Time for a Check-Up


November is Men's Health Month.

Hey Reader,

On Tuesday, many of us will stand in silence for Remembrance Day. It’s a powerful, necessary quiet to collectively honour the sacrifices made for our freedom.

That silence is about respect.

Movember is about a different kind of silence. It's a dangerous one that we're actively trying to break by focusing on men's health each November.

For generations, men were taught that "real" strength meant being stoic, tough, and silent. We learned to "suck it up" and handle our problems on our own.

The cost of that silence has been staggering. It's a key reason men's mental health is in crisis and why men are far more likely to die from suicide.

Movember encourages men with a family history of cancer to adopt a healthier lifestyle and aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis, effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths.

(If you would like to learn more about the Movember movement or donate, you can do so here.)

This Movember, I encourage you to do a couple really valuable things. Schedule a health check up and check in on a friend.

Sometimes it's being the one to say, "I'm not doing great." It's admitting you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or without a clear purpose. That's okay. You don't need to have all the answers. Here is a quick helpful article.

The work of therapy isn't about being "broken" or "weak." It's the opposite. It is the hard, courageous work of breaking a pattern. It's the ultimate act of taking responsibility for your life and the legacy you want to build.

If you need some resources for yourself or a friend, please get in touch and I encourage you to [book a 1:1 session here].

Cheers,

Dr. John Álvarez

🔹Bio

🔹Reviews

🔹Newsletter Sign-Up

© 2025 Garuda Centre. All rights reserved, Nicola Valley, BC V2C6M1
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Photo by Toa Heftiba

Dr. John Álvarez

Men's health, meaning + microdosing. Sign up to receive my weekly update and Q & A.

Read more from Dr. John Álvarez

A Halloween thought & a practical plan for 2026. Happy almost Halloween! Beyond the candy, costumes and pumpkins, the roots of Halloween go way back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. For the Celts, this time marked the end of the harvest and the start of the winter—the darker half and more reflective season. They believed the veil between worlds thinned on October 31st, making it a natural time to acknowledge the past and clear the way for the new year ahead. People lit bonfires and...

New Canadian Study Brings Psychedelics into Everyday Wellness from Home. It was great to hear from so many of you last week. I'm glad the newsletter on "resistance" hit home. I wanted to share something this week that feels like a real shift, and it's happening right here in Canada. Health Canada just approved the first-ever clinical trial for at-home psilocybin microdosing to treat generalized anxiety. (Here's the news article, and the clinical trial info). This is a big deal. For a long...

The Thing You're Avoiding is Your Path Forward. It was great hearing back from you last week. I really enjoyed the pictures you sent of the incredible art and building projects you are working on, well done! Many of you have come to see me over the years as a result of feeling stuck. You may have hit a plateau or feel disappointed, thinking you would be farther ahead at this point in your career, relationships, or personal goals. If that is you today, remember that feeling of inertia isn't a...