Do you feel overwhelmed?

“Magic & power don’t come from contemplating all that lies ahead, how much needs to be done, all that might go wrong, whether we’ll get through. That’s fear.”

Fear overwhelms.

The present moment brings peace. This is the foundation of much of my work with people - Start at this very moment, begin with the small steps, the first step of the first task, one step at a time. Feel what you need to feel & let it go. Soon you’ll find your own way again.

This is from today's daily meditation in "Journey to the Heart" by Melody Beattie which deeply resonates with the SIH philosophy & work. Each of us has a universal strength & resilience in our hearts, that when blocked leads to dis-ease, & when open allows us to experience life, love, happiness & fulfillment.

Claim your strength – contact Strength in Heart today!

Suicide Prevention

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day hosted by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). According to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, someone, somewhere in the world dies by suicide every 40 seconds which accounts for more loss of life globally than war, acts of terrorism and homicide combined. To add to that, worldwide suicide rates have increased by 60% in the past 45 years. These sobering statistics demonstrate the dire need for ramped up worldwide suicide prevention efforts!

Research into the predictors of suicide has found that risk factors vary around the world and that suicide is a complex issue with many psychological, social, biological, cultural and environmental factors at play. In the past I worked in psychiatric research where we studied the relationship between mood disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder) and suicide. We found that suicidal thoughts were predicted by mood instability (2015) which has since been further researched and supported. Interesting work, but I have to admit that I don't focus on the scientific, statistical research findings about suicide much anymore.

Over the years my personal and professional experiences with people affected by suicide have led me to a different view. What I understand now is that disconnection from ourselves, others and the environment is increasing which leads to feelings of isolation and hopelessness related to suicide.

What is the answer? Re-connection! To thrive and live fulfilled lives more people need to start connecting and loving themselves, others and the earth. We can bring those sobering global suicide numbers down, one hug, one vulnerable conversation, one relationship at a time. Turn off the screens, spend time in nature, breathe with each other, sweat with each other, cry with each other, love with each other. Take time to authentically connect – share your fears, your hopes, your joys, your sorrows - show each other that it’s OK to be vulnerable.

Someone, somewhere in the world dies by suicide every 40 seconds. There is no time to waste – we need to start re-connecting now.

If you or someone you know needs immediate suicide support please contact one of the following resources. If you think someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 911.

British Columbia:

Need2 Suicide Prevention & Support

Crisis Centre BC 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

Canada:

Crisis Services Canada

References

Bowen, R., Balbuena, L., Peters, E., Leuschen-Mewis, C. & Baetz, M. (2015). The relationship between mood instability and suicidal thoughts. Archives of Suicide Research, 19, 161-71.

Bowen, R., Balbuena, L., Leuschen, C. & Baetz, M. (2012). Mood instability is the distinctive feature of neuroticism. Results from the British HALS. Personality and Individual Differences, 53, 896-900.

Bowen, R., Baetz, M., Leuschen, C. & Kalynchuk, L. (2011). Predictors of suicidal thoughts: Mood instability versus neuroticism. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 1034-1038.

Build Your Self-Confidence

“Confidence is courage at ease.”

- Daniel Maher

We are in a self-confidence deficit. I work with clients that live in Victoria, and also from other areas and countries (through virtual counselling). No matter where a client lives or what they do, most share that they have low self-confidence which feeds into their depression or anxiety. Not surprisingly, the foundation of much of our work together is based on increasing their self-confidence. Although there are many tools and methods to do this work, one of my favorite ways to increase a client’s self-confidence is to help them build a courage practice.

“Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others.”

– Winston Churchill

How is your self-confidence? How often are you courageous? 

Here are some guidelines to help you build your own courage practice:

• Exercise your courage muscle often

Courage is like a muscle that gains strength with practice. Commit to practice it often. This can be daily, several times a week, or weekly. Try something new, face a fear, etc, - it doesn’t matter if it’s a big or small challenge, any effort will either build or maintain the strength of your courage. Anything that you continue to practice becomes a habit.

•  Make a list of your fears

If you have a list of what scares you then you can begin to plan out how you will be courageous. Once you have the list organize your fears in order of importance. Which one do you think has the most impact on your mind, or hold you back the most? Which would be the second? Third?... Start with the small ones and slowly progress through them one by one. As you tackle the smaller ones you will build the confidence that you need to face the larger fears.

•  Analyze your biggest fear

By objectively analyzing your biggest fear you will begin the process of eliminating it. With your biggest fear in mind, write down the answers to these three questions:

1.     How does this fear hold me back in life?

2.     How has this fear helped me in the past? Does it still help me?

3.     What would I gain by eliminating this fear?

•  Recognize & accept that things will go wrong

There’s no way around it – when you practice courage you run the risk that something could go wrong. Accept it when something doesn’t go quite right – this is a courage practice too! When something goes wrong, have the courage to learn from it and move on. Remember pain or stress is temporary and will pass.

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.”

- Mark Twain

•  Commit to your decisions

Believe that you will more often experience positive outcomes which represent your virtues and self-development. The following analogy from Rollo May’s “The Courage to Create” is a good illustration of this:

“The acorn becomes an oak by means of automatic growth; no commitment is necessary. The kitten similarly becomes a cat on the basis of instinct. Nature and being are identical in creatures like them. But a man or woman becomes fully human only by his or her choices and his or her commitment to them. People attain worth and dignity by the multitude of decisions they make from day by day. These decisions require courage.”

• Most of all, have fun being courageous!

Self-care is not a new idea!

Self-care is not a new idea! The Ancient Greeks practiced “philautia”, or the love of the self, to promote societal honesty and compassion. They believed that individuals must love themselves before they can truly love others in a healthy, honest, unconditional way.

“all friendly feelings for others are an extension of man’s feelings for himself.” – Aristotle

Today we agree that self-care leads to improved immunity, & decreased susceptibility to stress, anxiety, depression, & other mental health issues. However, self-care often takes the form of materialistic, individual things such as spas, shopping, travelling, etc.

True self-love means that you take care of yourself in an authentic, self-aware way that is specific to you as an individual – it doesn’t need to cost money!

Here is how you can direct your self-care process toward true healing & self-love!

1. Pay attention to how you talk to yourself.

Do you have an inner gremlin? Work to shift your inner monologue to be more supportive & compassionate.

2. Don’t always use self-care to distract yourself from issues.

Distraction, like reading a book or watching a movie, can be a great form of self-care (i.e. when exhausted, anxious, worried, etc.). However, constant distractions can lead you to numb out or ignore your issues and create a backlog of festering, unprocessed thoughts.

3. Pay attention to your emotions and process them.

Self-care must give you time to consider your stressors and to feel into your emotions. This might mean that rather than watch a movie you do a guided meditation, or talk to a friend. The most important thing is that the activity allows you to access your thoughts & feelings, & enables you to develop a more positive perspective, some emotional release, or even relief. Don’t forget, “what we resist persists” (Carl Jung)!

4. Care for your physical health.

Daily routines can be turned into self-care! Can you sleep earlier/longer? Can you eat food that is more nourishing?

Once we love ourselves we can begin to heal our families, communities & societies!

Contact me to learn more about my counselling practice in Victoria.

Heart-Opening Visualization

Good early morning!

Today's daily meditation in "Journey to the Heart" by Melody Beattie deeply resonates with the SIH philosophy and work. Each of us has a universal strength and resilience in our hearts, that when blocks leads to dis-ease, and when open allows us to experience life, love, happiness and fulfillment. 

I love this heart-opening visualization!:

“Picture your heart. In front of your heart see a beautiful rosebud, tightly closed. Whenever you want your heart to open, picture the rose blooming wide, beautiful, alive and fragrant. Whenever you want to retreat, turn the rose back into a bud.”

Give it a try! 

How did it feel?

What leads you to close your heart?

Does it deserve that power?

Really, does it?

Love today.

Contact us to learn more about our Victoria BC counselling services.

Three Ways Counselling in Victoria BC Can Help You

For some people, therapy is an unfamiliar service that has a lot of myths and stigma attached to it. If you have ever been to a therapy session, you will know that it can be very different from what people often see on TV or hear from others. With the rise in awareness about mental health challenges, more people are now seeking therapy as a treatment option or support source.

If you’re thinking about going to therapy but are still hesitant to book your first session, here are three ways that counselling in Victoria BC could help you:

Therapy is highly personalized

Guess what? Therapy is not just for people with significant mental health issues or emotional distress! If you’re struggling, confused, or just need someone to talk to, therapy can be beneficial for you. Since it’s such an individual experience, the therapy process will look different for every person. If you’re dealing with a more minor issue, it’s likely that your therapist can work with you to develop solid strategies for dealing with your issue in just a few months. For other more deeply rooted challenges, therapy can be a journey that lasts more long-term. Therapy is never a one-size-fits-all treatment, and even people with similar challenges can have very different therapeutic experiences.

Therapy is a way to reach goals

If you think that going to therapy means that your therapist will give you advice, tell you what to do, or ask you how everything makes you feel, you might want to think again. Your therapist’s job is not to solve your problems for you, but rather to support you as you develop a plan to find solutions that will work best for you. This means that if you have a goal in mind for yourself, therapy can help you explore how you can make changes to reach that goal. It’s very useful to have an outside perspective on simple day to day interactions as it can offer a fresh look at things that you may have overlooked.

Therapy puts you in control

In any therapy session, you’re in the driver’s seat. If you get lost or stuck it is your therapists job to navigate or help you out, but they never tell you where to go. This is why it is so essential to find a therapist that you work well with, and don’t settle for a therapist whose personality does not match well with yours. Above all, you should trust your therapist to provide you with the support you need, otherwise your treatment process could be encumbered by doubt. 

Going to counselling sessions is no walk in the park, but if you put in the time you will most likely see lasting results. Working with a therapist that understands you is a great way to treat a whole host of issues while building the skills to take care of yourself in the future.

Are you ready to find out how therapy can help you? Contact us today to book your Victoria BC counselling session! 

The Downward Cycle of Depression

When I work with people affected by depression or anxiety one of the first things we look at is their inner voice or self-talk. Some of these can be nasty. Maybe like a shoulder “Gremlin” – cranky, pessimistic and abusive. Or maybe a continuously dissatisfied, angry coach – Try harder! Why can’t you get that right? You’re never good enough!

People try to quiet these voices by focusing more on them. It’s as though their mind is trying to fix the unhappiness by thinking more about it. This rumination can lead to a downward spiral of depression and anxiety where people find themselves “stuck” and isolated – unable to see their own way out.

In our counselling sessions one way that we interrupt this cycle is through exercises that rework automatic responses to these inner critics. You can change what you feel by changing what you think!

Sometimes our minds also need to stop working...to stop doing and just be! Mark Nepo supports this idea in today’s entry in “The Book of Awakening”: “Sometimes the simplest and best use of our will is to drop it all and just walk out from under everything that is covering us, even if only for an hour or so”

Do you take time to “walk out from under everything”?

Five Questions To Ask A Victoria BC Therapist

Choosing a new therapist in Victoria BC is a big decision, and finding the best fit for you is of utmost importance. It’s a vulnerable time when you may need to tell your private thoughts and information to a stranger. It’s not always easy to know if they will be able to support you in the way that you need or prefer. It’s especially difficult to determine how a therapist can help you solely based on their skills and experience. Here is some valuable guidance to help you to get an idea of what you’re looking for in a therapist. Below are 5 guiding questions to ask a potential therapist to determine if they are a good match for you: 

My problem is _______. What are some ways that you would go about treating that?

If you don’t have an actual diagnosis, start with your symptoms. If you have trouble sleeping, worry, or angry outbursts, let them know and see what they recommend. If you resonate with their response, it is a good sign that you two might be a good match.

Do you tend to lead the session, or let your clients lead?

Depending on where you are at with your treatment and what you prefer, you should know if you want your therapist to set the agenda or would rather have them let you talk about what you would like.

Do you prefer to focus on the immediate problem first, or the deeper issue?

If you’re seeing a cognitive-behavioural therapist, they will likely want to focus on treating immediate symptoms, while psychodynamic based therapists will look into the root causes of a problem. See what they respond with and think about how that approach could match what you are looking for in a treatment plan.

What are your strengths as a therapist?

Don’t be afraid to ask your therapist to think critically about what they are good at, and how those strengths can help your specific problem.

What type of relationship will we have in our work?

Therapy can be different for everyone, and you will want to consider the type of relationship that your therapist is willing to have with you. While some therapists treat sessions like a space to practice real life situations, others prefer sessions to be more of a resource where clients can take small pieces of information into their outside lives. This can change the client-therapist relationship and cause treatment to either click really well or maybe miss the mark.

While you’re asking your therapist these questions, don’t forget to ask yourself questions too! Ask yourself: what is my comfort level with this person? Did the therapist “get” what I was saying? Did they ask for clarification and avoid making assumptions or misinterpretations? 

Overall, it’s always best to go with the person whom you connect with - listen to your gut!
Ready to find the best Victoria BC therapist for you? Contact us today to set up an appointment.

Be Gentle And Kind

Today's daily meditation in "Journey to the Heart" by Melody Beattie is another great one perfectly in line with the Strength in Heart practice philosophy! I love this!!
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"Somewhere along my life's journey, with all its trials, moving about, business, and experiences, I had let gentleness slip away. Now it was time to go there again. It was a reminder to be gentle and kind to others, be gentle and kind to myself."

Your Ability To Love And Be Compassionate

The Dalai Lama said it! Whether he intended this to be literal or metaphorical, the message is clear - we need to be compassionate for our selves and others to survive!

Your ability to love and be compassionate is dependent upon your connection to the strength and resiliency in your heart.

When life gets tough we often close our hearts in the belief that this will protect us and make us stronger. In fact the opposite is true! When you close your heart you block the natural flow of energy and love that you are born with. This is what is happening when you are depressed or anxious.

The good news is that you can re-access this innate strength and resilience!

Contact me to book a session to discuss how I can help you find the strength in your heart to live your best life now!

10 Ways To Cope With Depression

If you’re struggling with symptoms of depression, there are many different strategies that can help promote positive thinking and alleviate stress. While seeing a therapist is always an option, the same types of treatment and management strategies do not work for everyone. Below are 10 things that you can try to help cope with symptoms of depression. 

1. Make a lifestyle change

   Did you know that your lifestyle choices can affect your mood? Making small lifestyle changes can help you manage your mood and treatment beyond medications. Think about what small change you can make to make a big impact. Start with baby steps!

2. Keep a journal

   Expressing yourself through writing is a healthy way to let go of thoughts and feelings that may be troubling you, and keeping a daily or weekly journal is a great tactic to manage stress. Even writing for only a few minutes a day can completely change your mood!

3. Find ways to boost your self image

   One of the most common effects of depression is low self esteem, so being able to feel better about yourself is a key part of a treatment plan. Practicing positive thinking, focusing on your best qualities, and spending time with friends can help boost your self image and get you on the way to feeling your self.

4. Stay involved

   Those struggling with depression often feel like they want to withdraw from social situations, but social connections can actually prevent downspirals and further isolation. Try to push yourself to stay involved with friends if you can.

5. Keep a schedule

   Keeping a routine is a helpful coping mechanism for depression as it helps keep motivation at a steady level. Even just scheduling one small activity to do every day can make a huge difference in productivity and self esteem.

6. Get some sleep

   Sleep is one of the most underrated coping mechanisms for depression, as rest is essential to a good mood. Try to go to bed and wake up on a regular schedule for maximum benefit.

7. Ask for help

   Friends and family can do wonders to bring you up when you are feeling down. Don’t be afraid to ask your loved ones for help - they love you and will most likely have no problem being there when you need them!

8. Eat foods that make your brain and body happy

   A good diet and nutrition regime can help you feel healthy, give you energy, and even change the chemical composition of your brain. Adding elements such as Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet can help keep your brain healthy and reduce the symptoms of depression.

9. Get some exercise

   Exercise brings many psychological benefits that can be essential to those struggling with depression. Not only does it help you sleep better, but exercise elevates your mood and gives you a sense of accomplishment which can make a huge difference to your day.

10. Work with a therapist

    For most people, seeing a therapist plays an important part in overcoming their depression symptoms. A therapist will be able to provide you with techniques and strategies to help you with the 9 other suggestions above!

If you need help developing a plan for dealing with your symptoms of depression, our experts are always ready to talk. Contact our counsellors in Victoria BC to set up your first session. 

What Do You Need Most Right Now?

Are you having a bad day...or week? Here are some useful strategies to turn it around:

• Identify what has gone wrong or why you are in a bad mood. Sometimes recognizing that you’re in a funk will be enough to pull you out.

• Examine your emotions: What is beneath your immediate emotional reactions?

• Practice looking for the silver lining. Our brains are evolutionarily wired to look for threats which means that modern day minor annoyances (e.g. traffic!) can be interpreted as threats which leads to a negativity bias where we are focused on things that go wrong. To break free of this neural rut you can train yourself to notice when things go right. This can take form in many ways - many find it useful to use a gratitude journal where they write down a few things each day that they are grateful for.

• Create a practice of empathy and give others the benefit of the doubt. For example, if someone is giving you a hard time, imagine what their stressors might be - maybe they have a sick child, money problems, or something else.

• Cut yourself some slack! Personal change takes time and practice. Try using your bad moods to practice some self-compassion. Try to regularly check in with yourself throughout the day, and ask, "What do I need most right now?" It's possible that a glass of water or a quick walk may be all you need to raise your mood.

• Zoom out! Take a look at your past experiences of bad moods, days or rough patches. How did they end up working out? Remind yourself that this is temporary.

Contact me to booking a Victoria BC counselling session.

How To Handle Public Anxiety

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, you’re far from alone. You are probably familiar with how difficult it can be to have an anxiety attack - but one of the worst places for this to occur is in public. When your mind is spinning, the last thing you need is to be surrounded by strangers as you try to calm yourself. Below are some strategies to help you cope with public anxiety in a subtle and manageable way: 

1. Just breathe

   Breath work is a great place to start when you feel any anxiety coming on. Start by focusing all of your attention on your breathing and try to take slow deep breaths. You can do this by inhaling for a count of 4, holding the breath for a count of 4, and then exhaling for another count of 4. Repeat this to help calm your system.

2. Talk to yourself

   Use the voice of reason with yourself as a reminder that you are safe and not in harm’s way. Repeat these words over and over to remind yourself that all is well. Talking to yourself can help you calm down - especially if you are not with a trusted friend who might otherwise talk you down.

3. Visualize

   When you start to feel anxious, try visualizing a scene that calms you. This might be your living room, a quiet beach, the basketball court, or your favourite park. Put yourself in that scene by carefully visualizing every detail including sounds and smells that might be in that space.

4. Listen

   A great way to distract yourself from oncoming anxiety is to listen to your surroundings instead of your thoughts. Listen to every sound in your environment, and be sure to identify each one. To give these sounds your full attention, you can’t be thinking about anything else - and this helps you forget your worries and calm down.

5. Carry essential oils

   Many people have success with using essential oils and aromatherapy to calm themselves in anxiety producing situations. Try to keep a small bottle of your favourite essential oil (lavender is great for calming) in your bag so that you can inhale the scent or rub the oil itself on your temples. 

When anxiety strikes in public, it can be a terrifying experience, but you don’t have to let it control you. Try the above tips to help manage feelings of public anxiety, and book a session with our Victoria BC counsellors to discuss additional strategies that can help you manage your anxiety one day at a time. 

A Daily Exercise To Boost Your Week

Here’s a daily exercise that will super boost your week!

A simple (yet effective!) exercise to build self-confidence and heart strength:
• Find a friend or family member and ask them, "What have you seen in me that you value and appreciate?” 
• Try to do this at least once every day this week 
• Keep track of the responses
• On Sunday review and reflect on your list. Is there anything that surprises you? Why?

You can also take this exercise a step further and volunteer an answer to this question to at least one friend or family member per day.

Contact me to learn more about my counselling services.

Narcissism and Its Discontents

In the current political and social environment narcissism has become a normalized social condition that often represents an affinity for financial and professional success. Not surprisingly, a lot of clients share stories with me of how a person with narcissist personality traits has negatively impacted their life. This often leads to questions of how to set healthy boundaries with these people, or how to decide whether or when to sever the relationship. Of course each person’s work is based on their individual context, but the following TedTalk (presented by the author of Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist) is a must watch!

A few of my favourite pieces:

“Narcissistic patterns undercut the core of what’s necessary for healthy relationships. These things include mutuality, respect, compassion, patience, genuineness, honesty, and trust – things that are simply not possible with a system or person that is narcissistic.”

“If someone is not willing to recognize that they need to make a change because they are hurting other people, there is little likelihood that they will change, but there IS likelihood that they will continue to blame other people, the world, or you for their bad behavior.”

“Start giving the best of ourselves to our healthy and reciprocal relationships and really only give the bare minimum to the relationships that aren’t helping us grow.”

What If There’s Nothing Wrong With You?

Many clients come to me because they struggle with low self-confidence and anxiety issues which are often rooted in their childhood. This Tedtalk, presented by Susan Henkels, MSW, is a clear demonstration of how people develop self-judgments and anxieties in response to their early childhood experiences. She described how her father’s criticisms of her (which began at age 4) caused her to “keep her mouth shut” and close her heart. She explained that she lost her voice and self-confidence in turn for safety from her father’s continuous judgment and blame. She internalized all sorts of “wrongs” with herself until much later in her life when she began to ask herself in the mirror each day, “What if there’s nothing wrong with me?”. Through this practice she chose to leave negative self-beliefs behind and opened her heart to strength and fulfillment. This practice sounds like a great way to begin to unravel self-limiting beliefs!

What does your inner critic say? How does it silence you? Is it time to take your voice back? Watch this TedTalk and then give it a try – ask yourself in the mirror each day, “What if there’s nothing wrong with me?” and then strive to live each day into that possibility.

Contact Strength in Heart for more information on how to regain your voice and the strength in your heart.

Deep Breathing Exercise

"I breathe in my courage and exhale my fear".
- Quote from Jonathan Lockwood Huie

To breathe is a basic human function that can detox and revitalize a body in a few short minutes, but most of us don’t take full advantage of it. Deep breathing helps lower your blood pressure, calm your heart rate and aid digestion. Breath is also connected to emotions and mood. Think about when you feel anger or fear – what is your breath like in those moments? I bet it’s short and shallow! If you change your breath to be slow, deep and consistent in stressful situations you can actually change your mood – in a sense you exhale your anger or fear and are more able to remain calm. Breath work can be a great tool to work against anxiety. One method that I like is “square breathing”, give it a try!

1. Relax and focus on your breath as best you can
2. Breath into your stomach for 4 seconds (or longer if you like)
3. Hold your breath for 4 seconds
4. Exhale evenly for 4 seconds
5. Hold your empty lungs for 4 seconds
6. Repeat until you feel content

Contact me for more information on my counselling services in Victoria BC.

The Power of an Open Heart

This past Saturday evening I had the pleasure of attending the Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG) conference keynote panel event: “Visionary Women: Inspiring Stories, Limitless Boundaries” a conversation with Lee Maracle, Mayor Lisa Helps, and Reeta Tremblay. The event focused on the paths that these trailblazing women have taken to their many achievements and leadership roles. As I listened to their stories I recognized large differences in their backgrounds, but was struck by one important commonality amongst them all – a high level of strength and resiliency in their hearts! Even when faced with oppression, violence and adversity, these women remained courageous and heart centered in their lives and work.

When asked what she would most like audience members to take away from her panel contributions, Lisa Helps said for people to keep their hearts open in difficult situations so that they can connect with each other to effect positive change. This reminded me of something that Michael Singer wrote in “the untethered soul”: “When you close your heart or close your mind, you hide in the darkness within you. There is no light. There is no energy. There is nothing flowing. The energy is still there but it can’t get in…That is what it means to be “blocked” (2007; p. 43). In other words, the power of an open heart is that it allows positive energy and strength to flow within you, and to and from others. It is true that life can be tough which can cause the strength in our heart to become blocked, but we all have a responsibility to ourselves, each other and the earth to open our hearts and walk in a good way – just as these visionary women have!

How strong does your heart energy flow?

Bell Let's Talk Day

It’s Bell Let’s Talk Day - It’s also time for ACTION!

At some point in everyone’s life their mental health will be negatively affected by any of a wide range of factors such as winter darkness, grief, regrets, worries, illness, and on and on. The Bell Let’s Talk initiative opens up the conversation and awareness of mental health in an effort to target mental illness stigma and remind those struggling that they are not alone.

If mental health problems or illness affect us all, then why is discrimination against mental illness still so common in our society? According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, “60% of people with a mental health problem or illness won’t seek help for fear of being labeled.” They also state that stigma is “a social process that aims to exclude, reject, shame, and devalue groups of people on the basis of a particular characteristic…stigma sheds light on who in society has access to the power and privilege necessary to define rules and apply sanctions for violating them —those who do, become the beneficiaries of stigma; those who do not, become its subjects.” The complex oppressive function of stigma suggests that talk alone is not enough to eradicate it. We need to do more.

According to the WHO, the 3 most important determinants of mental health are: Social inclusion, freedom from discrimination and violence, and access to opportunities and resources. What does all of this mean? We must re-focus our attention from individual mental suffering to how, as a collective, we are all involved and affected by oppression and mental health. In other words, this is not an individual issue - it is a societal issue and requires collective action. This means taking the conversation a step further to re-establish connections and solidarity with each other and to effectively call policy makers into actions where they meaningfully and sustainably address the social determinants of mental health.

If you are dealing with any mental health issues, contact me for a counselling session in Victoria BC.