What is mental fitness? THE CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

HEALTH
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THE CANAD
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ASSOCIATIO
DIVISION
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NEW BR
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NEWSLETTE
Volume 1, Issue 11
SPRING 2005
What is mental fitness?
Mental fitness helps us achieve and sustain a mentally healthy state, just as physical fitness helps
us achieve and sustain a state of good physical health.
Having good mental health enables us to more fully enjoy and appreciate our environment and the
people in it. We can often better resist stress and tackle our challenges in a positive frame of mind.
It allows us to be creative, to use our mental abilities to the fullest extent, and make the most of
opportunities.
Inside this issue:
Test Your Mind + Body
Fitness
3
Perceptions about health are changing. The World Health Organization now defines health as “a
state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of
infirmity.” Within this context, fostering our mental health every day – not just when we are feeling
pressured or unwell – is an important factor in our overall well-being.
News from Branches
4
People’s responses to stress, and difficult events, are as individual as the people experiencing
them. So everyone will assess and measure their mental fitness in different ways. But there are
common factors which facilitate good mental health. By considering some of these factors, it is
possible to identify how we can improve our mental fitness.
Contact Lists
News from RCW’s
5-9
Winter Blues Campaign
11
11-12
Positive attitude When we are able to feel and draw on optimism, a sense of perspective and
flexibility, we gain the resilience needed to endure shock, hardship or change, and to carry on with
our lives.
Self-esteem and confidence Instead of focusing on what we are lacking, we need to focus on
the qualities we do have that make us a good friend, a valued colleague, a loving parent.
Emotional support Close ties with family and friends build support networks through which we
receive help and, in turn, help others.
Mental agility Giving our minds and bodies a workout by engaging in a variety of physical and
mental activities, such as solving crosswords or playing a musical instrument, enhances mental
agility and promotes overall wellness.
Mental Fitness Tips
The first step is to think about your emotional well-being. Assess your emotional health regularly.
Consider the particular demands or stresses you are facing and how they are affecting you. Give
yourself permission to take a break from your worries and concerns. Recognize that dedicating
even a short time every day to your mental fitness will reap significant benefits in terms of feeling
rejuvenated and more confident.
Here are some simple ways to practice mental fitness: day dream, “collect” positive emotional moments, learn ways to cope with negative thoughts, do one thing at a time, exercise, enjoy hobbies,
set personal goals, keep a journal, share humour, volunteer, and treat yourself well.
For more information visit CMHA Nationa’s website at www.cmha.ca.
CMHA NB Division
403 Regent Street
Suite 202
Fredericton, NB
E3B 3X6
Tel: (506) 455-5231
Fax: (506) 459-3878
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.cmhanb.ca
PAGE 2
GREETINGS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The beginning of a new fiscal year is a great time to look back on previous months and reflect upon
successes and think about priorities for the upcoming months. I have now been part of CMHA-NB for
almost 7 months and my appreciation of the skill and dedication of those involved with CMHA has
only continued to increase.
The past year saw New Brunswick along with their partners the Schizophrenia Society of New Brunswick host a very successful National conference in Saint John in July. Over 450 people from across
Canada heard knowledgeable keynote speakers talk about current issues relevant to mental illness
and mental health. Conference participants also had the opportunity to take part in over 30 concurrent sessions where they learned what was going on in different parts of the country.
In the past months the Division has also been invited to take part in several consultation sessions
with government members and officials. These sessions have provided an opportunity to have discussions and to share information on topics related to mental illness and mental health. Priorities that
were developed as part of the Citizen’s Forum were used as a basis for these discussions.
As we move further into the 21 st century CMHA-NB along with many other community organizations
will be challenged to find new ways to share information with an increasingly sophisticated general
public. There will also be increasing challenges in finding ways to fund these initiatives. The pool of
dollars available to support community organizations is not increasing in size and the competition for
those dollars is increasing.
My short experience with this organization does give me hope and confidence that CMHA-NB will
meet this and any challenge with a combination of dedication, creativity and skill that will lead to continued success in meeting the mandate of “mentally healthy people in a mentally healthy society”.
Joy H Bacon, Acting Executive Director
GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT
I would like to bring to your attention that as usual Mental Health Week will be the first full week of May. I
would like to take this opportunity to encourage people to make extra effort about awareness during that
week. Together, we should make a commitment to inform as many people about this year’s Mental
Health Week slogan “It’s one thing to look after your body. Just don’t forget about your mind.”
As many of you already know, we continue to work on many issues related to Mental Health. I would like
to send a special thank-you to Penny Marrett, Chief Executive Officer of CMHA National for her wonderful presentation on fundraising at the last Board Meeting. Board members and volunteers who participated had very good discussions about the issue. Following this meeting, we are working on a discussion
paper and will be keeping you informed about further developments.
I look forward to meet more of you in the upcoming months as we continue to work as a team to find answers about fundraising and other important concerns.
Armand Savoie
President, CMHA-NB
V OLUME 1 , ISSUE 11
Test Your Mind +
Body Fitness
Are you currently practicing mind + body fitness? Do you understand the connection between being physically fit and mentally fit,
and why it is important to your overall well-being?
Take a few minutes to ask yourself the following questions. Your
answers will reveal how aware you are of the connection between
mental and physical health.
1. Do you know what it means to be mentally healthy?
2. Could your lifestyle choices be harmful to your mental
health?
3. If a challenging situation arises, are you mentally fit enough
to deal with it?
4. Do you think your mental health can be improved?
5. Are you actively trying to find balance in your day-to-day
life?
6. Do you see a connection between your physical and mental
health?
7. Are you aware of the benefits of being both physically and
mentally fit?
8. Do you participate in any physical activity that also improves
your mental health?
9. Do you often try to learn something new or do something in
a different way?
10. Do you find yourself frequently ignoring or dwelling on negative thoughts?
11. Are you comfortable with how you respond emotionally to
day-to-day situations?
12. Do you think practicing mind + body fitness can help you
deal with everyday stress?
If answering any of these questions made you wonder more about
Mind + Body Fitness, or how you can improve your mental health,
please visit www.cmha.ca today.
It’s one thing to look after your body, just don’t forget about
your mind. Practice Mind + Body Fitness
PAGE 3
Disability
Awareness
Week 2005
The Premier’s Council on the
Status of Disabled Persons
is pleased to confirm Disability Awareness Week (DAW)
will be held from May 29th to
June 4th, 2005. The theme
will be “Put our abilities to
work for you.”
Activities for Disability
Awareness Week will be coordinated at the provincial
level by the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled
Persons. The CoChairpersons will be Randy
Dickinson and Gary Comeau
working with a volunteer Executive Planning Committee.
During the run-up for Disability Awareness Week 2005,
the provincial committee will
be planning a variety of new
and exciting activities related
to our theme. Local committees will also organize community projects across the
province. It is expected that
thousands of New Brunswickers will attend these
events, making DAW 2005 a
true community initiative.
If you have an idea for a new
Disability Awareness Week
2005 activity, please share it
with the Premier’s Council
on the Status of Disabled
Persons. Regular updates
will be posted on the Council’s website. For more information:
Disability Awareness Week
648 – 440 King Street
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5H8
Toll-free: 1-800-442-4412
E-mail: [email protected]
Website : www.gnb.ca/0048
PAGE 4
NEWS FROM OUR BRANCHES
CMHA Fredericton/Oromocto
Branch
CMHA Moncton Branch
Canadian Mental Health Week in southeastern New Brunswick will
begin with a focus on art and the beauty artists bring to the world,
when CMHA -Moncton Region Inc. hosts the Daisy Days Art Show
& Sale April 30.
This first-time fund raiser will include original pieces by artists from
across the region, working in a variety of mediums. All pieces will
be available for purchase during the show, with a small percentage
of each sale going to support the work of the CMHA - Moncton.
This opening event for Canadian Mental Health Week (May 2 - 8)
is designed to celebrate the beauty artists bring to the world, while
reminding us that some of our most celebrated artists have struggled with mental health problems.
Although mental illness is among the most common illnesses in
the world, affecting one in five people at some point in their lives, it
is the least understood and most stigmatized. Mental health disorders can strike anyone, no matter their age, income or education
level.
CMHA -Moncton is a non-profit agency which works throughout
southeastern New Brunswick to provide information and support to
mental health consumers, family members and the general public,
offering a variety of free services including activity centres for mental health consumers, depression and grief management support
groups, "I’m Thumbody" self -esteem presentations for Grade
Three students and suicide awareness sessions for high school
students.
The Daisy Days Art Show & Sale will also kick-off CMHA Moncton’s annual Daisy Campaign. Now in its 17th year, the Daisy
Campaign is CMHA -Moncton’s main fund raiser and involves sales
of lapel pins throughout the region.
The Daisy Days Art Show & Sale will be held Saturday April 30 at
Global Festival Place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There is no admission fee.
The Canadian Mental Health Association-Moncton is a United Way
Agency.
ASing for the Love of It@
On February 15, members of a choir for persons with mental illness
entertained patients and staff of the Psychiatric Unit at the Dr.
Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton by their renditions of new
and old love songs in keeping with Valentine’s Day.
This newly formed choir (soon to be named) was formed in the Fall
by the Fredericton Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association and the local activity centre, AFriends and Fellowship@ after
many months of planning and discussion. This Valentine’s Day
performance was only the second time the Choir had sung publicly,
the first being the Christmas Party in December.
Anyone interested in enjoying music and getting together to sing
and have fun may participate. The group meets every two weeks
on a Tuesday under the musical direction of Margaret (Maggie Harris) who has generously donated her time. This is both an opportunity to enjoy music and promote a positive message about mental
health to the community. For further information you can call
Friends and Fellowship at 454-6057 or Jean McBrine at 458-1803.
The next scheduled performance will be during Mental Health
Week. Why not join us?
News from CMHA Albert Co.
Winter 2005
• Board meetings held on the 2nd Monday of each month
• Visit from Division’s Executive Director Joy H. Bacon at the
monthly Board meeting February
• Participated in Division’s Winter Blues Campaign
Spring 2005
• Sponsored the I’m Thumbody program cost for the region
• May 7th Walk for Mental Health fundraiser
•
•
May 25th Volunteer Recognition Dinner
June (date TBA) CMHA Branch Board’s AGM
CMHA Madawaska Branch
CMHA Miramichi Branch
The Madawaska branch is planning a press conference for April in
order to promote CMHA activities, education and conferences
coming in 2005 and to present the members of the board. We are
presently working with the media on this and we are getting positive feedback. The board is also planning on hosting a workshop
for professionals (in French) around allegories and counselling
using metaphors (May 10 2005). To obtain additional information,
please call Karine Levesque at 506-473-7488. The same speaker
is offering an evening conference (May 11 2005) on the use of
allegories as a general coping mechanism, this is open to the general public but space is limited. Following is the invitation to these
seminars (in French only). These two activities are it for now but
additional visibility is being prepared for fall with our publicity representative.
The branch has been working on a booklet that will link mental
health consumers and families to available community resources in
region 7. We just finished our first draft copy and are hoping to have
it available for Mental Health Month. We also have a movie fundraiser scheduled for May 22 at Empire theatres, we are in the midst
of advertising for this event. The Miramichi branch will be having
their Annual General Meeting in the fall of 2005 invitations will be
sent out by the end of August.
Thank you
Karine Levesque, v.p. Madawaska branch
On March 11, 2005 our Branch lost a long time volunteer and mental health advocate Shauna Williston, she past away suddenly at
her residence. She will be greatly missed! Thanks for Making Mental Health Matter Shauna.
Patsy Martin, President
CMHA Miramichi
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 11
PAGE 5
NEWS FROM OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKERS
Region 1
February was very busy this year with many requests coming in regarding
Suicide awareness information. Many individuals, schools, and l’Université
de Moncton requested information. It’s no doubt the awareness resulted
from the increase in media coverage this year through PSA’s, press releases, and the provinces poster campaign on Moncton City buses.
I was invited to participate in a Community Wellness Fair at Mount Allison
University in Sackville during Suicide Prevention Month. This was a first
for their University and it was hugely successful as there were almost 200
people who attended.
The communities of Sackville and Shediac were offered each an 8 week
program on Becoming Assertive this spring. This is a very popular program among adults wanting to increase their self-esteem and improve their
general mental health.
With the arrival of spring, so has the scheduling of ASIST sessions in Region 1. During the month of April, we held an ASIST in French in Kent and
there was an ASIST training offered to the 2 nd year Nursing students of the
UNB Moncton Campus. In May, we are also organizing 2 ASIST sessions
in Moncton for the general public. These are scheduled for May 11 & 12
in French and May 18 & 19 in English. There will also likely be training
offered to the Corrections students of Moncton Campus of Compu College
and Oulton’s College sometime in May. Requests for these sessions
increase every year.
Grade 7 & 8 students from District 11 in Shediac, Barachois and Cap-Pelé
invited me to speak to them about suicide awareness this spring. Altogether almost 300 students and their teachers received a 40-minute
awareness session.
The community of Grande-Digue is the host for the Journey of Hope program for the first time. Kent’s RCW Christine Daoust and myself are cofacilitating this program to family members and friends of those affected by
mental illness.
During Mental Health Month, the schools will again receive a calendar with
positive thoughts along with general mental health information. I will also
send a general awareness package to all Daycares in the area I service
during the month of May. These are only a few projects already in preparation.
Region 2
As usual, the promotion of mental health
in my region has been busy. We recently
finished up an eight week grief program
at the Sussex High School, two eight
week Self-Confidence programs here in
Sussex (one of them for employees in
their work setting), and the TAMI (Talking
About Mental Illness) for grade nines in
Saint John. Currently we are facilitating
the eight week Journey of Hope program
for families in Saint John, an eight week
grief group in Hampton High, eight week
Self-Confidence program at Hampton
Middle School, an eight week SelfConfidence program for the community in
Sussex, an eight week grief program for
adults in Sussex, and a Self-Confidence
program through a lunch and learn at a
business here in Sussex. As well as
these programs we continue to offer a
monthly support program for SelfConfidence and for clients who have
completed the Journey of Hope. We will
be offering the Journey of Hope for professionals in April and a program "Single
Again” for people coming out of a relationship. The Self-Confidence is a rather
staple program and as soon as we finish
one we begin another. The Thumbody
program letters have been sent out and
we are looking forward to presenting the
program in the schools in my region.
May will see many presentations on
mental wellness and our second used
book sale at the Gateway Mall in Sussex.
We are currently accumulating books for
it and look forward to another successful
sale.
Since Fall 2004, we now have a Self Help group for those who are mentally ill in Shediac. Kelly Leger volunteers her time and energy to facilitate
the bi-weekly sessions while I assist her as needed. Thanks to Kelly for
her dedication and commitment.
I am grateful for the volunteers who so
willing and such enthusiasm give their
time to us here in Sussex. I continue to
work very closely with the Sussex Mental
Health Clinic in identifying and meeting
the needs of the community and am
thankful for their support and encouragement in my work. Working with the Saint
John Branch of CMHA is also very rewarding and affords me the opportunity
to participate on the programming committee and in the promotion of mental
health in the Saint John region.
Murielle Doucet, Senior RCW Region 1
Mary Magnus, RCW Region 2
I am very pleased to have Josette Cormier working with me from Oulton’s
Child and Youth Care program. Josette began after Easter and will be
doing her job placement with me until the end of June. First and foremost,
Josette will help complete the I’m Thumbody program in all schools and
she will also work on other projects.
PAGE 6
NEWS FROM OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKERS
Region 2—Charlotte Co.
Meditation
Ten million American adults say they practice some form of meditation regularly, twice as many as a decade ago. Meditation is offered
in schools, hospitals, law firms, government buildings, corporate
offices and prisons. There are specifically marked meditation rooms
in airports. But the current interest is as much medical as cultural.
More and more doctors-and patients- recognize that mental states
and physical well-being are intimately connected. An unhealthy
body can lead to an unhealthy mind, and an illness of the mind can
trigger or worsen diseases in the body. Fixing a problem in one
place, moreover, can often help the other.
Meditation is being recommended by more and more physicians as
a way to prevent, slow or at least control the pain of chronic diseases like heart conditions, AIDS, cancer and infertility. It is also
being used to restore balance in the face of such psychiatric disturbances as depression, hyperactivity and ADD. Scientific studies are
beginning to show that meditation works, particularly for stressrelated conditions. 60% of doctor visits are the result of stressrelated conditions.
“ For 30 years meditation research has told us that it works beautifully as an antidote to stress, says Daniel Goleman, author of Destructive Emotions says. “But what’s exciting about the new research is how meditation can train the mind and reshape the brain.”
Some say the turning point came after 1975 when Harvard University researcher Dr.Herbert Benson first wrote about the value of
meditation in treating illness in the book “The Relaxation Response.” Benson, who founded the Mind/Body Medical Institute,
says “All I’ve done is put a biological explanation on techniques that
people have been utilizing for thousands of years.”
“More doctors have opened their minds to the idea of meditation as
complimentary therapy as more studies emerge linking better health
and meditation,” said Dr Roger Walksh, Professor of Psychiatry at
University of California.
Dr. Andrew Weil directs the Program in Integrative Meditation at the
University of Arizona: “Breath control is the most powerful method I
have found to reduce anxiety, even in its most severe form of panic
disorder. Conventional drugs suppress anxiety but often cause
significant side effects and dependence.
Breathing exercises derived from yoga are even more effective.
With practice, breath work quiets down the nervous system. This
not only blunts anxiety but also lowers blood pressure, slows the
heart rate, improves circulation and digestion, and helps protect the
body from the damaging effects of stress.
Breath work is a natural segue to meditation, because the simplest
meditation technique is concentration on the breath. I
n essence, meditation is nothing other than focused awareness. Although it can be used as a relaxation technique, I find it most valuable as a method of restructuring the mind, breaking habitual patterns of thought and creating seeds of balance to oppose erratic
mood swings. Over time it can provide great mental health benefits:
relief from ordinary anxiety and depression, better rest and sleep,
and increased resistance to disturbing influences on emotional equilibrium. Meditation has also proved quite valuable in preparing
patients for surgery.”
Dr.Oz , Director of Columbia Presbyterian Heart Institute- “ In my
work as a cardiovascular surgeon, I use the most sophisticated tools
of modern medicine. I also rely heavily on meditation to help my patients prepare for surgery and to steer them gently towards recovery.
Why? Because it works. At a hormonal level, studies have shown
that meditation can counteract the fight or flight response that floods
the body with the stress hormone cortisol. At a molecular level, meditation slows metabolism in red blood cells. Meditation reduces the
impact of several peculiarly western diseases, can reduce hardening
of the arteries. People suffering from anxiety disorders also appreciate the lowered stress, reduced blood pressure and slowed heart
rates associated with meditation. There is growing evidence that
meditation programs can have a positive, sustained effect on chronic
pain and mood, including depression and anxiety. Initial research has
suggested that meditation combined with dietary changes may slow
tumor progression in prostate-cancer patients.
In one study, meditating 15 minutes twice daily reduced physician
visits over a six -month period and saved the health care system $200
a patient. Sometimes the best things in life are free.”
Dr Wadie Najm, Associate Professor of Family Medicine at UCI. “In a
few cases, mediation has proved so effective that it picks up where
medication leaves off.”
At the new 10 million Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging
and Behaviour at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Richard
Davidson, a neuroscientist, has used brain imaging to show that
meditation shifts activity in the prefrontal cortex(right behind our foreheads) from the right hemisphere to the left. His research suggests
that by meditating regularly, the brain is reoriented from a stressful
fight or flight mode to one of acceptance, a shift that increases contentment.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, who studied Buddhism in the 60’s and founded the
Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical
Center in 1979, has helped more than 14,000 people manage their
pain without medication. “If we put very powerful tools at their disposal, things shift extraordinarily. The better your meditation technique, the healthier your immune system.By simply bringing your full
attention to the moment, you are practicing mindful meditation, something buddhist monks have been doing for centuries.” Kabat-Zinn has
created a program called MindfulnessBased Stess Reduction
(MBSR). It has helped thousands of his patients and countless others
regain calm and focus in our multi-tasking 24/7 world.
John Teasdale, at Cambridge University found that mindfulness
helped chronically depressed patients, reducing their relapse rate by
half.
Health professionals across Canada have taken the MBSR training
and are now teaching the technique to patients with a variety of illnesses. Here’s a sampling:
Cancer: Dr. Michael Speca, clinical psychologist at the Tom Baker
Cancer Centre in Calgary, studied 90 cancer patents who learned
MBSR. He found, on average, a 65 per cent reduction in mood disturbance and a 31 per cent reduction in symptoms of stress.
“Rather than being lost in thoughts, fears and worries, mediators reestablish a grounding in the immediacy of lived experience. Patients
often do report greater peace of mind.”
Depression: Dr. Zindal Segal, director of the Cognitive Therapy program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, has
used MBSR to help patients with depression avoid relapse. He and
British colleagues studied 145 people who had experienced previous
bouts of depression but had not taken anti-depressants.
V OLUME 1 , ISSUE 11
PAGE 7
NEWS FROM OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKERS
A year after learning MBSR, 66 per cent were depression-free compared to 34 per cent of the control group. Many people with depression tend to
jump to conclusions when they’re faced with a
problem, says Dr. Segal. They either blame themselves or others and feel hopeless when things go
wrong. “With MBSR, you learn to step out of automatic pilot and choose the way in which you’ll respond to a crisis.” When you feel you have options,
you tend to be a happier person, he adds.
Stress-related illness: Asthma, psoriasis, insomnia,
anxiety disorders and other medical conditions that
are exacerbated by stress respond well to MBSR.
Melodie Benger, and Ottawa-based practitioner
(mindfulness.ncf.ca/teachers.htm), says that people
with these conditions gain a new perspective on
their illnesses. “Instead of feeling like a victim of
their disease, they learn to work with it,” he says.
Tim Walker, a psychotherapist at the East Winds
Health Associates Stress Reduction Clinic in Halifax, says that meditation lowers stress hormones
and boosts the immune system.
There are many ways to meditate. Here is one to
try.
Find a quiet place. If it helps, turn out the lights.
The fewer distractions you have, the easier it will be
to concentrate.
Close your eyes. The idea is to shut out the outside
world so your brain can stop actively processing
information coming from the senses.
Pick a word, any word. Find a word or phrase
whose sound or rhythm is soothing when repeated.
Repeat the word or phrase with every out breath.
Or follow your breath; allowing thoughts to come
and go, return to following your breath.
Set aside a regular time every day. Start with 5-10
minutes and let it increase to 15-20 or 40 minutes.
Relax and do as much as you can.
Region 1
Spring Public Educational Sessions
May 11 & 12—French ASIST in Moncton
May 18 & 19—English ASIST in Moncton
June 7—Assertiveness in Port Elgin
For more information on any of these or to register, please
contact Murielle Doucet at 852-3270 or
[email protected]
Region 3
Spring is upon us – hard to believe that we have survived another
New Brunswick winter. The thoughts of the warn sun and colorful
gardens are not to far away.
February saw a great promotion for suicide prevention. Our mall
display and target topic of Bullying was a success. Numerous people stopped by the booth to chat and pick up information of various
mental health issues. The children enjoyed receiving the helium
filled balloons and Judy Wood was the winner of the print. Thanks
to all committee members for their great involvement and commitment to our annual activity.
Meditation practitioner Cheryl Procaccini introduces
participants to various meditation techniques: “The
biggest myth is that if one learns to meditate, one
will never feel upset. We learn to develop a more
accepting outlook, with less resistance to life.
March has seen a steady flow of requests for presentations and the
I’m Thumbody program. The two-day suicide ASIST has been one
of great demand. The winters blues campaign went well with the
distribution of information to approx. 200 people.
Everything we learn in the meditation chair we can
use in everyday life. As we strengthen our concentration we become less reactive to what’s happening to everything outside of ourselves.”
Natalie Goldberg, author of 7 books and meditation
practitioner for 25 years says,
“PRACTICING MEDITATION IS ABOUT HAVING
A LARGE LIFE, SMACK IN THE CENTRE OF
YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE.”
April will once again see the Wellness Day in Woodstock. This
years topics include – pampering yourself, cardmaking, laughter,
physical fitness and emotional eating. The Wellness day will provide the kick-off to Mental Health Week in May.
Sources:
The Science of Meditation, Time, August, 2003;
Your Mind, Your Body, Time, January, 2003; The
New Meditation, Canada’s Healthy Living, December, 2003; Practical Wisdom, Yoga Journal, December, 2001; Meditation Has a Place in Helping
Patients Improve Mental Health, HealthyPlace.com
Submitted by Roz Allen, RCW Region 2
Mental Health Week activities will include radio spots, a joint information display in Woodstock with Primetime Pals, the Mental Health
Center and CMHA on May 4th. A mailout of the information received from National office will be sent to community libraries, town
halls as well as various fitness centers.
I would like to send a special thank you to Kim, Gail and Joy for
their great support at Division Office.
Have a great Spring and Wonderful Summer!
Robin Ward, RCW Region 3
PAGE 8
NEWS FROM OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKERS
Region 4
A problem or… an opportunity to move forward?
(By Christine THÉRIAULT, Le Madawaska, February 23, 2005)
“One cannot know light without first having known darkness. Our problems should really be seen as
opportunities” says Dr. Georges-Henri Levesque, director of the Adult Interactive Theater cast.
It must be said that students and staff of the New-Brunswick Community College in Edmundston have
attended a presentation given by “Les Démystificateurs”. This cast, which was formed in 2003, is
made up of people involved in mental health in the Northwestern region.
In the course of this activity everyone had the opportunity to intervene and realize that there are a multitude of ways to solve problems. The first sketch did allow people to see the good side of things while
the second one “Pile ou face” was a confrontation between dream and reality. Finally, a third sketch
“Une de perdue, dix de retrouvées” encouraged people to go through their bereavement, but “not their
whole lifetime”. “By way of simulated situations we wish to encourage the will to live”, says Dr.
Levesque.
Everything is relative…
Georges-Henri Levesque adds:” there is always a bright side to our problems. There is never only one
side to a coin and everyone should consider his problems as a means to spring up and move forward”. Although trying to see opportunities in a problem may be hard to understand and apply, Georges-Henri Levesque stresses the fact that there are different ways to react to a given situation.
“However, it is of utmost importance to find a meaning to our problems and to keep in mind that there
are many ways to see things and events. In short, it all depends on the way we look at things”.
Wisdom and experiences
Always according to Dr. Levesque, there is a direct link between one’s wisdom and one’s experiences.
Which link? “Wisdom does not come before one has gone through certain experiences; it follows that
it is important to live each moment in a conscious way. I believe that it is the only way to allow wisdom
to grow and our true potential to be reached”. To prevent falling under the weight of one’s problems,
each person must develop a positive attitude. “A change of attitude allows one to face difficulties and
overcome obstacles. Briefly, one’s life can change if one chooses to adopt a positive attitude”.
Stressing on dynamism and optimism, Dr. Levesque underlines that within we can find light, hope and
love. “It is important to remember that these elements become one’s strength”, he adds. By means of
the Interactive Theater we therefore hope that each spectator can realize a greater part of his potential”.
Prevention rather than cure.
According to Dr. Georges-Henri Levesque, we should unite our efforts and put into practice the proverb “Prevention is better than cure”. “Instead of trying to heal people it would be best to resort to prevention which is the root of it all”, he goes on. It would appear that there is a provincial committee
working on a program to allow people become conscious of the fact that there is “always a bright side
to a problem”. Let us not forget, day always follows night…..
V OLUME 1 , ISSUE 11
PAGE 9
NEWS FROM OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKERS
Region 5
It has been a busy year with many conferences on
self-esteem being presented and a series of 10
chronicles on mental health being aired on the two
community radio stations. Complimentary comments
received are proof of the public’s appreciation of
these chronicles. There is a demand for more next
year.
The I’m Thumbody Program has been presented in
various classes with the assistance of students from
the NBCC. The program as well as students has been
welcomed in the schools.
Articles have been published in the papers and radio
interviews have been held to celebrate the Suicide
Prevention Month. The committee is preparing for the
next Provincial Annual Meeting which will be held
September 9, 2005.
The ASIST workshop was presented to 50 students
following the “Techniques d’intervention en services
communautaires” course at the NBCC. We wish this
formation to be included in other courses so as to allow interaction with as many people as possible.
Best wishes for a beautiful summer!
Cécile Goulette, RCW Region 5
Region 7
The new year has been busy, the community education sessions are under way and being well attended. In our region the Suicide Prevention Committee is busy with a lot of new projects Mental
Health and High Schools, Lunch and Learns and
specific education focused towards middle and
high school students. Purchased a great resource
on bullying for teen boys especially ,a spiderman
comic book on bullying!!!
With mental health month around the corner I am
starting to schedule events in the community to
create awareness for the month.
Charline McLean
Regional Community Worker Region 7
Region 6 (Bathurst)
Hi everyone,
Before I began working with CMHA, I worked with
mentally challenged people, some of which also had a
mental illness. During this time I took a training called
“Positive Approaches the Assessment Series: Unmasking Mood Disorders - Supporting Individuals with
Developmental Disabilities and mental illness.”
Positive approaches are a worldview, a movement, in
which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, in which all are entitled to every day lives.
The purpose of positive approaches is to support people to grow and to develop, to make their own decisions, to achieve their personnel goals, to develop
relationships and enjoy life as full members of the
community.
A positive approach encourages us to see clearly and
honestly the good reasons and adaptive qualities of
even the most troubling behaviour, no matter whose it
is.
As a framework, Positive Approaches allows us to
integrate the lessons we are learning from and evenwidening repertoire of tools available to help individuals with: Mental illness and more specifically, mood
disorders; movement differences and other neurological development, trauma, addictions and sexuality.
Positive approaches is not focused on fixing the person, but on building competencies, creating opportunities and offering choices that help each person live a
fulfilling life.
Different studies estimate that between 8-13% of the
normal population will be affected by a mood disorder.
Estimates suggest that it might be as high as 30% for
people with development disability.
If anyone is interested in knowing more about Unmasking Mood Disorders and would like some documentation, I would be pleased to get some ready for
you. Please call 1-506-542-2604.
Have a great spring everyone!
Julia Auclair, RCW Region 6 (Bathurst)
PAGE 10
The Benefits of Humour
Humour and laughter both contribute significantly to our physical and mental well-being.
Adopting a more flexible attitude and being able
to see the bright side of every day situations
bring more resiliency in facing the difficulties of
the day.
Benefits to our physical health
a. Stronger immune system
b. Physical exercise
c. Stress-inducing hormones reduction
d. Pain reduction
e. Muscular relaxation
Benefits to mental health
a. Reduced stress
b. Reduced anger and anxiety
c. More joy and optimism
Become a Member of
the Canadian Mental
Health Association
Our national, provincial and local organizations
have much to offer the community and our
members. Membership with CMHA-NB will
provide you with the opportunity to vote at our
National and Provincial Annual General Meetings. It will also enable you to access national
and provincial newsletters and publications.
To become a member, please fill out this form
and submit it with your membership fee to
CMHA -NB, 403 Regent Street, Suite 202, Fredericton, NB E3B 3X6.
Membership Form
Name: _____________________________
Organization: ________________________
Work-related benefits
a. Team work
b. Ability to communicate
c. Conflict management
d. Creativity and problem solving
e. Satisfaction at work
f. Resiliency
g. Stress management
h. Productivity
Laughter and humor have a direct effect on the
joy employees have of working together. The
more a boss uses humor with his employees, the
more he will have their cooperation and quality
work. Using humor is an excellent supervision
tool and there are many reasons for this. Besides helping employees adapt to changes, using humor creates strong bonds between employees. Laughing at the work being done is not
right, but laughing at work is of utmost importance.
(translated and adapted by P.E. McGhee
www,laughremedy.com)
Article submitted by Lucie Robichaud, RCW Region 6
Mailing Address: _____________________
Province: ________ Postal Code: ________
Telephone: (
Fax: (
) __________________
) ______________________
E-mail: ____________________________
Membership Fees:
Individual $ 15.00
Corporate $ 100.00
Donation ______
** A charitable tax receipt will be issued
for all donations as well as
membership fees.
Thank you for supporting CMHA and
“Making Mental Health Matter!!”
V OLUME 1 , ISSUE 11
PAGE 11
REGIONAL COMMUNITY WORKER LISTING
REGION I
REGION III
REGION V
Murielle Doucet
81 Albert Street, PO Box 5001
Moncton, NB E1C 8R3
Phone: (506) 852-3270
E-mail: [email protected]
Robin Ward
65 Brunswick St., Suite 294
Fredericton, NB, E3B 1G5
Phone: (506) 458-9155
E-mail: [email protected]
Cécile Goulette
6 Arran St., 2nd Floor
Campbellton, NB E3N 3G7
Phone: (506) 789-2441
E-mail: [email protected]
Christine Daoust (Kent County)
CP 2184
Bouctouche, NB E4S 2J2
Phone: (506) 743-5257
E-mail: [email protected]
(Available September to June)
REGION III/IV
REGION VI
Danielle D’Amours
131 Pleasant Street, CP 5001
Grand Falls, NB E3Z 1G1
Phone: (506) 475-2415
E-mail: Danielle.D’[email protected]
Lucie Robichaud
239-A, Boul. JD Gauthier
Shippagan, NB E8S 1N2
Phone: (506) 336-4932
E-mail: [email protected]
REGION IV
Julia Auclair (Bathurst)
1706 Route 322
Robertville, NB E8K 2V8
Phone: (506)542-2604
E-mail: [email protected]
(Available September to June)
REGION II
Mary Magnus (Sussex)
30 Moffett Ave.
Sussex, NB E4E 1E8
Phone: (506) 432-2101
E-mail: [email protected]
Denyse Mazerolle
118 Martin Street, PO Box 333
Edmundston, NB E3V 2M9
Phone: (506) 739-9489
E-Mail: [email protected]
Rosslyn Allen (Charlotte County)
5 Riverview Avenue
St. George, NB E5C 3M1
Phone: (506) 755-4060
E-mail: [email protected]
(Available September to June)
REGION VII
Charline McLean
1780 Water St. Suite 300
Miramichi, NB E1N 1B6
Phone: (506) 773-7561
E-mail: [email protected]
Winter Blues Campaign 2005
CMHA -NB Division office along with 4 branches across the province (Albert County, Miramichi, Madawaska, and
Charlotte County) took part in a Winter Blues Campaign from January to March 2005. This blitz was designed to
get information on Seasonal Affective Disorder out across the province. A fundraising component was added to
this campaign which included a raffle with the chance to win a $3,000 Sunquest Travel Voucher, a weekend at the
Delta Saint John and a weekend at the Ramada Fredericton. With the help of volunteers and employees across
the province 1,644 tickets were sold in this short period of time.
Special Thanks to: Dawn at Sunquest, Michelle at Travel Only, Lori
at the Delta Saint John, and Sharon at the Ramada Fredericton for
helping us secure the prizes for the draw. Thanks to Sandy Brewer,
CGA, for performing the draw. Also a big thank-you to all those who
sold and purchased tickets.
Winners:
Grand Prize – Sunquest Voucher –
Lionel Arsenault, Grand Falls
2nd prize – Weekend at the Delta Saint John –
Lise Ouellette, Petit Rocher
3rd prize – Weekend at the Ramada Fredericton –
Shirley Page, Grand Falls
March 23, 2005—Sandy Brewer performing
the draw at CMHA-NB Division office.
BRANCH LISTING
THE CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
NEW BRUNSWICK DIVISION
403 Regent Street, Suite 202
Fredericton, NB E3B 3X6
Phone (506) 455-5231
Fax (506) 459-3878
E-mail [email protected]
WEBSITE
www.cmhanb.ca
CMHA NB Division is pleased to announce their new
partnership with the Canadian Health Network (CHN)
For more information on
CHN please check out
their website:
www.canadian-health-network.ca
PROVINCIAL SUICIDE
RESOURCE CENTER
For books, articles, videos, etc visit the centre
at CMHA NB Division
8:30-4:30 (Monday -Friday)
403 Regent Street, Suite 202
Fredericton, NB E3B 3X6
For those with mobility impairments,
Service is available on the ground floor
Master Log of resources is now available on the web.
WEBSITE
www.suicideinformation.ca
Orders can now be placed online.
Resources will be shipped at no cost.
Moncton Region Branch Inc.
78 Weldon St., P.O. Box 11,
Moncton, NB E1C 8R9
Phone: (506) 859-8114
E-mail:[email protected]
Executive Director: Carol Steel
Albert Co. Branch Inc.
5295 Route 114
Hopewell Hill, NB E4H 3M7
Phone: (506) 882-2604
E-mail: [email protected]
Administrator: Paul Collins
Saint John Branch Inc.
Saint John City Hall
15 Market Square, Suite 1500
Saint John, NB E2L 1E8
Phone: (506) 633-1705
E-Mail: [email protected]
Executive Director: Sherry LapointeBooy
Charlotte Co. Branch Inc.
President: Paul Donahue
Phone: (506) 466-7566/466-5679
E-Mail: [email protected]
Fredericton/Oromocto Branch Inc.
65 Brunswick St., Suite 292
Fredericton, NB E3B 1G5
Phone: (506) 458-1803
E-mail: [email protected]
Executive Director: Jean McBrine
Grand Falls Branch
President: Denise Godbout
Phone: (506) 472-1022
E-mail: [email protected]
Madawaska Branch
President: Line Long
Phone: (506) 735-4900
Miramichi Branch
Charline McLean
Phone: (506) 773-7561
E-mail: [email protected]