Framing our Perspectives

     Powerlessness, a feeling that is of near consensus when speaking of how mental health challenges are experienced. Caregivers and those with lived experience, at any given time can feel a sense of discouragement for a variety of reasons. Wait lists, lack of services, early discharge dates, narrow treatment options and common experience of feeling unheard are just some of the discouraging realities blocking families from receiving appropriate care and eventual stability. These are merely tipping points that exceed the social, racial, cultural, religious, political challenges that families may experience on a subjective level. As expressed by one client “It feels like scaling a mountain side that continues to grow. The closer we get to the top, the higher the peak seems to be. We never summit, we just always seem to climb.”

Rather poetically, such a metaphor describes beautifully such a common issue. One that is wrought with the additional challenges as illustrated. Confronting such feelings of vulnerability places caregivers in a situation of fragility, where all fears, anxieties and uncertainties are brought to the forefront of discussion. It is an experience shared by many, understood by few and viewed as being impossible to address. Such an emotional, social and psychological challenge calls for an approach that encompasses both realism and idealism. Just as in scaling the elevations of a mountain, balance is crucial.

There is no easy way to approach mental health challenges. Despite severity, everyone experiences stress, sadness, grief and anxiety. Only when there is an unbalance; biologically, socially and emotionally, do we see the formation of disorders and progressive detriment to ones’ psyche. Such taxing factors can be discouraging and are, both personally and publicly the root of many challenges faced by families and their loved ones. These are known factors, they in many cases are absolute experiences and with that become the primary focuses that impede families. Fixating on the stressors distracts of the overall goal.

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

Resilience Built Over Time

This article talks about the growing evidence that resilience based interventions can improve the mental health and social well being of children and youth. They talk about the "whole community approach" to building resilience. Read on for more information.