The origins of community mental health in Canada It all started at afternoon tea. In Mrs. Dunlap’s drawing room. But first, some context: It was wartime, circa 1917, and Dr. Clarence Hincks had grown impatient. He had been plugging away in a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Toronto for a number of years. Meanwhile, the […]Continue readingThe Origin of the Canadian Mental Health Association
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“My Therapy” Podcast: Justin’s Recovery Journey
Justin Dickie tells it like it is. A great friend of ours here at CMHA-HRB, Justin first shared his lived experience with depression on, of all days, Bell Let’s Talk Day 2018, a day that he says gave him the courage to open up. “I have a secret I don’t want to be a secret anymore” was […]Continue reading“My Therapy” Podcast: Justin’s Recovery Journey
The Cruelest Month?
Is January really as cruel as they say? For some, yes. It is quite common to hear people talk about having the “January Blues” – low mood, decreased energy, and general malaise. Just not feeling like themselves. There are a number of reasons why we can get in a rut at this time of year: […]Continue readingThe Cruelest Month?
5 Tips to Open the Door With Empathy
“Empathy” – that magic word that means so much. It’s not feeling sorry for someone – that’s called “sympathy”. Empathy is understanding and sharing the feelings of others – tuning into their emotions and trying to put ourselves in their place. Let’s say that someone loses a job and talks about feeling sad and anxious. […]Continue reading5 Tips to Open the Door With Empathy
‘Tis the Season…for Stress??
For many it is. While the holidays can bring much joy and excitement, they can also bring more than their share of frazzle. Many reasons may be behind less-than-festive feelings at this time of year, including: Overwhelm. Cooking, shopping, socializing, and the numerous other demands and things to do can get to us. Expectations. Putting […]Continue reading‘Tis the Season…for Stress??
36 Things You Need to Know About Anxiety
Some time ago, I read an article from The Mighty called “36 Things People With Anxiety Want Their Friends to Know” and wow, did it ever stick with me. Anxiety is something we all experience. Imagine that you have a job interview or you’re going on a first date….can you feel your heart pounding, your […]Continue reading36 Things You Need to Know About Anxiety
Pumpkin spice and mental health
November is now upon us, and along with the dominance of all things pumpkin spice flavoured comes Movember. It’s a chance for guys to ditch the daily shaving routine by growing a mustache and collecting pledges to support initiatives focused on men’s cancers and men’s mental health/suicide prevention. The Movember Foundation slogan “Grow a mo, […]Continue readingPumpkin spice and mental health
There isn’t an R in “Wellness”…or is there?
I recently read an excellent book called Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy written by Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, and Adam Grant. In it, Sheryl discusses the sudden death of her husband Dave in 2015 and what she and her family learned about bereavement, hardship, coping, and – ultimately – hope. […]Continue readingThere isn’t an R in “Wellness”…or is there?
How One Phone Call Saved My Life
My name is Stew Phillips and this is the story of how the Canadian Mental Health Association saved my life with just one phone call. Without that call, my story of recovery, which you are about to read, would never have happened. In 2004, I never believed things could always get better. Here’s why. After […]Continue readingHow One Phone Call Saved My Life
Part 2 – Ten Tips for Mental Health
In our last blog post, we talked about the first five of The Canadian Mental Health Association’s Ten Tips for Mental Health that are a useful guideline for what we can all do each and every day to care for ourselves and maintain our well-being. They were Build Confidence, Eat right & Keep fit, Make […]Continue readingPart 2 – Ten Tips for Mental Health