power of adversity is mind blowing if they just don’t quit.”


Leon has written and published his own story, in the hopes that others will be able to observe those around them, recognise the signs of someone who is suicidal, or even recognise it within themselves, and seek help.


“We all go through adversities, but it is what we do to dig ourselves out and learn to control the controllables that matters,” said Leon.


Leon’s ultimate goal is to help others overcome their struggles. In his book, It’s How You Think, Leon details his approaches, which are: “All about mindset, educating ourselves, and utilising some easy tools to help ourselves and others regain the faith and hope they have lost through their adversity.” 


If you or someone close to you is contemplating suicide or experiencing emotional stress you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If you’re at immediate risk of harming yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000 (triple zero).


[1] AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Wellness) 2021. Suicide Self Harm Monitoring Accessed February 2021. .https://www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/about