SmackTalk

Tuesday 24 October 2023 was the day Wayne Holdsworth's life changed forever. His 17-year-old beautiful boy Mac took his life at home. The grief, shock, helplessness and self-blame knocked him over physically and mentally. Wayne asked Mac regularly if he was ok and he always responded, “I am fine Dad”. He was not fine and Wayne believes if he had the knowledge and skills that he has now, to really listen, the outcome may have been different. Around three months after Mac took his own life, Wayne decided he had a responsibility to ensure other families didn’t go through the pain his family was suffering. It led to the creation of a registered charity, SmackTalk. Wayne is now using Mac’s death as a catalyst to educate every person he can reach to simply be a better listener. Research clearly confirms that real learned-listening techniques make a world of difference. SmackTalk offers a 40-minute session free of charge to groups. In 2023 alone, more than 3200 people took their own lives in Australia, more than three times the national road toll. SmackTalk is taking urgent action to change these devastating numbers. Behind the SmackTalk name... The name SmackTalk was designed to incorporate Mac’s name and his absolute love for basketball. While smack talk is banter, sometimes referred to as trash talk, the use of the name for this charity is to help stamp out cyber bullying and sexual extortion.