On January 30th, RRC joined others across the country in observing Bell Let’s Talk Day – a campaign dedicated to moving mental health forward in Canada. The strategy is built on four pillars: anti-stigma, improving access to care, supporting world-class research, and leading by example in workplace mental health.

At nine different campus locations, staff and student volunteers served free refreshments, distributed printed mental health resources and invited folks to contribute to a giant art canvas. On the canvas, people shared words of encouragement or supportive images to encourage someone who may be struggling with mental health difficulties.

STTC

We know that each year 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health problem. While over the course of our entire lifespan, nearly half of us will. Unfortunately, despite this prevalence, judgmental and prejudiced attitudes about mental illness abound, causing many to struggle in silence, feeling shame, embarrassment, or guilt that compounds their distress.

Winkler Campus

We envision a community where mental health problems are accepted as a part of the human experience; where people can speak openly about these, receiving appropriate health care and community support.

Notre Dame Campus

In addition to the Bell Let’s Talk Day activities, the RRCSA participated in the Students Let’s Act campaign – a national advocacy effort, lobbying the Federal Government to devote more resources to post-secondary student mental health supports.

Steinbach Campus

Portage la Prairie Campus

We’re excited to welcome Karina Walker, founder of Rising Strong, to facilitate two vision board workshops for RRC staff and students.

Vision boards are visual representations of your hopes, goals and desires. They help you visually experience what you want to do, where you want to go, who you want to be and how you want to feel. With busy schedules and distractions, having a board representing everything you want in life can help reinforce daily affirmations, clarify your goals and help set intentions.

This is sure to be an empowering evening of crafting and setting goals! Check out Karina’s Instagram to get a sense of her work.

Both workshops will feature free tea and dainties as well as a door prize draw.  Karina supplies everything you need to make your vision board, so just bring yourself (and perhaps a friend).

Notre Dame Campus
Wednesday, February 6th 4-7pm in the Prairie Lights Meeting Room

Exchange District Campus
Tuesday, February 5th 4-7pm in P107, The Roblin Centre

All students and staff are welcome and can register by emailing Breanna Sawatzky.

“It’s time for you to take self-care into your hands and Love Your Mind,” urges CreComm student, Jennifer Pazdor. She, in partnership with Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba, is hosting two individual days of self-care for youth and young adults in Winnipeg.

The workshops will cover five areas of self-care:

• Mindfulness
• Yoga
• Nutrition
• Expressive Art
• Music

Each topic will be taught by a skilled instructor who will explain how the technique can impact your wellbeing and help you learn to use the technique in your life.

Workshops are free to attend so choose the day or location that’s best for you and reserve your ticket on Eventbrite.

January 19 workshop: Prairie Lights Dining Room (Red River College Notre Dame Campus, 11360 Skinner Rd.)

January 20 workshop: Temple 23 Winnipeg (Exchange District, 62 Albert St.).

Food and beverage will be available. There will be door prizes and giveaways. Each attendee will receive a self-care package at the end of the workshop with some gifts and guides to self-care.

Donations to Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba are welcome.

Follow Love Your Mind on social media for more information: @loveyourmindwpg and check out their website: loveyourmindwpg.com.

Painting on the Prairies is returning to RRC to instruct our annual THRIVE Week Paint Party! All staff and students are welcome to join us for 2 hours of step-by-step painting. No experience is necessary, and you will take home your very own painted canvas.

The therapeutic benefits of painting are both mental and physical; it helps you to cope with stress you have in your life while you explore your creative side. Owner and Artist of Painting on the Prairies, Amber Van Ma’iingan has been leading paint parties for three and a half years and she will give you all her best tips and tricks so that your painting will turn out it’s best!

Notre Dame Campus
Date: Tuesday, November 6th
Time: 4:00 – 6:30 pm
Location: The Cave Lounge

Exchange District Campus
Date: Wednesday, November 7th
Time: 4:00 – 6:30 pm
Location: Dining Hall, Roblin Centre

Snacks will be provided. Register with Breanna to secure a spot, or just show up (seats are first come first served).

During THRIVE Week we take time to reflect on the role of self-care and balance on developing positive mental health that supports academic and career success. This year, THRIVE will be held November 5-9.

Events and activities provide an opportunity for rest, social connection, physical activity, fun, personal growth, and learning.

The week long series of events is a partnership between the RRC Students’ Association and the Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative.

Check out the NDC Thrive Guide and EDC Thrive Guide to see the full slate of activities.

During THRIVE Week we take time to reflect on the role of self-care and balance on developing positive mental health that supports academic and career success. This year, THRIVE will be held November 5-9 at all RRC campuses.

Events and activities provide an opportunity for rest, social connection, physical activity, fun, personal growth, and learning. All students, staff, and faculty members are invited to participate.

Some events to look forward to are:

• paint night
• yoga
• therapy dogs
• board game night
• tour of the sweat lodge
• visit from Rob Nash
• mindfulness workshop and much more!

Check out the NDC Thrive Guide and EDC Thrive Guide to see the slate of activities.

Subscribe for updates to ensure you receive all THRIVE related information.

The weeklong series of events is a partnership between the RRC Students’ Association and the Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative.

Red River College is hosting a FREE event called “Movies for Mental Health,” an interactive workshop run by a non-profit called Art With Impact that uses the emotional power of short film to initiate dialogue with students on the topic of mental health.

This peer-to-peer learning event is two hours long and consists of pizza lunch, a facilitated discussion, three short films from Art With Impact’s library , and a resource panel with campus and community services.

Join us in creating a healthy environment at RRC through dialogue and growth!

Wednesday, October 3rd, 11am – 1pm in The Cave Lounge at NDC. Free pizza lunch for all who attend!

This event is sponsored by the Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative and RRC Students’ Association as we observe Mental Illness Awareness Week. All students and staff are welcome.

On January 31^st  RRC will be observing Bell Let’s Talk Day with a day full of supportive conversations about mental health and stigma-busting activities.

We know that each year one in five Canadians will suffer from mental illness. One of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness is overcoming the stigma. It is the number one reason why two-thirds of those living with a mental illness do not seek help. So get involved and help bring positive change.

Both Notre Dame & Exchange District Campuses

From 11 am to 2 pm. Join us in the Library Hallway (NDC) and Roblin Centre Atrium (EDC) for tea, cookies, and conversations.

You can also paint supportive images or words on our giant art canvas.

Notre Dame Campus Only

CD/CED students Eden Friesen and Nicolette Jones are delivering a workshop, teaching participants how to start supportive conversations about mental health.

Join us from 12:10-12:55 in room A308. Registration is not necessary.

Regional Campuses may participate as well; stay tuned!

All staff, students, and faculty are invited to all events.

More info about the national Bell campaign can be found here: https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/bell-lets-talk-day

Let’s keep THRIVE going all year round! On December 7th, Painting on the Prairies is returning to RRC to instruct a Paint Party at the Exchange District Campus. Join us for 2 hours of step-by-step painting, no experience necessary, and you will take home your very own version of Winterscape (pictured right).

The therapeutic benefits of painting are both mental and physical and will help you to manage any stress you have in your life while you explore your creative side. Owner and Artist of Painting on the Prairies, Amber Van Ma’iingan, has been leading paint parties for 2 and a half years and, with over 300 paint parties under her belt, she will give you all her best tips and tricks so that your painting will turn out it’s best! (and include any other information about the party you want them to know).

This event is FREE and open to all staff and students. Snacks will be provided. You may want to wear a shirt that you wouldn’t mind getting some paint on.

Date: Thursday, December 7th

Time: 4:15 – 6:15 pm

Location: Cafeteria of the Roblin Centre, Exchange District Campus

Contact person: Amanda, saevents@rrc.ca

Arrive early as there will be limited spots.

Neuroscientists have found that people who are chronic worriers tend to use more brain energy when they make a mistake (see this study, for example). Knowing this, researchers have been trying to find a way to reduce this enlarged response to errors among anxious people. One strategy that appears to work is expressive writing.

Expressive writing is the process of writing about something personal and important to you without regard for grammar, spelling, punctuation or other formal strictures. You are writing only for yourself, focusing on how you feel about the topic or event about which you choose to write.

A recent study in the journal Psychophysiology found that anxious college students who practiced expressive writing for 8 minutes prior to a computer task, showed less of a brain response to errors than another group of anxious college students who engaged in regular writing before the computer task. The researchers propose that the mental drain anxiety creates was in deed reduced, freeing up mental resources to focus on the computer task. They conclude “expressive writing shows promise for alleviating the interfering impact of worries on cognition.”

This adds to the body of evidence that writing down our feelings, stresses, or worries can help us be more efficient in getting the things done that we need. Check out the work of James W. Pennebaker and colleagues for evidence that expressive writing is linked to better immune functioning, less distress for migraine sufferers, fewer physician appointments, and reduced anxiety.

During THRIVE Week, come down to our Send Your Stress Away event, where we’ll provide postcards on which you can practice expressive writing and give your brain a break from your worries.

Date: Wednesday, November 8^th

Time: 8:30am-3:00pm

NDC: Library Hallway

EDC: North Atrium

Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator

Last week, RRC observed Mental Illness Awareness Week by learning about the realities individuals face when they experience mental illness. Since we know that many staff, students, and faculty members will experience mental health problems and illness, understanding the illness and recovery process is an important part of working toward a more supportive and inclusive campus community.

Learning About Recovery Through Art and Community

Local non-profit, Artbeat Studio, visited both NDC and EDC to spread the word about their community based, peer directed program that supports artists with lived mental illness experiences to heal through art and community. You can catch the City News coverage here: City News and Artbeat at RRC

The artists who visited our campuses are: Bradley Guiboche; Nicholas Ahrens-Townshend; and Kathleen Crosby.

Learning About Anxiety Disorders

Further, we were pleased to host talks by Sarah Petty and Kendall McLean from the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba (ADAM); a non-profit, peer-led self help organization  where all staff have personally experienced and overcome the disabling effects of anxiety, and are now sharing that knowledge and hope with others.

If you missed the talks, we’re thankful that eTV Studio recorded Sarah’s presentation and has posted the link to view it here.

Learning about Schizophrenia

Courtesy of the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society

On Thursday, October 5th we hosted the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society; a non-profit, charitable, community-based mental health organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for those affected with schizophrenia and psychosis. Speaker Jane Burpee helped us better understand this disorder, which effects one per cent of the population. You can find the video recording of her talk here.

Learn More

The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health is the driving force behind Mental Illness Awareness Week annually. One of MIAW’s major initiatives is the Faces of Mental Illness campaign, a national outreach campaign featuring the stories of Canadians living in recovery from mental illness. Five Canadians have shared their stories so that you and I can better understand illnesses like Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADHD, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. You can read bios and watch video clips put together by this national campaign.

If, as you learn more about these disorders, you feel you might be experiencing one yourself, please reach out for help. Your family doctor is often a good place to start. RRC staff can also access our Employee and Family Assistance Plan. RRC students can complete an intake form in order to access confidential Counselling services. People who experience mental illness can get help, get better, and live a good life.

Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator