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.