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.

Don’t forget to #GETLOUD for Mental Health Week.

• Mental Health Commission of Canada Statement on Mental Health Week. In her statement, Louise Bradley (President and CEO, Mental Health Commission of Canada) encourages Canadians to monitor their mental state with the same interest they devote to managing their blood-pressure or any other physical concern. She also draws a link between public services like education and childcare and good mental health.

• The Difference Between Social Anxiety and Introversion, In 4 Comics. In this article Lindsay Holmes and Eva Hill outline how the personality characteristic of introversion differs from the clinical condition called Social Anxiety Disorder. They use illustrated comics to demonstrate these differences.

• How Physical Fitness can Boost Your Career. Here Ivan Ho makes the case for developing good exercise related habits, encouraging readers to put health first. He ties physical activity with mental clarity, improved energy, and increased ability to meet work demands.

Do you have some favorite reading you’d like featured? Contact Breanna.

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.

• Psychology Professor, Dr. Mary Gomes writes about why she assigns her students electronic media fasts. She shares the benefits of unplugging, highlights some students reflections on the experience, and gives some tips for breaking poor screen habits. Read more at Five Reasons to Take a Break from Screens. – Greater Good Science Centre

• Dr. David DiStreno argues that using willpower alone is not the best way for students to resist tempting distractions and focus on academic work. He presents evidence that  developing gratitude and pride, along with grit, will make students more resilient. Read more at We’re Teaching Grit the Wrong Way. – The Chronicle of Higher Education

• “What started out as DeMar DeRozan’s seven-word tweet during the NBA all-star game weekend, ‘This depression get the best of me,’ has kick-started a dialogue across North America about mental health and athletes.” Read more at How a DeMar DeRozan tweet sparked a mental-health dialogue in sports.  – The Globe and Mail

Do you have a favorite you’d like featured? Contact Breanna.

Have you ever felt at a loss as to where to go to get help with your mental health? As with most large and complex systems, the system of mental health care can be confusing to navigate, leaving people overwhelmed and unsure of where to go and who to talk to.

To help Manitobans connect with the appropriate services that meet their needs, Canadian Mental Health Association, Manitoba and Winnipeg branch has opened a Service Navigation Hub. Their Navigation Specialists can meet with you to help determine what sort of service might be most helpful to you and help you connect with that service.

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Manitoba and Winnipeg is part of a nation-wide, charitable organization that promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness.

To contact a member of CMHA’s Service Navigation Hub, call 204.775.6442, e-mail, or visit them at 930 Portage Ave, Winnipeg.

The end of term can be a very stressful period, with students experiencing added pressure to complete projects and perform well on exams. In order to help students cope with this stress, we’re welcoming the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program to campus. Students will be encouraged to sit with, feel, touch and pet a trained dog, enjoying the relaxing effect this can have on their mind, body, and emotions.

According to St. John Ambulance, the nation-wide program boasts 3,354 volunteer teams who assisted more than 120,000 clients throughout 2015. Therapy dog teams visit hospitals, retirement residences, care facilities, schools and universities.

Therapy dogs have been on campus in the past, and many students have genuinely enjoyed the visits.

Please join us at the following times/locations:

Wednesday, April 25 in the Cave Lounge at NDC, 11:30am-1:00pm

Thursday, April 26 in the Atrium of Roblin Centre, 11:30am-1:00pm

For more information, please contact Breanna Sawatzky at 204-632-2061 or blsawatzky@rrc.ca

Looking for a rejuvenating lunch hour pause? Join mindfulness meditation facilitator Barb Read every Tuesday at 12:15 pm as she helps staff and faculty access a sense of peace, focus, and wellbeing.

Sessions take place in E305 and last about half an hour, beginning with a reading and an intention before a 15 minute meditation practice. Barb helps participants explore themes like brining mindfulness to the mundane, learning to savor silence, and mindful eating.

All staff and faculty are welcome. The final session for the season will be Tuesday, May1st.

Are you a female or non-binary student who feels dissatisfied with your body? If so, you’re not alone. Many students struggle with poor body image and the negative thoughts that accompany those feelings.

There is hope. You can improve how you feel and think about your body. RRC is offering a  Body Image Improvement Workshop, based on The Body Project, that is designed to help students feel better about their bodies. Read More →

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 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.

On Tuesday, February 13th we helped prepare students for a healthy and positive Valentines day by hosting a workshop from the Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC). Red velvet cupcakes from Lilac Bakery and safer sex supplies were distributed to all in attendance.

Check out the CTV Morning Live video clip below, where Bren from SERC and Breanna from RRC discuss attributes of healthy relationships and why these are important to the mental health of college students.

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1330002&binId=1.1206882&playlistPageNum=1

According to SERC, these are ten qualities of a healthy relationship.

1. The partners in the relationship value themselves and each other. They understand each other’s differences and they treat each other with respect and courtesy.
2. The partners are equal. They make decisions together. If they have children, they parent together.
3. When the partners disagree, they know that it’s okay to talk about their differences. They work it out together. They find ways for both partners to get what they need.
4. The partners listen to and respect each other’s viewpoints. They express their feelings and opinions. They do not make hurtful comments about the other person.
5. Each partner takes responsibility for themselves. They do not expect the other person to solve all their problems or always make them happy.
6. The partners each feel comfortable taking time alone if they need it. They feel okay about doing some things separately.
7. There is no fear in their relationship. Healthy relationships are built on love, respect, caring and happiness.
8. The partners do not try to restrict or control each other. They encourage and support each other’s growth.
9. Even when the partners are busy, they make time for one another and their relationship.
10. The partners have a circle of people who know them and support them as a couple. They spend time with others who have strong and healthy relationships

To learn more about sexual health, consent, and healthy relationships please check out SERC’s website. Stay tuned for more Healthy Minds Healthy College events in future.

Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator

On February 15th RRC hosted an Anxiety Forum featuring local Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Jason Ediger. Thanks to the eTV crew, we have a recording available here.  Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services provided ASL interpretation, which is also featured in the recording.

Dr. Ediger spoke about Anxiety in a college context and helped us understand worry, panic attacks, performance anxiety, social fears, and more. He provided helpful tips and introduced coping techniques that so many can benefit from.

Thank you to all who promoted the Anxiety Forum. We had 90 students and staff in attendance!

Additional thanks to the Manitoba Psychological Society and Dr. Ediger for engaging in this public education at RRC.

Up Next: Join us on Tuesday, March 13th in the NDC South Gym from 12-1pm (or via livestream) as we host Zinger Talks Mental Health. Craig Heisinger (Zinger) from True North Sports and Entertainment will be speaking to students and staff about mental health and suicide prevention. More information to come on this blog!