Family Matters

Following the holiday season's Edeka tear-jerking video reiterating the importance of family, Masterfoods (an Australian based organization) conducted a survey asking parents and children who the would like to have dinner with. Grab your Kleenex to watch the video here.

Let's make time for the people that matter most!

Recovery & Mental Health

The best way to understand mental wellness is to view it as a continuum. Our positions may shift from time to time depending on the events of our lives. Seeing mental health as a continuum means that we are not always stuck in one state and we are able to move back and forth. It’s important to understand that we all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. The quality of our mental and physical health fluctuates. Factors such as stress, lack of sleep and traumatic experiences can impact our mental health as can the level and quality of support that one has in times of stress. Just as we need to do things to maintain good physical health, it helps to do certain things to maintain good mental health, such as manage our stress, seek counseling and support when overwhelmed, or take care of our bodies through proper sleep, diet and nutrition.

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.

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.

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 

Taking care of yourself during the Holidays

The Holidays are filled with many different emotions; both positive and negative.  I've asked some of the Families I see how the upcoming Holiday Season makes them feel.  Here is some of what i heard:  Hopeful, Supported, Nervous, Overwhelmed, Worried, Excited, Isolated, Grieving, Numb, Stressed out.  There are are many other feelings and thoughts that were shared, but these were repeated quite often.

Feeling Stressed Out was by far the most common thing I heard.   Families were even telling me they were feeling a lot of the stress even if most of the other feelings they had were positive at this time.  It really reminded me that the ides of stress is usually surrounded by  negative thoughts, but positive things can also be very stressful (planning a party, seeing a lot of relatives, making a big family dinner etc).  It's really important throughout this time to check in with yourself so you can be aware of how you're feeling.  What is your stress level?  What are you doing to take care of yourself?

Here are some helpful tips from the Mayo Clinic to help you take care of yourself throughout this busy season:

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos.
4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.
Try these alternatives:
• Donate to a charity in someone's name.
• Give homemade gifts.
• Start a family gift exchange.
6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
7. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
8. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt.
   Try these suggestions:
   • Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks.
   • Get plenty of sleep.
   • Incorporate regular physical activity into each day.
9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
   Some options may include:
   • Taking a walk at night and stargazing.
   • Listening to soothing music.
   • Getting a massage.
   • Reading a book.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional