Music Video for Kids Who Have a Parent with Mental Illness

This music video has great messages for children including letting them know they are not alone in their experience and it is not their fault. Often times children realize for the first time when they come to the FAMEkids group that there are other children in similar situations. This video has a lot of other positive messages like the importance of kids being kids, and living life to the fullest. Have a listen and consider sharing with others!

Four Things I Learned While Getting Office Furniture:

Let the games begin!

I don't know if it was in the looming isles of IKEA, or when our ED Christine raved about Brad Fremmerlid, the 25 year old who can assemble furniture within minutes, when I knew I was in trouble. It was time to put on my  'Bob the builder' hat and show 92 pages of Swedish instructions who is boss.

Really Ikea?....Really???

Alright, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Before bolts, screwdrivers, and yelling at inanimate objects, I learnt three pearls of wisdom in picking furniture;

Lesson 1: Target your Audience: As much as you might have a love for sea-foam aqua or cotton candy pink, perhaps the welcoming  feeling you get from it won't be reciprocated by a male, middle aged NFL fan looking for support.

Lesson 2: Determine your budget. Even if you think the deep purple pleather chair on clearance beats out any flea market find, garage sale, or thrift store bonanza, it doesn't mean its appropriate- less is more and quality over quantity.

We're All Human

Check out this video, Cristina's Tortina Shop, as it demonstrates that being human is to dream and hope that one can reach one's potential, whatever that may be.
  Being human also means that one respects and supports others in achieving their potential.
 A family's story which I hope inspires you to dream big and to never give up!
 

Resource for Using Mindfulness with Children

Here is a great article about Teaching Mindfulness to Children. I have referenced this article countless times, and utilize some of the activities with children and youth who have a family member with mental illness. I have even used this as my main resource in my previous job to design a 7 session mindfulness program for children 7 to 12. Hope you find it informative!

New Understandings and Effective Ways of Working with and Healing from Psychosis

Hi Everyone
An interesting workshop will be held on Friday June 13 which will share different perspectives on recovery
from psychosis. Check out the link below
http://psychosis2.wordpress.com/

Activity of the Month!

Each month I will post an activity that can be helpful in working with children/youth who have a family member with a mental illness!  Some of the activities will involve art...

Some will involve mindfulness....

This month's activity will be about mindfulness and it has a simple title, but can be a powerful everyday tool in helping children/youth understand the concepts of mindfulness practice.  It is called the Rock Activity.  It involves engaging the child/youth in a discussion about their understanding of mindfulness and explaining it in a way they can understand.  In brief mindfulness can be explained as being present in the moment, not focusing on the past or future, and being aware of our our body, feelings and environment.  After a discussion on mindfulness has taken place the child/youth is invited to choose a rock they will keep from the selection available...

Then the discussion of how and when they can use the rock begins.  This discussion can be started by talking about holding the rock when needed and being aware of its texture.  Keeping it close by in a pocket or backpack can be helpful. 

Explaining deep breathing also referred to as belly breathing can be helpful to do at the same time.  Then we talk about situations the rock can be used in such as when we are thinking a lot about the past or future, before bed, at school when we are having trouble concentrating, before a test, and when we are really angry by squeezing the rock.  Children/youth have found it helpful to know how the rock has worked for others.  Then the child/youth is invited to try the rock over the next week when they feel they need it and bring their experiences to next week's session.  

Check back for future resource postings and the activity of the month!

Strangers are Friends You haven't Met Yet

New Toronto Office Update!

In the words of Vince Lombardi, "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary".

As demonstrated by our sizeable excel document, dozens of recycles Caramel Macchiato cups and my sufficiently salt stained boots (ouch, leg cramp) we are meeting and greeting the movers an the shakers of the downtown core.

Through door to door visits, hand written cards, lengthy emails, excessive brochure distribution, attending community agency tours, sending Linkedin messages, joining committees, telephone conferences, providing agency presentations, attending conferences and cold calling. (Excuse me while I catch my breath) We have met the neighbours!

Any networking avenue short of Harry Potters Apparition teleportation, or  beaming through Spock's teleportation devise- we have utilized.

And its working! Onwards and Upwards!!!

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New 'Medical Psychiatry Alliance'

“We need to think differently, we need to act differently.”

I recently read about the Government of Ontario funding $20 Million to support the creation of the Medical Psychiatry Alliance and felt the need to share.

Ontario Government, CAMH, Sick Kids, Uof T,Trillium Health Partners and an Anonymous donor are collaborating on better ways to deliver comprehensive Health Care, announcing a $60-million initiative.

"The alliance will develop new screening and diagnostic tools so that mental and physical symptoms can be properly identified and treated, devise specialized clinical training for medical students on mental and physical symptoms occurring at the same time, and research and test new ways to deliver psychiatric care at home"

Check it out!

Click Here to read the full article.

Cancellation Notice

Tonight's fameKids Group in Brampton is cancelled due to the snowstorm as we do not want families to make the travel to and from group in these conditions. Safety of the families and children is always number one priority! We will be figuring out a make up session date.

We hope everyone is able to get home safely!