Three catastrophic rain storms and massive flooding in Niagara this summer left residents stunned, scared and reeling with the pressure of cleaning up.

In the days the after the flood, even a little rain sent triggered fear.  Trauma therapist Laurie Gill, executive director of Attach Niagara, talks about what many people are quietly carrying: flood trauma. When a home is damaged, routines collapse, and insurance questions pile up, it is not “just stress.” It is a nervous system response to something unexpected, out of your control, and deeply destabilizing.

The Willow Arts Community may seem like "art therapy" but rather than a clinical approach with a therapist it provides a free, peer-led creative experience and connection for people across Niagara living with mental illnesss, subsatance use and addiction. For some, being with people at the Willow may be  their only connection with people. Founder and Executive Director Leigh McLeod explains how the Willow helps recovery. You don't have to have any art experience. There's no judgement. Courses are offered across Niagara and include everything from painting to music to soft art.  Learn more about how you or someone you know can exerience the Willow.

https://thewillowcommunity.com

For many teens and young adults thoughts Are Not Facts. Getting out of bed can be the hardest part of the day, and for a lot of teens, that struggle stays hidden behind jokes, grades, or silence. Youth mental health speaker, Lawrence C. Harris, helps teens and young adults believe in themselves, think differently about their future, and make better choices rooted in self-respect. Lawrence shares his lived experience with severe bullying, being kicked out the house at 13, childhood abuse, and the kind of loneliness that makes even saying Hi to someone feel like you are a burden.

Learn more about Lawrence at: https://www.lawrencecharris.com

It’s not a joke when a doctor or other health care professionals gives you a prescription to nature to improve your mental and physical health. Dr. Melissa Lem, a Vancouver family physician and co-founder of PARX (Park Prescriptions Canada),  explains how nature prescriptions work and why they’re gaining traction across the world.

If you are a health care professional and would like more information or are just interested in what it's about got to https://www.parkprescriptions.ca.

Intimiate partner violenced and femicide are rising in dramatice numbers across the country.  There has been a 57.8% jump in intimate partner violence investigations in Niagara in two years. This number is mirrored across the country.  Jennifer Guathier, executive director of Birchway women’s shelter talks about why there has been such a dramatic increase.
Birchway Niagara – https://birchway.ca/

Darcy Patrick started 2022 on a high. He was releasing his 5th book and had started his dream job as a peer support worker, using his years of experience with depression and mental health recovery. Then he was hit by a severe infection that was eating his spinal cord. The never ending pain was excruciating. Darcy used all the tools he had developed over more than a decade and just released his 6th book Personal Growth.  Darcy now has a device implanted in his spinal cord that as reduced his pain by 80% and he's back doing what he loves - helping people.

See all of Darcy's books and his workshops at: darcypatrick.com

Mental health crises rarely start as an “emergency” and that’s exactly why people need clear options before things hit the breaking point. Kristen Dyell, Clinical Director of Operations at Canadian Mental Health Association Niagara, talks about what supports  CMHA offers, from no charge same day counselling to the Mobile Crisis Rapid  Response Team, which pairs a police officer and a social worker to respond to emergency calls.

A two-and-a-half-year wait for youth mental health care can turn a manageable struggle into a crisis. Angela Simo Brown, President & CEO,  of Capitalize for Kids, talks about a different way to tackle the problem: not just raising money, but bringing pro bono business and technology expertise into child and youth mental health agencies to remove bottlenecks, reduce paperwork, and help clinicians spend more time with kids and families.

For more information go to: https://capitalizeforkids.org/

Cassidy McKinnon shares what it looks like to transition from male to female in your 50s. Cassidy talks about how she slowly made the transition to ensure her wife, and especially her little girl, were OK. How the depression she'd been living since she was a teenager suddenly lifted once she began hormones. Cassidy's message to others thinking of or in the process of tranisitioning: Don't rush and be patient with yourself and others.

Former Ontario member of parliament Lisa McLeod has always talked openly about her depression and living with bipolar 1 disorder. She now shares regularly on Substack in Diary of a Bipolar Wandering Woman.  In this episode Janice and Lisa have an open conversation about what it's like to live with bipolar 1 and some ideas on how to bring calm into sometimes chaotic days.

What if the most dangerous sports hits aren’t the ones you see on highlight reels?  U.S. bobsled Olympian William Person was on the team for 9 years and he experienced G-forces, track vibration, and micro-concussions that left him with dementia-like symptons from a chronic brain injury - Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Person uses a hyperbaric oxygen chamber - HBOT- to help with symptons, a treatment pioneered by football great Joe Namath.  CTE is also a common injury for the military exposed to bombs and the G force from fighter jets. Person talks about CTE and his campaign to raise money for a HBOT centre that would be available to any person with CTE.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/cte-recovery-for-athletes-and-military

The Consumption and Treatment Services location in Niagara may have to close because a school is opening close to the site. Evidence shows that consumption sites save lives, including 1,500 in Niagara since it opening in 2018. Recent provincial policy has mandated that a CTE can't be near a school even if it is already in the location. It also can't relocate so the Niagara CTE will have to close it's doors.

https://positivelivingniagara.com/streetworks/consumption-treatment-services/

Recovery feels different when someone who has walked the same road shows you where the ground is solid. We sit down with peer supporter Chantel Bellingham to unpack how lived experience can cut through shame and build trust fast.

Chantel has been on the show to share her journey with addiction and how her experience is now her superpower.

Parents and children can be confused, hurt and hopeless when a loved one  seems to put their subtance use and addiction ahead of their loved ones. Amber Hollingsworth is a therapist who helps families understand the grip addiction can have and tools to help themselves.  Lately, Amber has focused on her YouTube channel Put the Shovel Down, which is full of helpful videos.

Put the Shovel Down

Hope for Families 

 The Working Mind is an evidence-based program developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada teaching employees and managers about mental health, reducing stigma, and building workplace resilience. Participants learn to recognize mental health changes, have open conversations, and develop coping and stress-management skills, creating supportive and psychologically safe workplaces. This course is available in manager and employee versions.

Janice is a facilitator, providing courses of The Working Mind. You can find more information at Janicearnoldi.com

Sean Bennett served for more than 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and 35 years as a firefighter. For him, the worst of his post traumatic stress disdorder are horrible nightmares - often reliving some of the worst of his calls as a firefighter, which include 23 children.

Sean and his partner Graham Bettes, a police officer for 32 years, run a non-profit program in Niagara called Valhalla Project Niagara. It's a completely free program for veterans and first responders who come together for 5 days at a camp in a safe and serene natural environment where they can share and learn about PTSD, mental health and suicide.

The Vallhala Project is completely free and relies on donations.  Learn more on how to support the veterans and first responders who keep us safe at: https://www.valhallaprojectniagara.org/

Imagine both parents dying within a month of each other. The grief is overwhelming. That's what happened to mental health advocate Jennifer McCready in 2024. Jennifer has lived with depression most of her life. This was the biggest challenge she'd faced. For more than a decade Jennifer has empowered women with self-love, self-acceptance, and self-confidence through her Lady Luck photograpy. Now Jennifer is putting her experience into a project that connects people with nature to help with their mental health.

There can be immense pressure to drink during the December Holiday Season. Work, friends and family are having parties and alcohol is synonymous with celebrating. It can be particulary difficult for people who are in early recovery.

Janice Rutgers, Executive Director of Community Addiction Services of Niagara, shares practical, non-judgmental tips on making the holidays healthier for everyone.

Chantel Bellingham was born 3 months early, weighed just over 3 pounds and addicted to methadone and possibly other opiates. She was adopted by a wonderful family but it’s not a surprise that addiction reared it’s ugly head when she was in college.

Chantel is with me today to talk about using substances and how she is using her experience to help others.  

She is now a peer support worker at Community Addiction Services of Niagara and will be back on the show in January to talk about the importance peer support and how she is using her experiences and to help people who are battling mental illness and substance use issues. 

Community Addiction Services of Niagara

More than 5,000 people have called the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline in 2025.  The hotline is run by the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking and is there for people who are being trafficked, including sex and labour, or knows someone who is being exploited.  The number to call is 1-833-900-1010 and help is available 24/7.  

The Centre's Ashley Franssen-Tingly talks about what it means to be trafficked and how to reach out for help.

https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca

https://www.canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca

For more than two decades Ted Mouradian, president of the 2% factor, has helped hundreds of businesses create long-term, sustainable behavioral change using his infallible Law of Cooperative Action.

Ted has written five books and his latest book Yep, Sh!t Happens uses the power of story to take the reader on a journey with Cooper that changes the way Cooper sees the world.

 Ian Fee had his first sip of beer when he was still in a stroller. His parents liked to party and as he got older so did he. Ian's memoir Wild Ride to Sobriety: Transformation from Drunken Oblivion to Profound Clarity takes us on the road from the culture of drinking with co-workers and clients, two lost marriages and how he got sober and stays sober.  

Buy Ian's book on Amazon

The first "wind phone" was an unconnected telephone booth installed in the back yard by Japan artist Itaru Sasaki in 2010 to help him process the grief of losing his cousin who he had spoken to every day. After the devastating 2011 tsunami, hundreds of people came to his house asking to use the wind phone so he moved it to a public place. The unconnected telephone booth became a space for people to speak with deceased loved ones and has since inspired hundreds of replicas worldwide. 

There are many wind phones in Canada and you can find locations at https://www.mywindphone.com.

Joy Friesen describes the impact on grief.

Go to https://hospiceniagara.ca wind phone locations in Niagara.

Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®) is a form of therapy that combines hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and neuroscience principles. RTT® was developed and launched by hypnotherapist/psychotherapist Marisa Peer in 1985. It is based on a detailed  3-session approach beginning with hynoptherapy. Diane Konkin trained with Marisa Peer and is on the show today to talk about RTT® and her practice Advanced Mind Health.

https://www.advancedmindhealth.ca

This is Part Two of my interview with Leonard Buschel, author of High: From Cannabis to Clarity. Leonard got sober in 1994 and in this interview we talk about his 30 years helping people recover from addiction and the Addiction Recovery eBulletin. 

In the previous interview, Leonard about talks about his decision to be a successful drug dealer when he was only 17. Leonard's book chronicles some riotous stories of his days as a drug dealer to the stars and as a daily user of cannabis and cocaine, and finally his trip to the Betty Ford Center to get sober.

Leonard's Addiction Recovery eBulliten can be found on his website addictionrecoveryebulletin.org. Sign up to receive his ebulletin.

High: From Cannabis to Clarity is available on Amazon 

Leonard Buschel was 17 when he decided he wanted to be a sucessful drug dealer and became the drug dealer to the stars for more than 30 years. He was also an addict who smoked cannabis from morning, noon to night and spent most nights using cocaine.  In 1994, Leonard stopped using drugs and for the past 3 decades he has worked helping people recover from addiction. His book High: From Cannabis to Clarity is an amazing chronicle of his life as a dealer, who turned his own experience with addiction to be a recovery counsellor helping others.

Leonard also founded the Addiction Recovery eBulletin which aggregates news, interviews and blogs about addiction and recovery.  You can subscribe at https://addictionrecoveryebilletin.org

You can buy High: From Cannabis to Clarity on Amazon.

Climate change anxiety is a growing mental health issue. In Canada, massive fires across the country leading to evacuations and homes burning to the ground are leaving people with a sense of dread.

Laurie Sarkadi is a journalist and author who lives off the grid outside of Yellowknife in the North West Territories. Her memoir - Voice in the Wild – in part chronicles her deep connection to nature and watching the deterioration of the animals, land and water from the devastating effect of climate change. Most recently she wrote an article for Canadian Geographic magazine about her personal experience with climate anxiety and isolating herself following the 2023 summer of massive fires. 

 Laurie is with me today to talk about what is becoming an increasingly common mental health issue.

Read Laurie’s article The Great Turning in Canadian Geographic: https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-great-turning/

Find out more about Laurie Sarkadi and her memoir – Voice in the Wild - at https://www.lauriesarkadi.com/

If you’ve been downtown in St. Catharines recently you may have seen some people wearing bright yellow tee shirts. They are peer support workers, all who have been homeless, and are out every day connecting with and supporting people who are living on the street now.  More and municipalites across Ontario have successful versions of Welcoming Streets.

Welcoming Streets is a one year pilot project funded Niagara Region. The teams work with people but are also there for businesses who need help – whether it’s to de-escalate an incident happening at the time or to give them some information.  

Maddie McNeil is the the Positive Living Niagara team team leader.

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Positive Living Niagara - https://positivelivingniagara.com
Reach Niagara Mobile Health - https://reachniagara.com/programs/welcoming-streets/

The Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre in Niarara has released the new Kids First Project for schools. Kids from kindergarten to grade 12 learn about safe and unsafe touching, secrets and recognizing potentially dangerous online behaviour.

Brian Bratt is the Centre's executive director.

Therapist Julie Christiansen is an expert on anger. One of her most recent books is titled Rise in Rage.  Julie talks about how Canadians are experiencing more bouts of anger and even rage, in part because of the helplessness and the threat to our security we feel from tariffs imposed by the U.S. 

She is also the keynote speaker at this year's Wellness for All event on May 8th to raise money for Canadian Mental Health Association, Niagara.

Experience shows that peer support is extremely successful. I’m going to start off with a new pilot program in St. Catharines called Welcoming Streets. It’s a partnership between Reach Niagara and Positive Living Niagara (POS), supported by Niagara Region and St. Catharines. Talia storm leads the Streetworks Program at POS and will co-direct the new porgram.

I’ll also chat with Quest Community Health Centre executive director Nancy Garner about the Niagara HELPS program that puts peer Navigators in niagara Hospitals.

We know that gender violence against women and femicides in Canada continue to grow. But an alarming 1/4 of adolescent girls who are dating boys are experiencing an abusive relationship. 

Nicole Regehr, executive director at Gillian's Place, talks about the increase in the number of girls, mostly in high school, who facing gender abuse. 

Gillian's Place is a shelter in Niagara for survivors of abuse and violence. If you need help reach out. All communication is confidential.  https://gilliansplace.com

Erin Clayton from Pathstone Mental Health for kids talks about how kids who are already at risk face greater threats from social media.

CASON - Community Addiction Services of Niagara - provides comprehensive alcohol, drug and gambling addiction treatment for individuals and their families.

Executive Director Janice Rutger talks about the challenges people and families face and the programs CASON offers.

https://cason.ca/

In 2023, 22.9% of people across Canada lived in households that struggled to afford the food they need.  That's 8.7 million people and a devastating 2.1 million children. The new numbers for 2024 from Feed Ontario shows an increase of 30%.

Community Care St. Catharines Thorold Executive Director Betty Lou Souter talks are the increasingly desperate need for food.

Feed Ontario
Community Care St. Catharines Thorold

Sammy Bazely was on the show last week to talk about suicide and the overwhelming feeling that the world, and especially her young daughter, would be a better place without her.

Sammy talked about the time leading up to her suicide attempt and the unexpected family intervention that saved her.

In Part Two, Sammy talks about what life is like now, how she keeps the suicidal thoughts away, and her thoughts on where we need to go as a society to accept and help more people from dying by suicide.

Interviews are also available on the podcast Life Unscripted - Stories of Mental Health and Addiction.

Sammy Bazely is a young woman who is telling her story of struggling with suicide in the hopes that other people can recognize themselves in her story and reach out for help. 

Sammy is young, married, has a beautiful daughter and runs a successful business.  One day she was overcome by feelings that the world would be a better place without her.

Today is Part One of Sammy’s story of suicide.  

Listen for Part Two of Sammy's story when we talk about what she continues to do today to keep the suicidal thoughts away.

When Valery Brosseau was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and borderline personality disorder in her early 20s it didn’t take long for her to realize that talking openly about her illness was healing for her and helped reduce stigma so other people could be open themselves. 

Valery decided she want to devote her career to not only helping people who are living with mental illness but also working with businesses and other organizations to understand mental illness, how it affects their employees and how to create an open and stigma free workplace.

In November, Valery is launching her new company – Validate Mental Health - where she is partnering with people with different experiences and approaches to mental wellness.

Young caregivers are an invisible and little known support for family members who need day to day help for basic needs. They provide personal care like grooming, helping with medication, getting dressed and feeding. 

But a growing number of children, as young as five and up to the age of 25, are taking on more responsibility for their siblings and parents because of situations like chronic illness, physical and intellectual disabilities, mental health and substance use.  

It’s estimated that 1 and a quarter Canadians between the age of 15 and 25 are caring for a family member.

 They’re under a tremendous amount of stress and often don’t have an outlet.

Young Caregivers is an organization dedicated to supporting these young people and their families

Chrissy Sadowski is Interim Executive Director.

There’s a special new dog in town!  His name is Zane and he’s a mental health facility support dog at Pathstone Mental Health. That sounds a bit formal and it’s easier to think of Zane as a cuddly assistant.

Zane was specially trained by the Lion’s Foundation of Canada Dog Guides to assist children who are in therapy or for their mental health at professional agencies, like Pathstone.  He provides a non-judgmental and calming influence to reassure kids experiencing a stressful situation.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Zane with therapist Jennifer Forstinger. He’s a lovely standard poodle who knows exactly when to play and when he’s at work.

September is Suicide Awareness Month.

Every year, approximately 4,500 people in Canada die by suicide, that equals 12 people dying by suicide every day. 

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in young people aged 15 to 24.

More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide each day.

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. 

Stacy Terry from the Distress Centre of Niagara is on the show today to talk about how to recognize of the signs a person is contemplating suicide, how to talk about it and resources available, including the new Canada wide 988 suicide crisis helpline

Ontario Health minister Silvia Jones made a surprise announcement at the Association of Municiplaties of Ontario's  annual conference in mid-August that no one expected – the closing of 10 supervised drug consumption sites across the province - 5 in Toronto and one in Hamilton, Guelph, Kitchener, Thunder Bay and Ottawa.  

Supervised consumption sites are a big part of harm reduction strategies, offering place where people can use drugs in a safe environment.  While the St. Catharines site is staying open Talia Storm  from Positive Living Niagara’s Streetworks program says staff are reeling from the announcement….simply put, she’s says more people are going to die in the cities losing their sites.

P-a-R-X is an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation that started about 3 years ago with the idea of medical professionals – like doctors, nurse practioners, dentists and pharmacist - prescribing time in nature for their patients.  This unique idea was developed by health-care professionals who want to improve their patients’ health by connecting them to nature. 

Dr. Melissa Lem is a driving force behind PaRX.

We’ve reached the stage where people are starting to acknowledge cell phone addiction is real. The issue is critical to childrens mental health and their ability to learn. It also means our kids are not getting outside, playing in the dirt and rolling in the grass. Bienenstock playgrounds builds play areas using natural elements like trees, rocks and earth that connect kids to nature.  

https://bienstockplaygounds.com

The Ontario government has announced a new policy banning the use of cell phones in classrooms.  The question is what will this new policy achieve?  Erin Clayton, who is the Director of Quality Assurance, Research and Planning at Pathstone Mental Health, talks about the policy and the mental health impact on children of constant cell phone use. Pathstone has programs to help parents and their kids put their phone down. 
https://pathstonementalhealth.ca.

Niagara Regional housing has put together a 10 poinr plan to reduce homelessness and, importantly, provide some space and programs for people living rough.  A temporary 24-hour a temporary shelter has opended where people have their own room, 3 meals a day and a large recreational area.

The recommendations came from a committee that included people with lived experience with homelessness and/or substance use.  

Marni Katzman is on the show to talk about the plan and the interest from municipalties across the province.

When people see someone who is homeless they probably think it could never happen to them. But at some point in time a person living rough and in a shelter did have a home. They may have had a family, friends and a good job. There are so many reasons why people end up living rough – job loss, mental health, trauma or substance use. In Marni Katzman’s case, she was addicted to alcohol, and despite a few stints in rehab she wasn’t able to stop drinking vodka. Finally, her family had to make the hard decision to show some tough love. Marni walked into a shelter wearing pink Uggs and pulling a designer suitcase.

Darcy Patrick is a Mental Health advocate, speaker, coach and author of 5 books about his journey from severe depression to wellness.  Two years ago he ended up in hospital in excruciating back pain.  Doctors still haven’t figured out what caused the serious erosion in two discs in his back and he still lives with debilitating pain. 

I met Darcy almost 10 years ago and he is one of the most determined people I know so I asked him to share how he’s using his mental health skills to help him live with constant pain. 

Schizophrenia is the least understood and the most stigmatized any mental illness.  

Imagine how scary it can be for the person living with schizophrenia when every minute of the day voices in their head talking to them. When we hear someone yelling on the street, they're yelling at their voices. Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function in daily routines.

The stigma of is so strong that many people don’t want to talk about their illness, or aren't well enough, but Jesse Bigelow is on the show today to share his experiences.

Tara Mckendrick is Executive Director of Canadian mental health association Niagara.  Taratalks about CMHA Niagara crisis services and also help define what is a crisis. Like most communities Niagara has a homeless and addiction crisis but Tara says we can’t just look at solving the problem, we have to find out the story of how a person got to where they are.  It will help people think about possibilities and maybe find hope.

Canadian Mental Health Association Niagiara: https://niagara.cmha.ca
Canadian Mental Health Association National: https://cmha.ca
If you are having thoughts of suicide call or text 9-8-8 The Suicide Crisis Help Line 

9-8-8 is a new 3-digit suicide crisis help line is being rolled out across Canada. The line will connect people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide to their to their local suicide prevention lines and make it easier for areas that don’t currently have a line. 988 is for people who are in crisis but does not replace 911, which should still be called if someone is in danger or actively trying to harm themselves.

The Center for  Addiction and Mental Health was tasked with creating the line and to work with local mental health organizations to help them set up the technology to implement it.

Dr. Allison Crawford leads the 9-8-8 team.

Learn more about 988 on the CAMH Website

No one likes to have cold feet and most of us take for granted that we can buy warm socks and be comfortable during the winter. But so many people who are homeless or struggling financially to keep food on the table aren’t able to buy basic necessities like socks. Kids are going to school without warm socks or sometimes no socks at all. 

SocksforChange.ca founder Sam Baio saw the need for warm socks and started Socksforchange.ca in Niagara, which is a volunteer run charity that donates thousands of warm wool socks to organizations and schools across Niagara. 

To buy socks or donate go to: socksforchange.ca

Feed Ontario has released it’s annual Hunger Report. Five million people visited foods banks across the province in the past year. One in 6 identified as having a job.  

Sadly,  food bank visits have increased at the same time people’s ability to give has declined. 

 On the show today are Carolyn Stewart CEO of Feed Ontario and Christine Clark-Lafleur CEO of Port Cares and part of Feed Niagara.  

A decision on whether to offer Medical Assistaince in Dying – or MaiD -  to people living with a mental illness in Canada has  been delayed again until March of 2024.

It’s such a complex issue and there’s a real division in the mental health community over whether MaiD should be expanded to include mental health. Some psychiatrists are firmly against it and others are firmly in favour.

We mostly hear about MaiD for people who have terminal illness with no chance of recovery, such as end stage cancer.  But in fact, death doesn’t have to be imminent or foreseeable but the illness must be quote "grievous and irremediable".

As of now there are no agreed upon standards for psychiatrists or other healthcare practitioners.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is concerned with the federal government’s intention to extend MAiD eligibility to people whose sole medical condition is mental illness, in part because of the lack of consensus on the issue.

Eram Chhogala is an emergency trauma nurse in Toronto and she has been on the show a few times to talk about the increasing number of people coming to emergency with a mental health issue. She doesn't support  MaiD for mental illness. Instead, she says governments should put more money into researching treatments.

National Addiction Awareness Week (Nov. 10-25, 2023) is spearheaded by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.  Inspiration, Innovation and Inclusion is this year's focus. CCSA has released a report on the cost of substance use and addiction. It found that in 2020, substance use in Canada cost $49.1 billion, largely from alcohol and tobacco. Opioid deaths accounted for $7 billion with 75% of that attributed to young people dying. 

Marnie Prokator from Community and Addiction Services of Niagara, or CASON, talks about the wide variety of services CASON provides. They are free and no referral is needed.

For more information about CASON go to - cason.ca

This year the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is focusing it’s no one left behind fundraising campaign on substance use and addiction.  Opioid use and deaths are still the biggest crisis with more 7300 deaths in Canada in 2022. But use of stimulants like methamphetamine, also know as crystal meth, is also increasing.  Mixed drug toxicity, for example meth with an opioid, is a major contributor to overdoses and deaths.

Dr. Leslie Buckley is chief of addcition services at CAMH and she’s on the show today to talk about stimulants.

Important news from Pathstone Mental Health. Pathstone is now the direct access point for all publicly funded mental health services in Niagara for children aged birth-18 years.  It's taking over from Contact Niagara so parents and youth now have a single intake number to call for all mental health services in the region.

Please call or e-mail Pathstone directly at 905-688-6850 ext. 8 or intake@pathstone.ca You can also complete an intake form online at www.pathstonementalhealth.ca. 

Also exciting this fall is the opening of the River House location in Welland and the new pop-up walk-in clinic at Seaway Mall, based on the successful walk-in at the Pen Centre.

The media plays an important role in forming public opinion and jouranists and their media outlets need to change the way they report on violence against women. 

 Gillian’s Place - a shelter for women in Niagara - has put together a free online course on Responsible Media Reporting of Gender-Based Violence and Gendered Issues.

The course dives into how much words matter and the ways media should report gender issues.

Gillian’s Place Project Manager Laura Ip is on the show today to talk about this complex issue.

Note: This free course was developed with the media in mind but is open to everyone.  

You can go directly to gilliansplace.com/responsible media or on the website under Community Education.

Talking with someone who knows what you're going through can make all the difference when you're in hospital for treatment of a mental illness. Faith Rockburne, who is a Peer Support worker at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto, finds personal healing for herself as well knowing that she is helping someone recover.

Faith was on the show last week to talk about her lifelong battle with treatment resistant depression. Group therapy played a major role in her recovery and she's using that experience to help others.

Faith Rockburne has lived with mental illness most of her life from anorexia as a teenager to severe depression as an adult. 

 Her depression and anxiety got worse as she got older until she stopped going out of her house and eventually lost her job. 

Faith’s road to recovery has been long and difficult - anti-depressants didn’t  work and after trying electro confulsive therapy – or ECT - she was told there was nothing left to try but group therapy.  

She did finally find an effective medication but she says the biggest change came after she joined a peer support group.  

Eram Chhogala is an emergency room and trauma nurse at a hospital in Toronto. She says more and more people are coming to emergency rooms for help for mental health or substance use. She believes it's because there is so much financial stress – the cost of living or maybe losing a job – and they have no other place to go for help.

Losing a pet can be very hard but adults expect it when their pet gets to a certain age and we know it’s ok to be sad, even cry.  Children feel the loss in a very different way and as parents we want to protect them from sadness and may feel it’s best to buffer the sadness with euphemisms, like "he’s gone to sleep" or "she’s gone away", leaving the child wondering when their pet will be home.

Dr. Joshua Russel from Canisius University in Buffalo has focused much of his research on children's relationships with animals. He’s interviewed children of all different ages on how their pet died, how they felt at the time and how they’ve coped and he has some advice for parents.

Gambling is known as the hidden addiction. Many people play at online gaming sites, go to casinos or maybe they start by betting with friends or buying lottery tickets. For most people it's just some fun and doesn't affect their daily life. But for some the obession can lead to losing their family, friends and even their job.

Community and Addiction Services of Niagara – or CASON - provides comprehensive treatment for alcohol, drug and gambling/gaming and internet addiction for individuals and their families. 

CASON's Marnie Prokator is on the show and you may be surprised when you hear what can be considered a gambling problem. 

For more information to to https://cason.ca

Last spring, New Brunswick became the first province to require teachers to have parental consent to use a child’s preferred name or pronoun in the classroom  if they are under the age of 16. It’s a complete change from the previous policy that made if mandatory for teachers to use preferred names and pronouns for all children.

Now Saskatchewan has implemented a similar policy, Ontario’s Education Minister believes parents should be making the decision although so far there has been no change in policy and Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative leader says she’ll bring in the same policy if elected in October.

Quest Community Health Centre in St. Catharines provides health care and counselling to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, as well as specific transdgender health care through it’s Rainbow Niagara program. Manager Stephanie Vail and outreach worker Kai Kristoff are on the show today to talk about the Rainbow Niagara program.

Every time I watch the news or read it online I think about how happy I am that I’m older. But I worry about my 15 year old nephew and my nieces and nephews who are now having children of their own. We’re used to wildfires in Canada but I don’t think there’s ever been a time when there have been so many raging at the same time and buring their way through communities and many people had to leave their homes. Who new we’d be breathing smoke from Quebec in southern Ontario. Politics in the U.S. is a mess again and the federal government has now put out a travel advisory about 18 states where 2sLGBTQ+ people could experience discrimination.

All this after 3 years of a pandemic.

I’m talking to Erin Clayton from Pathstone Mental Health about getting children back to school, how parents can talk to their kids about what’s happening in the world, and importantly, how can they recognize when their child is experiencing more persistent mental health problems.

Canadian Mental Health Association Niagara is focused on providing mental health supports to adults in the Niagara Region. On top of mental counselling CMHA connects people to with housing and to other services they may need to lead a healthy life.  It also provides crisis help:

• providing safe beds for people who need a short term place to stay
• mobile mental health support through it’s Crisis Outreach and Support Team.  
• Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team has social workers riding with police to help diffuse and divert people in crisis from the hospital and sometimes arrest.

CMHA Niagara Executive Director Tara McKendrick talks about the services.

Call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate crisis.

24 hour mental health  in Niagara:
The Mental Health and Addicitions Access Line will connect with the services you need 1 -866-550-5205.
Pathstone Mental Health crisis line for children: 1-800-263-4944 – 24/7
Distress Centre - 24 hour telephone support:
• St. Catharines, Niagara Falls And Area 905 688-3711
• Port Colborne, Wainfleet and Area – 905-734-1212
• Fort Erie and Area – 905-382-0689
• Grimsby, West Lincoln – 905-563-6674

The documentary Insanity – The mental health crisis by Canadian documentary film maker Wendy Hill-Tout tells the story of her brother Bruce – who was schizophrenic – and disappeared 25 years ago. Hill-Tout weaves her poignant family story with the mental health crisis we’re facing today. 

Steve Borisenko, whose son Jacob died of an  overdose, talks about the documentary and the website savemylife.ca.

The Willow Arts Community is an arts + peer support organization dedicated to reducing barriers and providing opportunities for adult artists and creatives with lived and living experience of mental illness/substance use disorder in Niagara.

The Willow is a non-profit offering free classes in many artistic mediums, including painting, writing and music. It uses the arts as an agent of social change by connecting and engaging with the public through exhibitions, publications, and performances to lessen the effects of stigma and social isolation.

Shauna McLeod is founder and executive director of the Willow.

You’ll find more information on their website: thewillowcommunity.com

The Valhalla Project Niagara is a free non-profit charity for veterans and first responders with post traumatic stress disorder -PTSD.  Valhalla’s flagship is it’s Learn to Live program which is a 5 day residential respite program based on peer support. Co-founder Graham Bettes says L2L is not a replacement for therapy but is a chance for people to share their experiences and learn some life skills.

For more information: https://www.valhallaprojectniagara.org/

Kids can express anger in many ways – sometimes it’s a temper tantrum or getting angry at home or at school. A lot of this can be managed by the family, others may need some therapy, but some children need more intentsive anger management skills.  Pathstone Mental Health has a live-in program at its Rotary House that helps kids find ways to deal with their anger. Christine Harvey heads up the program and talks about the problems kids face.

Achieving real equity, diversity and inclusion in business is more than policies. But how do businesses assess and take action on EDI?

Dr. Tapo Chimbganda helps companies and organizations across North Amerca identify and implement EDI actions and policies.  While racism and gender are often the focus,  she says people with physical disabilities can be overlooked because of the need to create a workplace that is accessible. 

Where to start? Do a search for "human rights code in businesses in Canada". Most of the information needed is included in the federal and provincial human rights codes. 

Pride month 2023 is in full swing .  Ten years ago there were about a dozen people gathering to Montebello Park in St. Catharines to celebrate. This weekend thousands were in the park. Pride flags are flying at all municipalties around Niagara, schools and most businesses are recognizing the 2SLGBTQ+ community.  Pride Niagara Chair Enzo De Ditivitiis talks with Janice Arnoldi on Life Unscripted about what it was like as a kid growing up gay, where we are today and what he hopes for the future for all 2SLGBTQ+ people.

Birchway Niagara (formerly Women's Place) has amalgamated its shelters into one to provide more and better services in South Niagara for women and childeren experiencing domestic abuse. Executive Director Jennifer Gauthier says shelter services are growing as gender violence continues to increase. Her dream is to come to work one day and find she doesn't have a job because gender abuse doesn't exist.  For now the Birchway shelter is a safe haven.

Does society divide people who are homeless into good and bad? Most people would say no, but sub-consciously many of us see a dividing line. The "good" homeless are people who lost their home and are new to living without a roof - maybe they lost their job and can't afford rent. Then there's the "bad" - the people who are living rough because of mental illness, addiction struggles or both. 

Karen Orlandi is studying for a doctorate in social justice, specifically the cost of homelessness. She is minister at Silver Spire Church in downtown St. Catharines and does a lot of outreach in the city's core.

The Blue Guardian app uses AI to help kids identify how they are feeling. Founder Emmanuel Akindelay had some bad experiences with mental health as a child, including teachers who just brushed him off rather than offering help.  But while AI like ChatGPT uses publicly available intelligence and knowledge to make information hyper available to anyone, Blue Guardian only tracks emotional intelligence based solely on the individual using the app. 

You can dowload Blue Guardian for free from your app store.

The RAFT started in 1992 as a homeless shelter for young people.  In the last 30 years it has grown into so much more then a shelter. Many of the kids have left school and are estranged from their families. The RAFT teaches them life skills, helps them find housing and work and importantly to rebuild a new relationship with their families. Executive Director Mike Lethby talks about The RAFT.

To learn more go to theraft.ca

Animals can be so emotionally healing. Therapeutic dogs visit people in long term care homes and more and more we see people with a service dog that provides emotional support. We’re also learning about the healing affect of horses on people experiencing post traumatic stress. 

Horse Sense for Kids in Niagara is a non-profit helping at risk kids who are struggling to to cope with life. The program has partnered with children’s organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Pathstone Mental Health and Family and Children Service’s Niagara.

Brenda and Rob Langedoon talk about Horse Sense for Kids at their horse stable in Niagara and the annual fundraiser Wild West Days on Saturday, June 10th at their stable.

For more information go to hsfk.ca.

We seem to be seeing more unspeakable violence. It's so hard to understand how someone could perpetrate a mass shooting, a random killing or the murder of a loved one. All too often the go-to explanation is mental illness.  In reality, few violent crimes are perpetrated by someone who is mentally ill. 

Janice and Jennifer Fisk talk about the relationship of mental illness and violence.

Every year March 31st marks the International Transgender Day of Visibility.  It's a day to raise awareness of the discrimination transgender men and women face. It's a day to respect a trans person's human rights.

For Ally Phillips this is just one day of 365 days a year that  all of us should show our understanding and compassion, and embrace trans men and women who add so much to the life of every community.  Ally talks about his decision to transition, what its means to his mental health and the disovery of his faith.

Niagara’s Assertive Street Outreach (NASO) Team actively engages individuals, across Niagara, experiencing unsheltered homelessness to promote, connect, and coordinate access to the range of supports available across Niagara’s Homeless-Serving System, including emergency shelter, housing and support services.

For the past three years I’ve been following the monthly Mental Health Index - which surveys people in the workforce about the state of their mental health.  

Paula Allen Senior Vice President of Research and Total Wellness at Telus Health, formerly Life Works, says while anxiety is still high on people’s radar inflation and isolation are the biggest stressors. 

She says it’s paramount to get rid of stigma in the workplace and create an atmosphere where fellow employees can help by looking out for each other and where leaders are be able to recognize someone who is under stress and have plans in place to offer assistance. 

For Black women hair is intrictly woven into their family and their culture from an early age. In this show you'll hear from an extraordinary 10 year old, Normani Hamilton, who has written a book My Beautiful Hair.

Also, Kerry Goring, a hairdresser,  talks about the deep cultural connection and meaning of hair and how it is empowering Black women.

Many of us think about magic mushrooms when we hear the word  psilocyben.  It is the psychedelic in "shrooms" that creates the high or "trip", says Dr. Ishrat Husain at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Husain and his team are researching the effectiveness of psilocyben to treat people with depression who have not responded to other medication.  

Dr. Husain took part in a world-wide study just published in The New England Journal of Medicine that found that psilocyben may be a viable answser.

Several years ago street photograper Diane Conn was out and about and by chance took a photo of a couple holding hands.  She became fascinated by the sense of wellbeing she felt from exerpiencing two people holding hands and continued to take photos of people when she was out with her camera. She took all the photos from behind which allows you to use your imagination about the two people and find answers to questions - Why do we hold hands?  Why do we love watching people hold hands? How does the simple act of holding hands heal us? 

Diane had shot 8,000 photos when her husband, also a photographer, suggested she put them in a book - Holding Hands. Visit theyareholdinghands.com  to experience some of her photos. The book is on Amazon and will soon be at Chapters and Indigo online.

Intimacy is a challenge that most couples face at some point in their relationship. It's not always about sex. It can be lack of touch or emotional connection. But often people struggling with depression, anxiety and many other mental health issues feel numb and unable to connect at any level.

Sensuality coach Kerry Goring has some tips about how to get intimacy back into any  relationships.

I have been honoured to have so many people share their personal stories of mental health and addiction with me on Life Unscripted. Over the past 20 years I've talked openly about my struggles with bipolar 1 disorder. So I was really surprised how nervous I was when I sat on the other side of the mic at 610CKTB to talk to afternoon  host Walter Sendzik.

Stigma is still a reality for many people. I've talked to Jennifer Fisk in the past about how she overcame the stigma  she felt about her rampant anxiety, both with friends and work colleagues. Jennifer thought she had conquered stigma until she moved to new job and it started all over again. It was her dream job and Jennifer went back to hiding her anxiety because she thought poeple would think she couldn't do the job.  It was bad enough that she believed she was in over her head. Now she had to start  finding ways to avoid anxious situations...and that just made her more anxious.

Dying by suicide is the 2nd higest cause of death for kids between the ages of 15 and 19, only slightly behind accidents.  Ryan Andres, who works with at risk children at Pathstone Mental Health, says the number of children thinking about suicide has increased at a much higher rate than deaths. He talks about the signs parents and friends should look for.

Last fall kids were going back to school and emergency rooms were filling up, but not because of COVID. Emergency room nurses were facing a new enslaught of sick children, some seriously, with a resperatory illness.  Nurse Eram Chogala says it's distressing for nurses to see young children struggling to breathe. Wait times can be long and she wants parents know that nurses are commited to getting their kids treatment as fast as they can.

Jennifer McCready owns Lady Luck Photography and is a strong advocate for ending stigma for mental illness, as well as body positivity. Jennifer photographs aren't your average portraits. They are unique, colourful and fun and they've helped many women feel positive about themselves and their bodies.  Jennifer is now working on a TV series about body positivity.  At the same time, she has lived through the worst depression she has experienced.

At the end of the day, Jennifer's message is always positive!
Check out Jennifer's work:
http://www.lady-luck-pinups.com and facebook.com/ladyluckphotographystudio

Pathstone Mental Health’s Back-to-School Prep Tips equips students with the tools they need for a successful year.

The start of a new school year can be extra tough for kids and with Canadian statistics stating that 1 in every 5 children (expected to increase to 1 in every 4) will experience a mental health struggle as a result of the pressures caused by the pandemic, the need for mental health support with children, youth and families has never been greater.

To help parents measure their readiness in identifying and supporting their child’s mental health struggles this school year, Pathstone Mental Health has put together a short quiz as well as a school prep kit full of tips to try to help with the transition to the school year ahead.

Test your knowledge of children's mental health.
Back-to-School Prep Tips

Megan Glosson is a contributor to The Mighty, an online resource for mental health. In this episode Megan shares tips for people who are lonely during COVID.

Feeling positive about their bodies has always been a struggle for teens.  Many constantly compare themselves to others and never match up. This can lead to mental and physical health issues. Lee-Ann Smith is a social worker at Pathstone Mental Health and a strong proponent of the Body Positivity Movement to help teens and parents learn healthy, nurturing skills to defeat negative thinking.

 

2022 brings another startling number of opioid deaths in Canada. Niagara has one of the highest death rates in Ontario. Positive Living Niagara runs a program called Streetworks to connect with people are who are living rough. Talia Storm talks about helping people, including a safe drug supply and noloxone.

It’s important to note that opioids are everywhere and addiction and deaths affect people from all walks of life.

Here are some contacts if you or someone you know needs help.

• Mental Health and Addictions Access Line: 1-866-550-5205
• For youth go to Pathstone Mental Health or call Crisis Services 1-800-263-4944
• Positive Living Niagara: 905-984-8684

 Call 911 if a person is in immediate danger.

Human and sex traffickers will often bring their victims, mostly women, to Canada from the U.S. at border  crossings like Niagara. Niagara has become the epicentre for trafficking. But Canadian women, the vulnerable and children are also targetted.  YWCA Niagara has a program, including a safe house, to help get people away and safe from their captors. Kayla Mayer manages the program.

Kelly-Anne Appleton was just 10 years old when her Roman Catholic parish priest began sexually abusing her. The priest started grooming her by making her feel special, inviting her fold flyers and giving her candy. It progressed to sexual abuse and for two years Kelly-Anne kept visiting him. For years she believed it was her fault because priests were thought to be above reproach and even next to God.  She has worked hard to overcome the shame and is passionate about helping other women as a Mindset & Success Coach.  Kelly-Anne has also written about her story in a collaborative book with  10 other women.  She Is Worthy is coming out in Spring 2022. 

In 2006, Charles Sylvestre was convicted of sexually abusing 47 girls, including Kelly-Anne. He was a parish priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of London, Ontario.

Calming your brain can be as easy as taking five deep breaths when you wake up, at mid-day and before you go to sleep and anytime you're feeling frazzled.  Author Darcy Patrick says falling in love with your breath will help you deal with stress and anxiety.  And guess what - there's no right way to be mindful. Practicing mindfullness can simply be whatever works for you to take you away from the frenzy of life for a while. Darcy writes for people struggling with their mental health but his books are for everyone. His latest book, Managing Wellness, brings together a lot of lessons from his previous four books about his journey, the healing powers of creative writing and meditation and letting go of the bad stuff. As always, Darcy writes in bite sized lessons you can implement right away. 

You'll find out more about Darcy's and his books - darcypatrick.com.

There are a lot of reasons kids get angry. Sometimes frustration boils over, sometimes it's the stress of being a teenager or it may be conflict at home. For some children the anger becomes ingrained and they can't control it.  They need some time away in a safe place to learn how to diffuse the feelings.  Rotary House has a 12 week live-in program where kids continue to go to school but live with their peers who are also working to overcome anger. A Pathstone Mental Health therapist is on-site to also help them learn new ways to cope and build new connections with their family.

Our children have lived through unprecendented stress during two years of the coronovirus pandemic. What a relief for many now schools are open, no more masks and the future looks normal. 

Now they've hit with the war in the Ukraine and kids of all ages are afraid there will be a  World War. Therapist Angel Graham from Pathstone Mental Health works with children and says, while kids are resilient they have a lot of questions. Angel has some suggestions for parents to help them alleviate their child's fears.

Many people celebrated the end of the lockdown.  Shopping with no mask. Going out for dinner with no proof of vaccination.  But for people with severed anxiety and panic attacks the world opening up was scary. Secretly, they didn't really want to leave their home but felt foolish telling anyone. Jennifer Fisk and Janice Arnoldi talk about how they are adjusting to life on the outside. Jennifer is a former president of Canadian Mental Health Association, Niagara and has lived her whole life with severe anxiety and panic attacks.

Jacob Borisenko died last June after taking anti-anxiety pills he bought off the street which his dad Steve believes were contaminated with fentynal. Steve Borisenko is with me today to talk about his son’s death and the advocacy work he’s doing in the hopes that no one else will have to die.

We’re starting to see the final numbers for opioid overdoses and deaths in Niagara in 2021. More people were taken to hospital for a suspected overdose. But the most shocking is the number of people who died. While we don’t have the final count it will be around 200 people– that’s average of 16 deaths per month and 50 more than 2020 - when we were second behind Toronto.

If you are at risk on an overdose please make sure you are with someone and one of you is  carrying a noloxone kit. Kits are available at many social service agencies and pharmacies across the Region.

Andrew Dodge was only 38 years old when he was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer in 2019.  The cancer is terminal.  The average life span is 14 years. Anyone who meets Andrew will see that part of his skull was removed during surgery to remove the turmor. He doesn't hide it under a hat.  It's important to Andrew that other young people living with cancer know that it doesn't have to define them.  It's hard work to stay on track and live life but he and his wife Kat are determined to get the most out of their time together.  Andrew is a counsellor at RAFT, a haven for homeless youth in Niagara, Ontario.

 Autism service dogs play a special role in helping children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  They provide safety, constant friendship and help with behavioural issues.  Allison Savard, Director of Client Services at Autism Dog Services, says safety is often the main reason a family gets a service dog.  Kids with autism can suddenly bolt and not stop when called. The service dog is attached to the child and trained to stop and wait. Savard says the dog often brings a family together. They may never have done anything outside the house as a family group for fear their child will bolt.  The dog can also help the child with ASD make a connection by being involved in its care and the whole family can join in.

Visit Austism Service Dogs for more information. The organization provides service dogs in Southwestern Ontario.  https://www.autismdogservices.ca

In 2017, Fabiola Philippe lost her life after years of battling mental illness and addiction. Fabiola was a mother, a sister, a daughter, and a friend. She was also Black and through the tragedy Fabiola's family realized that help for mental health and addiction just wasn't equal for people in the Black community. In 2018, Fabiola's sister Marie Philippe Remy and her daughter Lydia Philippe started Fabiola’s Addiction and Mental Health Awareness & Support Foundation.  FAHMAS raises awareness about mental health and addiction in the Ottawa community. It started as a place where people living in the Ottawa area could come together in a safe place. Now, the Foundation is expanding across the country.

 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is misunderstood and tricky to diagnose.  Children with ADHD are often thought to be rowdy or undisciplined because they can’t stay still. They may seem unmotivated and lacking willpower. It's easy to think your child just doesn't want to do something as simple as cleaning their room. ADHD is a spectrum. Some kids have difficulty concentrating while others find organizing their thinking to acheive simple tasks can be really challenging.

Customers in restaurants expect the people who work there to always have a smile on their face and be respectful to their needs. Yet, too often customers don't give the same kindness and respect  back.  Chef Adam Hyndman-Smith, who owns Dispatch Restauraunt in St. Catharines, says the food services industry has to change and start protecting their employees. Adam says those smiling faces are often covering mental health and physical stress that is rampant in the industry.  It's not just verbal abuse from unhappy diners. Women, who are the majority of front of house staff, often experience unacceptable touching, flirting and sexual abuse.  Long hours on the job has also led to a culture of drinking and drug use to wind down at the end of the day.

One in 66 children and youth in Canada is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder according to the latest study in done in 2018.  Autism affects the way a person interacts with the world around them. Engaging in relationships or being able to socialize is often difficult.

Chrissy Sadowski's 11 year old son Darius  is non-verbal autistic. He doesn't speak or understand simple tasks.  Chrissy talks about how life isn't always easy with Darius but the family has learned his needs and actions. 

Chrissy is the Fund Developtment and Volunteer Coordinator for Autism Ontario South Region.  She also has a coaching business https://consciousdirection.ca/

Day in and day out Nurse Eram Chhogala, who is a trauma and ER nurse in Toronto, treats people with COVID -19 who come into the emergency struggling to breathe. Too many times she has moved patients to intensive care where they are often put on life support and in some cases die. Then Eram experienced an unimaginable personal tragedy when her dad came into emergency at the hospital where she worked having difficulty breathing.  It's impossible to imagine the anguish Eram felt as she watched her dad move to ICU where he died.  Eram has nursed so many people who have not been vaccinated.  Please listen to her empassioned appeal for people to get vaccinated as she puts it "for the sake of human kind." 

Anyone who knows me knows that I love horses.  I believe everyone who is living with a mental health issues or addiction should own or have access to a pet.  It helps with lonliness and also means being responsible for another living being.  Not everyone can own a horse but some therapists are adding Equine therapy to their traditional in- office approach. Firefighter Rob Leathen, who I've interviewed in the past about his post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), says working with horses and donkeys has been an immense help in his journey to wellness.

Canadians are feeling more depressed, increased anxiety and feelings of isolation. It's hard to feel optimistic, especially now that we're in the midst of the Omicron varient, throwing everything up in the air again.

The international HR firm Life Works has been tracking Canadian's mental health since the beginning of the pandemic and it releases a monthly Mental Health Index.  Paula Allen is Senior Vice President of  Research and Total Wellness and says this latest report looked at job responsibilities and work relationships and found managers are having a harder time coping and many feel they're in crisis.  Interestingly, there's a growing distrust developing in working relationships among peers. 

When we look at opioid overdoses we tend to focus on the number of deaths, most often the result of fentanyl in the drug. There is no doubt that these tragic deaths are increasing. But there are many more people who are taken to hospital emergency rooms or treated where they are. Marty Mako from Niagara Emergency Medical Services talks about everything from medical intervention to noloxone to available services and how to access them.

A half a million people in Canada live with some form of dementia. One in five Canadians have some experience caring for their loved one. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease.  It steals the memories of the person living with it until they don't even recognize their family. Families watch as their loved one disappears. Cassandra Best helps care for her mom who is living with Alzheimer's.  She also works at the Alzheimer Society of Niagara.

#ProjectPlaid launched in 2019 after the tragic loss of Amelia Durocher to suicide. Amelia loved to wear plaid and taking quick action with a resolve to not let this happen to other kids and families, her mom Shanta created #ProjectPlaid. It not only helped her cope, it quickly became a connection for those who were struggling and it’s now a mental health movement. November is plaid month and Shanta's goal is to elevate awareness of suicide prevention and to help kids talk to their friends about their mental health. Project Plaid is also hopes to raise $30,000 for youth mental health programs at Pathstone Mental Health in Niagara.

If are thinking about suicide or are a parent you can call the Pathstone crisis services line 1-800-263-4944 – 24/7.

Youth can also get immediate support by calling or texting the  Kids Help Phone.

Children grieve in different ways than adults, but even infants grieve. Kids are often too young to understand euphimisms like "loss".  Children's grief therapist Angel Graham says it may seem harsh but adults need to be direct and use real words like "died" so a child understands that death is permanent. November18 is Children's Grief Awareness Day.

Managers and supervisors are going to have to re-think the way they interact with their teams.  There has been a lot of information about how people will work – fully remote, hybrid or full time back in the office, shift work, retail or any other job.  Life has been very fluid with work tied to COVID 19 restrictions and re-openings. The uncertainty has put an immense amount of strain on peoples’ mental health and many senior managers have only been able to stay one step ahead.

Nick Pollice of Pollice Management Group says mental health should be the priority. He calls the CEO the Chief Empathy Officer. Understanding and recognizing the signs an employee is struggling is only part. Pollice says there has to be supports in place, a culture where people feel they can talk about mental heath and clear HR policies. He says this also means managers, group leaders and supervisors are going to have to look at their traditional approaches and even shake up the way they think.

There are different techniques and tools to help people recognize and deal with different mental illness disorders.  Probably the best know are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  ACT is ofen used to treat anxiety.  Psychologist Steve Abma talks about how accepting situations that make you anxious can be the key to stopping it.

There is so much stigma and shame attached to postpartum depression many women  don't get help.  It is a big, horrible secret they may even keep even from their husbands.  It can be hard to understand how a mother wouldn't love her child  from the moment they're  born. But as many as 1./4 of women suffer with postpartum depression. When Jessica Gale Friesen had her first baby she thought she'd love him unconditionally. But postpartum depression stopped her from bonding.  Jessica has written a book about her experience - This Will Not Break Me. 

Wellness Walls are going up in every school across Niagara to provide a safe space for kids to talk, take-action and support fellow students about their mental health.  Students from JK to grade 12 can put an anonymous message about how they're feeling on a post-it note on the Wall.  Other kids are encouraged to post notes of support - some from kids who have had the same experience and share their coping skills. 

The Wellness Walls are partnership between Pathstone Mental Health and the two school boards in Niagara.  Andrea Bozza, the mental health lead at the Niagara Catholic District School Board, says it's no surprise that more children are experiencing high levels of anxiety because of the disruption of school caused by the pandemic. 

For years, Nicole Regher lived fear of her abusive husband.  When they were dating Nicole thought her boyfriend kept close track of her because he cared. Almost as soon as they were married he became violent.  Nicole escaped her marriage and now helps women like her at Gillian's Place, a shelter for abused women in Niagara, where she is Director of Development & Violence Prevention Programs. https://gilliansplace.com.

Indigenous peoples are at a much higher risk of mental illness and addiction than the general population. Culture and traditional healing is central to the overall wellness of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. Renee Linklater, Senior Director at Shkaabe Makwa at the Centre for Addiction and Mental health, says trauma and racism has passed through the generations – especially the horrific abuse and deaths of children at residential schools in Canada. 

Last June, my friend Steve Gallagher shared his story with me about living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). It was just before the #walktoendALS and Steve and I talked about living with the disease and  advocating for ALS. There are really no treatments. Health Canada has announced a new drug trial but it will be at least a year before testing is finished.

I'm replayling the interview with Steve to put a focus on the need for treatment for people with ALS.  

Watch Steve's video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.gallagher.129/posts/10157781128741739

When Paul Lea was in his late 50s he had a massive stroke affecting 25% of his brain. He pretty much gave up on life when he was diagnosed with vascular dementia. With help from his daughter and sheer determination Paul retrained his brain and developed coping skills.  But his advocacy for people with dementia has made the biggest difference.  Paul is part of the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health Not Today. campaign raising awareness of its world class research into mental illnesses and addictions - https://www.camh.ca/en/today-campaign.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself running into a burning building, putting out the flames and saving someone caught in the fire. Firefighter Rob Leathen has been doing just that for 30 years. Rob describes his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that has been part of his life for most of his career. Rob works hard on his own life but also with others suffering with PTSD.  He is part of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (camh.ca) campaign - Today  - highlighting the amazing research CAMH is doing into solving the mysteries of mental illness.

It's estimated that 700,000 people die by suicide world wide every year.  In Canada, 10 people die by suicide every day.  Another 200 people will attempt so.  

Dr. Javeria Zaheer from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health talks about how to recognize the signs of suicide and reach out to a person you believe is in danger. Visit camh.ca for more information on suicide.

Losing a loved one is hard. Grieving is hard. But grieving, gathering with friends and family and sharing  memories is what helps us slowly deal with loss.  The pandemic stole that from all of us. My father-in-law died in February 2020, a month before the first lockdown. It was so hard for the family to grieve in total isolation. 

Grief specialist Dr. Darcy Harris, a professor at the University of Western Ontario, says as the world begins to open up people may have to face the grief all over again as they see friends and family for the first time.

Brian Hansell lost his son Paul to suicide in 2010 when Paul was just 18.  While Brian will never recover from his son's death he celebrates his life with the Paul Hansell Foundation committed to raising youth mental health awareness in Canada. The Foundation's #ConvoPlate are travelling around the world starting conversations about mental health about the importance of mental health in all our lives. 

You can keep them going with your own individually painted plate. Here's how:

Step 1 -  Register a #ConvoPlate at paulhansellfoundation.com
Step 2 - Take a picture of yourself with the plate and post it on social media using the hashtag #ConvoPlate.
Step 3 - Pass the plate to someone and start it's journey. You can track it on the website.
Step 4 - Help support mental health programs and inititatives by donating to the Paul Hansell Foundation or a mental health agency in your community.

Eram Chhogala, an emergency trauma nurse who works at two major hospitals in Toronto, talks about 17 months of extreme stress working on the frontline of the pandemic, treating people with severe COVID 19. There were days the ER was so full of patients, nurses and doctors were forced to treat people in hallways. Some nurses are considering leaving their jobs once the pandemic is over.

It's the end of the summer and kids in Ontario are going back to school in person for the first time since last March. That's on top of the 20 weeks when schools were shuttered in 2020.
Angel Graham is a social worker at Pathstone Mental Health, which provides mental health services to children.  She shares TIPS on prepping your whole family for back to school, a time that can be particularly difficult for kids who already have mental health issues.

Author and mental health advocate Darcy Patrick talks about his new book The Big Let Go.  Darcy talks about how he let go of control so he could gain control of his new life moving forward from his depression.

Darcy had struggled for over 38 years from depression and had to make a call for help which was one of the most difficult things he had ever done.

Since the release of Darcy’s book his life has changed dramatically. He became a public speaker doing talks all around Southern Ontario for many different mental health and addiction originations to raise awareness. His goal is to break the stigma  behind depression and mental health and addiction, help as many people as he can, let them know they are not alone.
To learn more about Darcy visit his website: www.darcypatrick.com

Many of us think of hoarders as the people on TV who have rooms full of junk, or at its worse, so much stuff they have to walk through warrens to get around their house.  Elaine Birchall has been working with people who hoard for the 20 years. 

Emergency trauma nurse Eram Chhagola talks about 17 months of stress working on the frontline of the pandemic, treating people with severe COVID 19 in emergency room hallways.

 "You can talk to me about mental health and dogs" or "Be kind to your mind" are just two of the anti-stigma messages on clothing from the online store ownyourstigma.com.  Allison and Brian Gilbank are trying to reduce the stigma of people living with mental illness with t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and mugs. A portion of sales is donated to mental health organizations and charities.

People are drinking more and using more drugs as we reach 15 months of COVID in Canada. The international HR company LifeWorks released it's monthly Mental Health Index for May 2021. The May report focuses on the increase in alcohol and drug use and how it's affecting mental health.

Sarah Conlon shares her experience as a transgender woman.

Physical and sexual abuse against women increases when there are stay at home orders or lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Abusive men who are home all the time are likely to hurt their spouse or partner more often. Women are not able to reach out for help because their abuser is home. Nicole Regher is from the women's shelter Gillian's Place.

Pathstone Mental Health is a children's mental health organization in Niagara. Their online TV video chats led by mental health experts and professionals help children understand topics like resiliency, anxiety, gratitude, self-awareness. https://pathstonementalhealth.ca/pathstonetv/

Steve Abma 

It can often be very hard for families who have a loved one struggling with a mental illness. They can feel overwhelmed and not sure what they should do .  Gord McPherson worked for more than a decade with 100's of families helping them understand what's happening to their family member and what they can do to help.

Quest Community Health Centre in St. Catharines has taken most of it's services online, one of the first service organizations in Niagara to build a robust online presence. Quite a task when most of their clients are living with low incomes and many find it difficult to get internet access.  Executive Director Nancy Garner talks about some of the unique ways Quest is communicating.

Rachel Epp owns her own business. She's a real entreprenuer. A few years ago she suffered a serious brain trauma. Rachel had to make serious changes in how she lives her life and runs her business. As hard as it is to live with a brain trauma, she says some changes have made her life better.

Bounce Back is an online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy program created by the Canadian Mental Health Association with support from the Ontario government. The government is increasing funding to the program as more and more people struggle with their mental health.

Physical violence by a partner is increasing as the pandemic continues with more women at home with their abuser.  At the same time, the women are afraid to reach out to places like women's shelter Gillian's Place, scared that they'll be caught and the violence will get worse.

Our kids are coping in a world they really don't understand. Both mom and dad may be working from home, school is weird, play dates are cancelled. Psychologist Cindy Rose gives parents some tips on how to keep the home as  normal as possible and activities they can do. Limiting screen time is hard and she suggests trying some old school fun.

Hospice care is locked down and no family or friends can visit with people who are at the end of their life. There isn't even human touch as staff are wearing full PPE gear. The staff at Hospice Niagara are finding it so hard to only communicate their caring through a plastic sheild and medical mask.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues more people are living in precarious financial situations, whether they're struggling to pay the rent, need help with food or are living on the street and in shelters.  Betty Lou Souter, executive director of Community Care St. Catharines-Thorold says people everywhere are worried about jobs, their homes and the ability to feed themselves and their family.

Just a month into the pandemic and already food banks are seeing an increase. Betty Lou Souter runs Community Care St. Catharines-Thorold and says that  if COVID 19 continues more people will need food and assistance with housing. People who are homeless are especially at risk.

For most of her life Jennifer Fisk has lived with severe anxiety and panic attacks. She tells her story of how these ruled her life both socially and at work. Anxiety even stopped Jennifer from applying for promotions she was qualified for.

We're just a few weeks into the coronovirus pandemic and Ontario declared a state of emergency along with some other provinces. The lockdown means only essential services are open. People are lining up at grocery stores and toilet paper is not to be found. 

I'm already finding news from around the world and now in Canada so stressful but it's impossible to stop checking the news on my phone.  My advice to everyone: Don't check your apps!