KENORA – “Do you want to be part of creating a new learning experience for those in our district struggling with their mental health and well-being?” CMHA Kenora proposed the question in their press release.
CMHA Kenora is testing out a new program on July 19 where they will launch a unique learning centre for people can share their lived experiences of mental health issues.
“For more than two years, people have been dealing with a lot of uncertainty, fear, grief, and a host of other difficult emotions in connection to the pandemic, all while being distanced from loved ones and support systems, said Jenna Camire H.B.Sc., Fundraising and Prevention Coordinator. “It is no wonder that we are seeing so many people accessing mental health services who never have before. The pandemic changed the way we live our everyday lives overnight, so if you find that you aren’t having an easy time adjusting or that you have been feeling unlike yourself lately, you have a completely valid reason for feeling that way, and you aren’t alone in your experiences.”
How this course will help people cope:
- Help you recognize and name common side-effects of the pandemic (e.g. depression, anxiety, covid fatigue)
- Give you ways to adjust to the “new normal” and respond to COVID-related challenges and emotions
- Help you navigate conflict related to current events
- Provide an environment to comfortably share your experiences and learn from others
“In our “Coping with Covid-19” session, we’ll talk about the impact that COVID-19 has had on our lives and how we can cope with some of the stressors we’re dealing with because of it,” explains Camire. “We want you to come away from this 2-hour Recovery College course with a sense that despite all the uncertainty in the world, there are still ways you can be in control and support your own mental health and well-being. In our July 19th session, we will also give you the opportunity to tell us what you liked about the course and what you didn’t, so we can make the course as helpful for people in our area as possible. Whether you participate in the discussion at the end or fill out the survey, your input will help us kick-start our Recovery College and develop the first of many free recovery-oriented courses that we hope to offer in the future.”
The first course, Coping With COVID, will be a single, 2-hr session.
On July 19 from 12 p.m. -2 p.m., on MS Teams.
During this session, you’ll also be asked for your input:
- Learn about how you can better cope with stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Provide feedback on how we can improve these materials for future sessions
- Tell us what else you’d like to see us offer through our new Recovery College. We will send out a survey at the end for all attendees.
Click Here to Register. All are welcome, and they especially encourage those with lived experience to share their perspectives.
