Recovery Story

I get asked a lot to share recovery stories that I've heard from people.  These stories can help to inspire hope, create normalcy for mental illness, and give people a voice who feel like they might not have one (or feel like people don't want to listen).  Here's a video from someone who wants to share his own experience with mental illness. 
This video contains a conversation about suicide.

New Care Strategy

Recently there was a study conducted to look the care strategy for individuals experiencing Schizophrenia in the United States, and the results they found are quite promising in terms of implementing more comprehensive community care.  Medication has always been at the forefront of care for individuals experiencing psychosis related illnesses, and while they can be extremely helpful, are not a "magic pill".  This study shows that participants who were on a lower dose of anti psychotic medication, while receiving comprehensive talk therapy and family therapy, tended report a higher quality of life over the next two years.
It's important that we are constantly striving to find new and better ways to support people experiencing mental illness, and please read the New York Times Article that gives a great overview of the study, and goes on to discuss how this new comprehensive care strategy can be implemented in the community.

Holiday Events in Toronto

The  Consumer Survivor Information Resource Centre has released its' annual listing of holiday events and celebrations in Toronto.  So if you want to get into the holiday spirit download their December 1st Bulletin.
..

National Housing Day March on November 20

The Advocacy Centre for Tenants' Ontario has organized a march to advocate for a national housing strategy.  They advocate for the right of every Canadian to have access to affordable housing.
 For details of the event and to register check out this link. With increased costs of living it is imperative that people with disabilities have appropriate housing to maintain their overall wellbeing.  This is not a privilege it is a human right.

NEW Borderline Personality Disorder Support Group - Mississauga

I'm thrilled to let everyone know there will be a new Support Group running out of the Mississauga Office starting in November 2015!   If you are a caregiver of a loved one struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder, please come by to our new group.  This is a safe and non-judgmental space for caregivers to share, listen, and become educated on how to care for themselves and their loved one. It will be an open and supportive conversation, with lots of information about resources and education available!  The Group will run every third Thursday of the month from 7-9 pm.

Thursday November 19th, 2015

7pm - 9pm

50 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Suite 300

Mississauga Community Door

Please contact Stephanie Kerr either by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns:

Phone: 905-276-8316

Email: Stephaniek@fameforfamilies.com

Talk soon!

Telling our story of Living Mentally Well

With the work being done at the FAME Toronto Office, the importance of Narrative and resilience through story telling has been an effective practice for families; particularly those who have experienced trauma in the family . With that, I was asked to speak last Wednesday,at the 3rd Annual Mindfest Seminar hosted at the University of Toronto. Mindfest is a collective meeting of professionals, speakers with lived experience and community agencies providing discussion on the various aspects and treatments of mental health challenges active in Toronto. Below is a copy of the talk given: 

Discussion of mental health had changed in recent decades. Though, a great deal of stigma and discrimination still exists. Our acknowledgment of mental wellness as a component of health has been accepted. Additional to the advancements in therapies and available treatments has been inclusion of the subjective and personal experiences of those who live with mental health challenges. This inclusion within the dialogue of practice has promoted advocacy and awareness.

Blame

Brene Brown on Blame is a must-see video, as known from Sympathy vs. Empathy. "Brene Brown considers why we blame others, how it sabotages our relationships, and why we desperately need to move beyond this toxic behaviour." Enjoy!

Ministry of Community and Social Services to Delay Implementation of Employment Related Benefit

CMHA Ontario announced in their recent newsletter that due to advocacy by the ODSP Action Coalition, a province-wide coalition of community disability agencies, provincial organizations, anti-poverty groups, legal clinics and people with disabilities on ODSP, the government has delayed implementing the  Employment Related Benefits for ODSP recipients. Therefore the seven employment benefits that are in place will continue to be available. This will mean that the WRB- Work Related Benefit which allow recipients to receive $100/month for work related necessities, such as transportation, will still be available.    Thank you to the ODSP Action Coalition for their continued and effective advocacy for people with disabilities!
 For more information on this topic go to
  Ministry of Community and Social Services  website.

Reducing Stress

It is important that we recognize when we are feeling overwhelmed and/or stressed. Loving and living with someone who has a mental illness can be very challenging and often leads to family members feeling stressed. Being aware of your early warning signs may  help you indicate times where you may be feeling stressed. Pay attention to these warning signs and try to find ways to decrease stress.

National Suicide Prevention Week 2015

September 7th - September 13th marks National Suicide Prevention week. Jamie Tworkowski from To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) writes:

"The lie is that depression and suicide are things that we can't talk about.
It's a lie that causes people to feel alone and live alone when it comes to their pain.  The truth is that, as people, we all relate to pain.  We all struggle from time to time, we all experience sadness, and we all encounter huge questions in this life.  All of that is part of this human experience that you and I keep waking up to.

And with all of that in mind, welcome to National Suicide Prevention Week.  This week, people all across America are pushing back at the lie.  Thousands more will join them on Thursday for World Suicide Prevention Day.  Together we will say that it's important to talk about mental health and suicide.  Together we will say that it's okay to be honest and it's okay to ask for help.  Together we will say we're not alone.

In competition with myself: Mental health in Sport

In 1981, after labouring in relative obscurity, a long and lean lightweight from Nicaragua, devastated one Ray “Bam Bam” Mancini, tearing the World Lightweight Championship from his hands. A relative unknown, Alexis Arguello, now a World Champion proceeded to hug and kiss Mancini in an extension of friendship. Such was the nature of the man known as the “Explosive thin Man”. A polar opposite of his pugilistic persona, Alexis opened charities, became a politician and advocated for change in his impoverished country. Alexis would once again shock the world, as he did in 1981, with news of his suicide in 2009.

In recent years the discussion of mental health challenges amongst athletes, both amateur and professional has erupted in the wake of such detriment that befell Alexis. Talk of Traumatic Brain Injuries, Mood Disorders and experiences of Addiction have become almost mainstream in conversation with athletics. Commonly, the discussion has revolved around sports of extreme risk: football, hockey and combative sports. Research into the effects of post concussive disorders, acute trauma and the experiences of duress have begun to unravel the effects of mental instability in those we consider to be the pinnacles of our humanity.

The weekend warrior, studied fan, amateur and budding professionals in the realm of sport and competition have idolized those who pioneered their respective fields. Terry Bradshaw, celebrated Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffered in silence from anxiety and depression. As does former Speed Skating Olympic champion Clara Hughes and Olympic Sailing competitor Oliver Bone. These are only a small collection of well-known athletes who have, in recent years, divulged their challenges. For individuals who dedicate their lives to being the example of human physical potential, what has caused them to suffer so heavily mentally?

Young Carers Program

Growing up in a family with mental health issues can be challenging and at times isolating. Often times, such responsibilities place on individuals from childhood transition into adulthood. Family members grow up to be care givers to siblings, parents and partners. Feelings of isolation, excess stress from additional responsibilities can lead to our own mental health challenges. At FAME, we home to prevent, support and empower young carers to tap into the resilience by creating a community of shared experience.

FAME's Toronto Office is excited to restart our Young Carers Program this September 16th.
Carers between 18-25 years are welcome to attend the group.

Our program aims to educate, empower and promote connection for a group of people whose experiences often go unheard from. 

September 16th at 6:30pm 

Sherbourne Health Centre (333 Sherbourne St) 

Room 2008, 2nd floor

Project Semicolon

There are lots of different ways to start talking about mental health, advocating for yourself and supporting others.  Something that's gaining a lot of popularity right now is the Semicolon tattoo movement - which I love! A lot of individuals are using these tattoos as a conversation starter about mental health, and a reminder to themselves that their story isn't finished yet.  This project was originally started by Amy Bleuel of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who founded "Project Semicolon" in 2013 after losing her Father to suicide and dealing with her own mental illness.  There are so many ways we can spread awareness of mental illness, and even more so, to let people know they aren't alone.  We're all in this together!  
Here are some articles about the movement:

Article from The Star

UpWorthy article

Global News - tattoo raising funds for CMHA Calgary

COPMI Launches Video Series For Youth

COPMI: Children of Parents with a Mental Illness.

COPMI is an online Australian mental health information resource for children, teens and parents. Recently COPMI has launched a brand new video series for youth living with a parent experiencing mental illness. These videos provide a wide range of information based on specific illnesses, treatments, coping strategies and much more.

These videos aim to be both educational and engaging for youth and so they are filmed with youth who have experienced similar struggles.

http://www.copmi.net.au/kids-young-people/about-mental-illness

BC-Based Anxiety App: MindShift

MindShift is a joint effort by Anxiety BC and a non-profit public awareness organization.

This app aims to reduce anxiety in the user's life by instilling an awareness of one's thoughts via Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. MindShift also provides the user with educational tools, mood and anxiety tracking, relaxation tools, quick tips and inspirational quotes.

As a part of British Columbia's ever-growing mental health initiatives, MindShift is an excellent free tool for loved ones coping with anxiety. Because smartphones are an integral part of many people's lives, this app is a coping tool that's just a swipe away.

Mindshift is available on both Android and Apple devices.

#WeAreAcceptance

"The world is filled with people who couldn't care less. Be the person who could care more."  - Anonymous

I want to be that person.  I want FAME to be that organization.  Those words stuck to me like two sided duct tape when I first heard them in the opening address at the NAMI 2015 Conference last week in San Francisco. They resonated through my brain like an echo chamber.

The messages were loud and clear.  For four days we listened, learned, shared, talked, networked and snatched up programming ideas.  All of it done with a view to being the organization that could care more.  To be the organization that would find better ways to support families, to look for new, fresh and innovative ideas that would families would embrace with hope and understanding.

Looking back over those days spent in San Francisco I think what I came to realize while listening to Keynote Speaker and Mental Health Advocate, Hakeem Rahim, was that for us to truly be able to succeed in recovery, we must first enter in to the journey of acceptance.  Until we have that we will never truly begin to be able to stamp out the stigma that is associated to mental health, mental illness or mental wellness.  At the end of his address he asked conference participants to use the hash tag #IAmAcceptance.  I looked over at my associate, board co-chair, Cindy Woodcock and said "that is FAME....except for us it will be #WeAreAcceptance"

The Effects of Stigma in Mental Health

I came across this picture today and it completely resonated with me. As a society, we should be cautious of stigmas we attach to mental health.

Stigma and Youth

Stigma about Mental Illness is all around us, and it is especially prominent in youth, and young males in particular.  Anytime I come across a member of the youth community sharing their story or advocating for others, and am overcome with hope for the future.  Please take a look at this article and video about a youth mental health advocate in Kelowna, BC.

Family Fair at the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre

The Family Fair held at the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre in North York saw an incredible turn out on Wednesday, June 10th.

Tips for coping with a loved one who is experiencing mental health issues

Supporting a family member who is unwell can be very troubling to the whole entire family. It is important that while taking care of your loved one that you continue to take care of yourself.

The Rise of the Self-Help Apps

In a world that's become heavily reliant on smartphones, tablets and social media, mental health initiatives are finally taking their place in our electronic world. 

How to FIX Canada's Mental Health System

I always have good intentions of starting my day reading the newspaper to find out what is happening in the world but, life gets in the way and day in and day out I am left in the dark. However, today I made it my priority to check out The Globe and Mail after one of the families I support tipped me off on a series called Open Minds, which features issues related to mental health research, diagnosis and treatment.

**Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #OpenMinds**

So, I utilized the lovely invention we call the internet, and pulled up an article in the series called "How to fix Canada's mental health system". This is a question that comes up daily in my interactions with people in the mental health community and with families whose loved ones are navigating the current fragmented system. I encourage you to check it out.
I am going to make reading or even skimming the newspaper for articles like this a daily routine, today is a new day to make a change and I sincerely want to stay connected with what is going on in the world and more specifically the mental health community. You know what they say...KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!!!

Supporting a Family Member: Mental Health Resource

Hello everyone,

Karen and I have been searching the web for resources pertaining to the support and education of family members coping with mental health struggles within the family and have found a valuable resource. This resource is from British Columbia's mental health initiative "here to help" and is free to the public.

The "Supporting a Family Member" page is a hub for trusted educational articles and covers specific diagnosis' and family needs. Not only does the website provide resources for parents but it also provides links to age appropriate resources for siblings. All information is up to date and can be navigated easily for downloading/viewing purposes.

Note: Small portions of the website are tailored for the province, for instance community mental health events.

Here's the link:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/skills/supporting-family#symptoms

Hope this resource can be of use!

-

Peer Support!

It's so common to see only negative stories in the media about individuals who are experiencing Mental Illness.  As I've said before, I think it's incredibly important to share as many positive, hopeful and realistic stories as we can, so we can combat those stories that only lead to more stigma.

Please read this wonderful article that was written about Mississauga's own, Kirk Wiscombe, who has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia for the last 12 years.  He is now doing great work as a peer support worker with The Canadian Mental Health Association and helps support others in our community who are struggling with their mental health.  I'm so happy to his story out there, and I hope that our communities will continue to spread that message of self care and support. 

In addition, there is a Peer Support Job Fair happening in Mississauga and Halton soon.  If anyone who has lived experience is interested in getting into peer support work, this is a great opportunity to talk to agencies who are looking to hire more people for these positions.

Peer Job Fair Flyer

CBTp (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis) Group for Hearing Voices

Just received information about this group which assists individuals who require support in coping with hearing voices.  Deqa Farah of  Fred Victor is running the group.  Deqa spoke at one of FAME's Etobicoke Educational Meetings earlier this year and her approach embodies the Recovery Model and a holistic view of living with a mental health challenge. Details of the group are as follows:
In this FREE 16-week group participants will learn: 


Learn self-management strategies using CBTp tools and principles [developing a tool box] to cope with voices.

Learning to identify triggers/cues for voices and what keeps cycle going.

Understanding meaning of voices, normalizing information about voices.

Sharing coping strategies and trying out new ones etc.

Learn connection of thoughts, mood and behaviour and how this relates to voices.

Receive hand-outs, reading material, and other resources.

WHEN: Every MONDAY for 16 weeks, starting May 25^th  
WHERE: The HUB - 2660 Eglington Ave E (Brimley Rd and Eglinton Ave E)
TIME: 12pm to 2pm 
For more information, please call Deqa Farah at 416 482- 4103 extension 223.

 

 

PANDI

To end March Break, we had a family movie night at The Dorset Park Community Hub where children watched How To Train Your Dragon (amazing movie, the second one is better, I promise :) and parents watched a clip from a documentary created and artistically mastered by Maria-Saroja Ponnambalam. The documentary shares her families story of silence and stigma, and investigates her Uncle Pandi's unexplained death. Pandi, an aspiring film director himself, began experiencing symptoms of bi-polar after migrating from India to Canada. A mix of interviews with family, home videos, letters and animated scenes from Pandi's last script reveals his deep isolation and creative drive towards the final phase of his life.

The event was well attended and the discussion was engaging and insightful. I am so thankful that Saroja and her family came to the event and shared their story; on behalf of FAME, Agincourt Community Services Association and the Scarborough Community, we want to say thank you again for their time and dedication in sharing such a powerful story.

The documentary speaks to a greater need for challenging stigma around mental illness and while we have come a long way, we still have far to go. This film, which is Saroja's first feature documentary, highlights the need for cultural awareness, education and acceptance around mental illness. While we only got a sneak peak of the film during the event, please stay tuned as I will be planning with Saroja to have a full length screening of the documentary in the future.

Maria-Saroja Ponnambalam has a BFA in Film Production from York University, and is currently completing her MA in Human Geography at the University of Toronto. She is Canadian born, of South-Indian and Venezuelan parents. Saroja's artistic talent did not stop at 'Pandi', her other documentaries include THE CONSEQUENCE OF RAIN (Venezuala, 2008), and PRETTY LITTLE BITS (Canada, 2009) which have been screened at various festivals around the world. Saroja, hopes to continue working on artistic and well-crafted films that have a greater social impact.

www.thepandistory.com

Young Carers Article

The International Child and Youth Care Network released an article in their online journal for March on Young Carers. Young Carers: Children Caring for Family Members Living with an Illness or Disability, written by Andrea Harstone, Sara Bergen and Magdalena Sweetgrass can be found between pages 6-14 of the PDF. The article states "It is estimated that in Canada almost 570,000 children under the age of 12 live in households with parents who experience mood, anxiety or substance use disorders, corresponding to 12.1% of all children in this age group," and contains many of the underlying fundamental beliefs of our FAMEkids program, "Psychosocial education groups can be a useful tool to provide education and support to these young people. Lessons on stress reduction and emotional expression, as well as a place to know you are not alone and that other young people have similar experiences, can be a very useful component to ensure that young carers are supported in their role."

Tax Tips for People With Disabilities and Their Families 2014

Once again, the Income Tax filing deadline is fast approaching and The Special Needs Planning Group is here to give you tips and answer any questions. For the last 9 years, they have been sharing tax tips and information with people with disabilities and their families. Follow this link TAX TIPS  to their website where they have lots of information to assist in preparing for 2014 Income Tax Returns, they offer a break down of information with regards to deductions and credits that may be available as well as other relevant information.

If you have any questions or inquires please connect with...
Graeme Treeby
The Special Needs Planning Group
70 Ivy Crescent, Stouffville, ON L4A 5A9
graemetreeby@sympatico.ca

Happy Filing!!

The Power Of Vulnerability

I wanted to share a TEDTALK I watched recently.
Brene Brown presented a talk on the power of vulnerability where she expands upon her research about human connection - our ability as humans to empathize, belong and love. In her work she explores vulnerability, courage, shame and authenticity and has done a few talks which are equally as interesting and relevant.
The Power Of Vulnerability 
Listening to Shame 

"you are imperfect and wired for struggle,
 but are worthy of love and belonging"

Circus Berserkus!

In November I had posted about a project a friend of mine was involved with, Lookup Theatre. Talk to Youth Lately (TTYL) mental health social circus program is a group of young people 16-30 who have experienced mental health issues or are close friends and family members of those who have.  TTYL uses a youth engagement approach, so all performances are written by young people, together with TTYL professional staff.

TTYL has built a new show called Circus Berserkus for post-secondary students aimed at addressing mental health stigma and promoting mental health recovery. This performance will focus on recovery based messages of hope, and the idea that mental health and illnesses occur on a continuum, which are all human experiences.  Using theatre and circus skills like juggling, acro-balancing, aerial circus and comedy, they tell their stories and connect with the audience. 

We are able to offer FREE tickets to this event! 

Event dates are:

Friday, March 19  8pm

Saturday, March 20 4pm

Saturday, March 20 8pm

Location:

Al Green Theatre

750 Spadina Avenue

Toronto, Ontario

M5S 2J2

If you are interested, or know of anyone that might be interested, please contact me by email at karenn@fameforfamilies.com or by phone/text 647-403-9305 for tickets.

Ontario Mental Health Bed Registry

The Ministry of Health announced $28 million investment to decrease wait times for inpatient mental health beds. A province wide registry will be developed in order to assist emergency departments and doctors locate available beds.  As well, the Ministry of Health will invest $138 million over the next 3 years to improve community mental health and addiction services.
For more details read this link.
The mental health and addiction communities has advocated for many years to increase community supports. It is wonderful that the message is being heard and funding will be given to these effective services.

Blame

This is a great little short that is part of a larger conversation about Blame.  I found it very enlightening to see how finding something or someone to blame when something happens really affects how we cope with ourselves, our relationships, our community and our ability to empathize and listen.
Brené Brown is the speaker in the video, and you can find many other talks that she's done on YouTube, most notably this amazing commentary on Empathy .

Good Reads

I recently read some interesting articles, and as much as I believe we have adopted these rationales in to our every day work, I think it is still beneficial to share with others.  Regarding individuals experiencing addictions, Johann Hari writes "So the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection." in the article The Likely Cause Of Addition Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think.  The other article is Redefining Mental Illness from The New York Times, which discusses a new diagnostic system. Enjoy!

Recovery or Hope...Which one?

Total credit for this post goes to my amazing colleague Dennis in the FAME Downtown Office. He shared an article with me which questions the discourse around 'recovery'. When we talk about our loved ones recovering are we doing more harm then good? Are we feeding into stigma? Are we being unrealistic and using the wrong word?

An article called "5 Reasons I Wish We Would Stop Talking About 'Recovery' for Serious Mental Illness And the Word I Wish We Would Use Instead" is a great article which provides ample food for thought.

Writer Lisa Long asks,
"What does a person with bipolar disorder or autism need to "recover" from? When people realize they are not their diagnoses, they can start to find things that actually work to help them live successful and productive lives. That is hope, not recovery..."

Happy Monday!

Acknowledgement of Caregiver Stress

I'm happy to see that attention is being paid to how caring for an individual with a chronic health condition (just a reminder: this includes Mental Illness!), can lead to higher stress levels and a negative impact on the mental health of the caregiver.  If 1 in 5 individuals in Canada experience a Mental Health concern, that means that 4 out of 5 could be caregivers.  Let's not forget that when everyone is supported through this journey, recovery for the whole family and a higher quality of life is extremely achievable.

Please take a look at this Star article : Mental health report warns of caregiver stress, suicide rates .  Everyone remember to stay healthy and practice your self care! 

Upcoming Strengthening Families for the Future Program

I am excited to announce that we are once again partnering with the Jean Tweed Centre for Women and their Families to deliver CAMH's Strengthening Families for the Future program in Etobicoke.  SFF is a 14-week family change program that focuses on building resiliency and reducing risk factors for families facing mental health and/or addiction challenges.

What I love about this program is that it involves the whole family; parents, grandparents, children, siblings, support people...anyone interested and invested in improved relationships in families.  The first hour of the program is spent sharing a communal meal.  This is important as many families with busy work-life schedules don't have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a meal together.  In the second hour, parents and children split up into separate groups and cover a specific topic for that week (communication, managing anger, praise...).  In the final hour, parents and children come together and work on the skills they learned in their group.  The result is that parents are supported in their parenting skills, children develop important life skills, and family relations improve. All of this, while eating, playing games, doing artwork, and having important discussions.

Understandably, with dynamics of families being affected when they are dealing with challenges, it's important for families to also have quality time together, outside their struggles, and to learn better ways of coping.  Appropriately named, it Strengthens Families for the Future.  They are then better able to deal with the challenges that come their way.

I sat in on a booster session yesterday for families who had completed the program a month ago.  Children shared about how much they loved the games and parents appreciated the comfortable, non-judgemental atmosphere in which they could learn new skills and build connections in the group.  A great program that is highly recommended!

Next Group:

When: Tuesday, February 10th, 2015
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00 pm
Where: The Jean Tweed Centre (215 Evans Ave, Toronto)

For more info or to register, contact Sonali Sagare at:
416-255-7359 ext.278 or by email sonalisagare@jeantweed.com

Making Mental Health Mobile

Starting the year off right, CMHA York region & South Simcoe branch CEO, Rebecca Shields, announced the operation of the MOBYSS. MOBYSS (pronounced mo-bies) is the provinces' first mobile health service for youth (12-25). MOBYSS is a partnership across the Simcoe & York region providing in community health care to young people in Ontario.  Check out the article here at:

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5242663-newsmaker-group-brings-mobile-health-unit-to-youth-in-need/

The Complexities of Advocating for Your Loved One.

If you are supporting and caring for someone in your life with a Mental Illness, chances are you've been in the position of advocating for them.  Advocating takes place in many different situations, such as hospitals, with Doctors, schools, the workplace, and with friends and family.  Throughout the years of working with people, I've discovered that this can be an incredibly complicated position to be in.  I often hear Family Members question what advocating really is, who it's for, and what's the "right" way to do it.  Is it better to do what you think is best for your loved ones health, even though it may not what they want at this time?  Is it more helpful to let your loved one take the control of their own health, treatment and recovery?  The truth is that there's no right answer.  The word "right" doesn't have any meaning in something so complex.

Every family who comes through this door has discussed this idea, and how it can create a power dynamic inside the relationship between the caregiver and the care receiver.  Please CLICK HERE to read an amazing piece written by Mark Lukach.  He so powerfully shares his own story of caring for his wife through her mental illness, and has some great insight about what advocating means to him, and how this changes the power dynamic of their relationship.

I hope that reading the stories written by other caregivers can give some hope, peace and perspective to anyone who is struggling with their own uncertainty.

Young Adults Wellness Drop in Group

Having a sibling, parent or partner with mental health challenges often leaves young people feeling overwhelmed and alone in their experiences. We here at the Toronto office aim to explore and empower young carers in the experience with mental health.

FAME's Toronto office, housed at Sherbourne Health Centre, in partnership with jack.org, are pleased to announce the starting of our Young Adults Wellness Drop in Group. 

If you are between the ages of 18-25 seeking a safe space to share, learn and engage in discussion about mental health we welcome you!

January 19th 6pm-8pm

Sherbourne Health Centre (room 2008)

For inquiries please contact:

Dennis McDermott, FSW at (416) 324-5060 or 

dennism@fameforfamilies.com 

Mind, Body and Soul

Happy  New Year to everyone!  I hope your Holidays were full of joy, care, and peace; and that 2015 brings happiness and light to everyone out there.
I would like to start off this new year with reminder that our minds and bodies are all connected, and to take care of one, we have to take care of the other as well.  There is a huge focus right now on holistic health and recovery, and here is a perfect example of what's going on in our community to support people taking care of mind, body and soul:

"As a yoga devotee and founder of her own studio, Linda Malone is sharing her passion for the practice through a special program dedicated to helping people living with mental illness. Malone is the director of the Blu Matter Project, a not-for-profit organization acting as a bridge between its ambassador yoga studios and individuals living with depression and/or bipolar disorder."

Please read this amazing article to gain some more information on how yoga and mindfulness can help in the support and recovery of your mind and body.