Curious about how you can use music to manage stress and improve your mental health? Join certified music therapist Rachel MacEwan for a Music for Wellness workshop and try out some wellness enhancing strategies, using music.

Date: Friday, December 7th
Time: 12:05 – 12:55pm
Location: Prairie Lights Meeting Room (NDC)

Bring your lunch. Free dainties and tea will be provided.

All staff and students are invited.

Guiding us through different aspects of music therapy, Rachel will invite us to listen to music, make music, and analyze lyrics, all to promote good health while relieving stress and anxiety. Come on out and give it a try!

For questions or accessibility needs, please contact Breanna.

Due to our northern latitude, many Winnipeggers experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), while others experience a milder form of winter blues. SAD is a form of depression that occurs mostly during the fall and winter months, when days shorten and sunlight decreases.

Light therapy, sitting near a specialized light each day, is one form of treatment. This is why we’re pleased to announce that both the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campus Libraries now have light therapy stations.

If you’ve been feeling changes to your mood, lower energy levels, or any of the symptoms listed below, you may want to give light therapy a try. Staff and students are invited to work or study at the station anytime the library is open.

You may also loan a smaller, portable lamp from A/V Services. That lamp may be used anywhere in the library that is near a power outlet. You’ll find instructions on proper use as well as important notes posted above the lamp.

To be effective, light from the lamp must enter your eyes indirectly. While your eyes must be open, don’t look directly at the light. Keep your session to 30 minutes, unless otherwise directed by a physician.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.)

• Feeling tired, depressed or sad
• Increased appetite
• Craving for carbohydrates and starchy foods
• Weight gain
• Sleeping more than usual
• Social withdrawal
• Lack of interest in usual activities
• Inability to concentrate, to focus
• Loss of sexual desire
• Body aches and pains

If you feel that you may be experiencing any form of depression, including SAD, please speak to your primary health care provider.

Sources: The Mayo Clinic Website – www.mayoclinic.org and Northern Light Technologies Product Instructions

Registration

Please click on the link http://bit.ly/RRC30Day to register for the Challenge using your preferred email address. During the registration process, you’ll also be asked to input your mobile number and your ‘buddy’s’ email address (everyone in the Challenge gets to take it with a buddy of their choice, including friends or loved ones from outside the organization).

If you have any questions about the 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge or need any help registering, please email register@mindwellu.com and the Challenge tech team will get back to you. Your RRC contacts for this are Jacqueline Wood and Breanna Sawatzky.

The infographic below demonstrates how mindfulness can help us handle emotions at work (or at school) in a way that supports our success and wellbeing.

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.

In our Wellness Weekly, mental health roundup feature we curate some of the best writing on the web related to health and wellbeing. Here is some recommended reading for this week.

• Whit Honea writes about the role of fathers in opening conversations about mental health. In this Washington Post article, Whit argues that “dads are shaping modern conversations about masculinity and men’s mental health”, and that doing so challenges the definition of masculinity as “detached stoicism.” Read Why Fathers Must Talk About their Mental Health.

• Dr. Christine Carter, Sociologist and author writes about the effects of being surrounded by interpersonal drama. She argues that “the 24/7 drama isn’t pointing us towards meaningful lives. And it keeps us from the stillness and reflection and deep conversation that make our lives meaningful.” Dr. Carter also outlines the three typical roles in a conflict (victim, persecutor, rescuer) and presents three tips to avoid taking on these dysfunctional roles. Check out, How to Ditch the Drama in Your Relationships.

• Have you ever interacted with a new person and left with the impression that they didn’t like you? Perhaps you felt you didn’t present yourself well. Or that the other person was being highly critical. Dr. Alice Walton writes in Forbes about some new research around the “liking gap”; a phenomenon were people almost always feel that their conversation mate’s opinion of them is lower that it actually is. Read, People Like You More Than You Think.

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.

Are you a student who is looking for service learning opportunities? Want to contribute to a healthier campus community? We’re searching for students who can devote ten hours to our Healthy Minds, Healthy College Initiative.

All hours will be on campus with plenty of training and support. Students will use and enhance a variety of skills in the roles of:

• Peer Support Promoter
• Thrive Week Ambassador
• Advisory Group Member

To learn more about these opportunities, please attend the Volunteer Information and Orientation Session on Wednesday, October 10, from 12:05 – 12:50 in the ETV studio (GM33).

Can’t make it in person? Catch the livestream. Time doesn’t work for you? Contact Breanna for a recording of the session or with any questions.

Come work with us to improve mental health at RRC!

Check out the detailed position descriptions and anticipated schedule of service here: volunteer program info sheet_digital-2jy688s

Elder Mae Louise will be conducting a four part teaching series focusing on women’s teachings using the holistic model of the Medicine Wheel.  Each week will consist of a different teaching; Body, Mind, Emotion and Spirit.  Attending all four teachings in the series is encouraged but not required. 

EDC – Indigenous Support Centre, P407

Body: March 5 @12pm *(this session will be rescheduled due to the snow storm)
Mind: March 12 @12pm
Emotion: March 19 @12pm
Spirit: March 26 @12pm

NDC – Indigenous Support Centre, F209

Body: March 7 @ 12pm or March 8 @3pm
Mind:  March 14 @ 12pm or March 15 @ 3pm
Emotion: March 21 @ 12pm or March 22 @ 3pm
Spirit: March 28 @ 12pm or March 29 @ 3pm

These teachings are open to all female staff and students.

For more information, please contact (NDC) Rhonda or (EDC) Cheyenne

You’re invited to attend a special lunch hour event with True North Sports + Entertainment’s Craig Heisinger (Zinger) as he brings his mental health awareness talk to RRC.

Date: Tuesday, March 13^th

Time: noon – 1pm

Location: South Gym, Livestreaming available at rrc.ca/streaming

Zinger is Senior Vice-President & Director, Hockey Operations/Assistant General Manager of the Winnipeg Jets. He also serves as the General Manager of the Manitoba Moose. Zinger was very close with player Rick Rypien who struggled with mental illness and ultimately died by suicide.

Following Rick’s death, Zinger has become a champion for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. We’re happy to host Zinger’s talk and provide a free pizza lunch to all who attend. Other campuses are also participating by viewing the livestream and offering a free pizza lunch. Look for information on your campus!

All students, staff and faculty are welcome to attend. If you have accessibility needs, please contact blsawatzky@rrc.ca.

Win Prizes!

2 Ways to win:

1. Subscribe to this blog (Mind It!) blogs.rrc.ca. (Current subscribers are also entered to win)

2. Tweet using #ZingerAtRRC

The Prizes

First Prizes (3 Winners)

Dinner and a Movie: $50 Earls Kitchen + Bar gift card + $50 Cineplex Gift Card

Jets Gear: $100 Gift Card for the Winnipeg Jets Team Store

Day at the Spa: $100 gift certificate for Thermea

Second Prizes (8 winners)

4 $25 Cineplex Gift Cards

4 $25 Sobeys Gift Cards

*Note that all winners must be RRC students, staff, or faculty. Prizes must be picked up from their Campus within two weeks of the prize draw. Draws will take place and winners notified on Wednesday, March 14^th. Prizes have no cash value. Eligible tweets must be posted on March 13^nd.

You’re invited to participate in CMHA’s ‘Ride Don’t Hide’ – Canada’s largest bike ride for mental health.  The event is held on Sunday June 24^th in communities across the country. CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg are starting recruit bike riders for the event and RRC is excited to participate. There are 6 kilometer and 21 kilometer route options.

From CHMA’s website:

“CMHA’s Ride Don’t Hide is an annual fundraising bike ride held in six provinces in 31 communities. Supported by the fundraising efforts of more than 7000 riders, Ride Don’t Hide will raise funds for essential programs and services in communities, workplaces and schools – programs that change lives. Programs that save lives.

 

When we hide, mental health stays hidden. When we ride, we create change. This year, on June 24, ride in plain sight. Ride Don’t Hide. It’s more than the name of the event. It’s also the reason we’re riding.”

CMHA is a community partner, helping RRC with our Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative. This makes participating in Ride Don’t Hide an ideal opportunity for us to show support in return.

The registration cost for an adult is $40 and youth registration costs $25.

If you’d like to be part of the RRC team for Ride Don’t Hide, please contact Breanna Sawatzky at blsawatzky@rrc.ca or 204-632-2061. Students, staff and faculty are welcome.