Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy is the core of empowerment. It is a skill learned over time that enables us to speak for our rights and make our own decisions. It can build confidence which is an important skill for success. However, sometime it gets contorted as being aggressive and self-promoting. Men are encouraged to speak up and […]

The Impact of Yoga on Anxiety

Yoga practices can reduce the impact on stress responses, and helpful for both anxiety and depression. Yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise, or even socializing with friends. By reducing the level of stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modify stress response systems. Yoga decreases physiological arousal — for example, reducing the heart […]

Pleasing Others

Need for Acceptance: We all have a need to be liked and accepted amongst our peers and in our relationships. In some cases we see ourselves giving into peer pressure and societal pressure so we can fit in. We sometimes feel a strong need to avoid conflict at all costs which can result in us […]

Kids in Control – Video Series

The video below is designed to help children learn strategies to take care of themselves, covering topics from our Kids in Control groups. They are intended for children ages 8 to 12 who have a family member with mental illness, but they are helpful for other children as well. Reference: Kids in Control ‘Caring for […]

Anxiety Management during COVID-19

According to Center for Clinical Interventions, feeling tense, stressed, and worried at certain times, when under pressure, is a normal human response. Everybody feels anxious from time to time. Anxiety becomes a problem when it is intense and prolonged, and when it starts to get in the way of day-to-day functioning. In the face […]

The Glass Half-Full

In this time of uncertainty, it’s good to have a “Glass Half-Full” mentality and to maintain a positive outlook on life. We are being pulled and tugged in many different directions, which is impacting our mental health and making it very difficult to consistently maintain a positive mind set. However, by expanding and growing […]

The Effects of Isolation on Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19

We are social creatures and being isolated could have a strong effect on our well-being. Zlatin Ivanov believes that, “All our systems, including social, psychological and biological, have developed around social groups and interaction with one another and social isolation often brings the negative effects of loneliness, anxiety, and sometimes depression.” During this time […]

Shame versus Guilt When Speaking to Children

Understanding the difference between shame and guilt can help identify and make sense of the emotions that come up for us. Shame and guilt can make us feel differently about ourselves and our situation. According to “Building Social Emotional Resiliency in Children: An Outline of Mental Wellness Activities”, Guilt is when we can say to ourselves […]

A mother’s regret: She helped save his life, then he took away her daughter | CBC News

A mother’s regret is not easily forgotten. Regret has the potential to rain out an abundance of guilt and blame. Yet, Lisa Lake continues to move forward with surrounded by resilient caring, compassion and deep love for her daughter. Where is Cortney Lake’s body? Intimate partner violence can debilitate families for years. Below, we share […]

Puppets with Giggles Webinar

“You are invited to join this webinar and bring along your own puppet if you have one! A common theme noticed among people with a puppet or those who want to get one is they have no idea how to use it in a “useful” manner or make it come “alive”. In this workshop adults […]

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