Josh & Luke's Story

Team Lou: Cultivating Connection, Handsome Mullets, Raising Awareness, and Honouring Legacies. 

In the world of unconventional movements, "Mullets for Mental Health" has emerged as an unexpected force for positive change. Originating as a unique fashion trend, the movement has evolved into a powerful tool for fostering conversations around mental health. 

For Luke and Josh, aka Team Lou, the decision to join the Mullets for Mental Health campaign was born out of a desire to turn the loss of their Dad into a positive force.


"We found that we obviously going through what we were going through, but at the same time we were like, how do we shift the focus from such a tragic and negative event in someone's life make it positive, I guess.”  

“I felt like [Mullets for Mental Health] helped us share our story because people were going to ask what happened... So, with the Mullets campaign, people started to understand because we had a little write up [of our story] and some facts and things that Black Dog Institute shared.” 

Their Dad had a long, lovely mullet, and they’d always laugh at it and think, “who would have that?!” Now that they grow their own, they love it, and it’s a good opportunity for them to continue shifting the focus from loss to hope through shining a light on mental health.  

Their mullets have also provided ample opportunity to connect with others, and start important conversations around mental health,  

Luke: “I appreciate the conversation that it sparks. Like I’ve been out, and you can see people having a look a it, or if I’ve even had job interviews, I’m like I’ve got a mullet, and this is the reason why. It’s giving me the opportunity to personally have chats with people and connect about why my mullet is so important to me.” 

Josh: “Same, just overall connection that Mullets allows you to have, you know like going into that we didn't know how many people went through the same situation” 

Upon reflection of their upbringing, Josh and Luke know that things weren’t easy and their relationship with their Dad had its moments, “He was loving, he was caring, he was all the good things, but he was very tough. If anything was ever wrong, Dad was always supportive, but it wasn't, you know, the first topic of conversation at dinner.”  

Team Lou know their Dad went through his own mental health challenges in silence, and are aware that the way you present outwardly, can look so different internally.  

"That’s the thing with mental health is you just don't know. It looks one way on the outside and on the inside, someone's, you know, really, really struggling.” 

Reflecting on their own mental health challenges, they know that grief isn’t linear, and there’ll always be a part of you that isn’t fully okay. They understand now that it’s so important to open up about how you’re feeling though, and finding happiness in simple pleasures like growing a Mullet and kickstarting conversations, has really helped. 

“After we lost Dad, I've sort of been up and down. Wouldn’t even say up, I would say there was a point where, you know, getting out of bed was a win for me. So, we’re happy to come as far as we have, and you know we're still not healed, and I don't think we'll ever be fully healed.? 

This (Mullets for Mental Health) has helped us.” 

Josh and Luke’s resilience and commitment to creating better mental health through their openness and authenticity is inspiring. They have some awesome hopes for the future they’d like to share with our amazing Mullets community...  

Josh - “I just want everyone to know that they're not alone, that's my main mission. Sometimes you feel lonesome and lonely. There are other people that go through these struggles too, so I just want somewhere where everyone can connect and know that they have a safe haven.” 

Luke: “I’ve got two (things I’m really passionate about). One is early intervention, in an ideal world, there’s a whole class dedicated to navigating and understanding emotion, so we are equipped with knowledge when we get to our teen years and beyond. And it’s just embedded because we embed maths, we embed English, we embed geography, but we sort of forget that they’re children that need skills (about their mental wellbeing).  

I also wish that there were more safe spaces for mental health. I wish it was a little bit more easily accessible for men, where you could walk into somewhere and there’s people that are going through the same struggles as you and you’re able to connect and talk your way through it.” 

Josh and Luke’s story inspires us to continue doing what we’re doing here at Black Dog Institute. We love that the majestic mullet has become a symbol of resilience and an opportunity to connect with others who may be struggling.  

As individuals like Luke and Josh share their stories and hopes for the future, Mullets for Mental Health has become a beacon of connection, resilience, and a powerful vehicle for mental health awareness.  

By fostering conversations, challenging stereotypes, and seeking support, this unconventional movement paves the way for a more compassionate and understanding world – thank you for being a part of it.