The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has created a series of free online tutorials to help individuals learn about mental health. Mental Health101 gives an overview of the prevalence of mental health problems, risk factors and causes, it's impact, treatment options, how and where to get help, and more. This guide is for people who: are concerned about themselves concerned about a family member or friend encounter people with addictions problems through their work This is a self-directed tutorial; it takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access this course, click on the button below. You will be directed to a site outside of FSEAP.

The Importance of a Strong Social Support Network Humans are inherently social beings. We are better positioned to bounce back when we have a social support network with whom we can both give and receive support during times of stress. Research studies show that social support is essential for maintaining our physical and mental well-being. It can enhance our resilience and help lower feelings of distress and reduce the impact of traumatic stress. Social support is the help you receive from family, friends, groups and community. Social support is the emotional and physical comfort or assistance given by people who appreciate, value, and care about you. Social support networks are the people you turn to when you have great news to share, need advice or encouragement, or need help during times of crisis or stress. Supportive relationships are those in which you feel: Heard and understood Valued or appreciated Useful Able to be open and feel comfortable being yourself Informed You have a clear role or place in the relationship Benefits of a Social Support Network Improves physical and mental well-being Reduces stress and stress-related illness Build resilience to stress Facilitates hope during challenging times Enhances life satisfaction Increases self-esteem Types of Support Networks There are two types of support networks, 1) informal support network—people who are there for you in various areas of your personal life when you need them. These can include family, friends, co-workers, or neighbours. And 2) formal support networks—people from organizations or agencies who can help you address problems or concerns that are too complex or difficult to resolve on your own. These can include doctors, counsellors, social workers, teachers, or clergy. Four Types of Social Support Emotional support—is the emotional or physical comfort you experience when someone listens to you, shows you empathy, compassion, or concern, or gives you a comforting hug or pat on the back. Practical support—is the tangible support someone might give you, such as giving you food or money or helping you with yard work or childcare. Practical support is the kind of help that assists you in completing the tasks of daily life. Informational support—is providing advice or factual information about a particular subject or situation. An example would be a friend who has been caring for an elderly parent sharing information with you on elder care resources in your community that might be helpful for you as you prepare to care for your elderly parent. Esteem support—is expressing confidence in you or expressing encouragement to you. This type of support can help involve someone reminding you of your skills and capabilities and enhance your ability to believe more strongly in yourself. Strengthening and Building Your Social Supports Connect with your network of supports when stress hits and ask for help. Remember reaching out is a strength. Nurture your existing relationships. Reach out and keep in touch with family and friends. Make maintaining these important relationships a priority even during times when life or work gets busy. It demonstrates your care and commitment to those relationships. Get to know your neighbours. Go for walks in your neighbourhood, become a regular at your local coffee shop, grocery store, library, museum or park. Make of point of saying hello and introducing yourself. Get more involved in your community. Participate in hobby groups (such as a hiking club or a community gardening group), volunteer or religious groups. Consider taking a class through a local community centre, night school, or community college. Get a pet. Many people find it helpful to get a pet. Pets can be tremendous sources of warmth, affection and companionship. Pets, particularly dogs, are also great at getting you outside and creating opportunities to meet neighbours or other pet owners. Seek specialized, formal support when needed. Sometimes the support one needs is best from a trained professional who can provide objective guidance or specialized support, like a counsellor or a doctor. Make sure you are asking for help in the right places. Let go of relationships that are no longer working for you. Sometimes people grow apart, relationships can become transactional or one-sided, or a friend's partying lifestyle can get in the way of your journey to get healthy. When a relationship becomes a source of negative feelings or no longer feels like support, it may be time to spend less time together or let go completely. Supportive relationships are about being open to both receiving and giving support. Tips for strengthening your relationship: Keep in touch Stay positive Communicate openly Listen attentively Be supportive Respect needs and limits Assessing Your Social Support Network When assessing your social support network, consider: The size or extent of your network—How many supportive relationships do you have? In what areas of your life do you have supportive relationships? How many are within an hour of where you live? How often do you spend time with someone other than those with whom you live? The quality of the relationships—How satisfied are you with your relationships? Do you have a variety of supports? What kinds or types of support do you need from those in your network? Does your network provide support for most of your needs, or do you have gaps? Did you find areas that you need to work on developing? Next, take a closer look at your network and complete the exercise below to determine what steps you need to take to utilize your supports better to help you right now. List three people, groups or communities that provide you social support: Select Sources and Additional Resources: 1. [1]Ozbay, Fatih et al. “Social support and resilience to stress: from neurobiology to clinical practice.” Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township)) vol. 4,5 (2007): 35-40. 2. [1] Bareket-Bojmel, Liad et al. “Perceived social support, loneliness, and hope during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Testing a mediating model in the UK, USA, and Israel.” The British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 10.1111/bjc.12285. 23 Feb. 2021, doi:10.1111/bjc.12285 3. Canadian Mental Health Association—Social Support. https://cmha.ca/documents/social-support

Naturally, people will have varying reactions to change; however, it would be reasonable to say that uncertainty can be stressful and emotionally unsettling. The following strategies will assist you during unsettling times of change. The Cycle of Change William Bridges, a change management consultant and author, developed a model which focuses on transition, not change. The distinction is this: change is something that happens TO people and can happen very quickly, whereas transition is INTERNAL to the person and can take longer for the person to adjust depending on a number of variables. Bridges Transition Model identifies the stages an individual experiences during change: stage 1 - “Endings,” stage 2 - “Neutral Zone,” and stage 3 - “New Beginnings.” 1. Ending, Losing and Letting Go Ending, Losing and Letting Go are where we disengage from the old. It involves loss, grief, shock, numbness, denial, anger, hurt, unease, resistance, blaming, complaining, feeling sick, doubt, and stress. During this phase, consider: Giving yourself the time and space to come to terms with the situation and its repercussions. Identify what you are losing what you need to do to manage the loss. This involves determining what is over, what’s being left behind, and what you will keep and carry forward with you. 2. Neutral Zone The Neutral Zone is where we have come to terms with the notion that change is occurring, but we have yet to connect fully, or understand the new normal. It involves feelings of indecision, chaos, unknown, anxiety, fear, confusion and distress. During this phase, consider: Keeping in mind, this is when the old is gone, yet the new isn’t fully apparent or operating. New identifies or new process are yet to be fully formulated. Keeping focused on short-term objectives and goals, while at the same time look for the bigger picture. 3. New Beginnings New Beginnings is where we begin to understand and connect to the new. It involves energy, creativeness, renewed purpose, renewed direction, growth, and cooperation. During this phase, consider: Reflecting on new understandings, values and attitudes. Reviewing and reflecting on strengths and skills you’ve gained through the change process. Analyzing the change process and highlighting strategies for further change, growth, or development. Identifying a new understanding of your sense of purpose and how to contribute or participate effectively. Dealing Effectively with Change Create a positive vision of what change may look like at the onset. Acknowledge the feelings that come with going through change. Remember that experiencing a range of emotions in the change process is normal and to be expected. Listen and understand the emotion presented in the moment (as the presented emotion is not always what the true emotion is at a deeper internal level). Journaling or talking about true feelings and what might be triggering them can be helpful. Be gentle with yourself. Don’t expect yourself to snap out of it. Denying your feelings may only drive them deeper into negative feelings. Check your thinking patterns. How balanced are your thoughts—are you able to see the positive and neutral aspects to change or only the negative? Getting trapped in the pattern of negative thinking can keep you stuck in a negative emotional state. Focus on self-care. Change is stressful and can take a toll on your physical and mental well-being. Engage in proactive stress management techniques, such as connecting with a supportive friend or colleague to share your feelings, practicing deep breathing techniques, and getting outside for a walk. If you find that you’re feeling stuck and distressed, consider reaching out to your EFAP for counselling support.

We all have different strengths, needs, limitations, and areas where we need support. When it comes to building a self-care plan, what works well for one person may not work for the next. Here are 5 steps to help you build a personalized self-care plan that works for you. Step 1: Fine-Tune Your Understanding of Self-Care Self-care is any activity that we intentionally do to take care of our mental, emotional and physical well-being. Self-care are those activities that refuel us, nourishes us, and give us energy—they are the self-initiated, proactive actions we take to promote good health and well-being in our lives. Research suggests that self-care fosters resilience and equips us to better manage stress. Self-care is for everyone. Step 2: Determine Your Stress Level It is important to recognize stress and how it impacts you. While some stress can be positive and motivating, many people don’t recognize the toll that stress can take on their relationships, work and health. A quick way to assess your stress level is to review the signs of stress below. Or, go back and try the tools provided in Assessing Your Stress and Mental Health. Step 3: Identify Your Current Stressors Reflect on the specific situations, events, things, or people that cause you stress in your work and personal life. Keep in mind, that stressors can also be general (such as having too much to do, having too many demands or responsibilities, or inadequate rewards). Stressors can also be internal or external. Common Internal Stressors: negative self-talk, pessimism, unrealistic expectations, rigid thinking, lack of flexibility, perfectionism, chronic worry Common External Stressors: work, significant life changes (such as getting married, moving, having a baby), school, relationship or family problems, financial problems, pressure to perform without resources, unrealistic workloads or demands, community conflicts, health concerns or illness Optional exercise: For a list of external stressors or life events that typically cause stress, see the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory. https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory After identifying your list of stressors, list your five significant stressors in the Current Major Stressors column in the table in Step 5. Step 4: Identify How You Usually Cope with Stress Step 5. Create Your Self-Care Plan Stress can be managed by implementing both direct and indirect self-care coping strategies. Direct strategies are approaches that create space between a person and stressful situations. They include: Reframing: taking steps to change your perception or attitude towards the stressor (R) Limiting: limiting your contact or exposure to the stressor (L) Eliminating: (E) removing yourself from the source of the stress removing the stressor Indirect self-care strategies (SCS) are approaches that help minimize the impact of stressful situations by helping a person cope or refuel. Some examples include: Use the chart below to list your current major stressors, your current self-care strategies, and additional self-care/coping (direct or indirect) strategies you can integrate into your life (on a daily or weekly basis). *R-Reframe L-Limit Exposure E-Eliminate Adapted from: Jeffries, C. Behring, S.T.; SUN Program—How to Create an Individualized Self-Care Plan. March 2015. Additional Sources and Resources: Mayo Clinic Stress Management--Relaxation Techniques: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368 Mayo Clinic Mindfulness Exercises: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356 Calm--Daily Calm--10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZToicYcHIOU Self-Care Resources for Health Care Workers during COVID-19 (CAMH): https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19/information-for-professionals/self-care

Source: Nemours KidsHealth Dr. Roger Harrison offers parents advice on how to nurture empathy and embrace diversity from an early age.

Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally From the National Center for Transgender Equality "Learning to be an ally to the transgender people in your life, or to transgender people overall, is an ongoing process. Some ways to be a good ally are simple and easy, while others require more time, energy, and commitment. Whether you’re looking for information on supporting a transgender person in your life or helping to change the world to be better for transgender people overall, this guide can help." In this guide you'll find: The Basics: Things to Remember about Being an Ally Respectfully Interacting with Transgender People Being an Outspoken Alley in Larger Groups--at Work or at School Changing Businesses, Schools, and More Changing the World Resources If you're interested in learning more about the transgender community, here are some additional resources you may find helpful. The Canadian Centre for Gender + Sexual Diversity GLADD Transgender Media Program The Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health Trans Lifeline The National Center for Transgender Equality (USA)

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has created a series of free online tutorials to help individuals learn about mental health. Depression 101 offers learners an overview of depression, it's signs and symptoms, risk factors and causes of depression, it's impact, treatment options, how and where to get help, and more. This guide is for people who: are concerned about themselves concerned about a family member or friend encounter people with addictions problems through their work This self-directed course will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access this course, click on the button below. You will be directed to a site outside of FSEAP.

If you are feeling exhausted and numb these days, you are not alone. Many of us are entering the new year with some degree of heightened anxiety. Over 33% of Canadians - particularly the vulnerable such as new mothers, the unemployed, and those with physical impairments, mental health disorders, or substance dependency - are dealing with food insecurity. 1 in 2 Canadians are experiencing some level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 1 in 10 are dealing with a mental health disorder and need support but are not accessing it (source). With these reporting numbers, it’s not surprising to know that two-fifths of Canadians are actively thinking about their mental health but not talking about it, and a third of us are thinking about the mental health of others at least a few times a week (source). These statistics are incredibly alarming, showing how many of us across Canada are struggling with mental health. In addition, the rising cost of living and ongoing conversations about an impending recession is more than enough to leave people anxious, scared, and uncertain about the future. This year, the Bell Let’s Talk campaign reports that 1 in 4 Canadians are experiencing high levels of anxiety, 1 in 2 Canadians are not receiving the mental health support they need, and more than 200 Canadians will attempt suicide daily - twelve will die every day. Anxiety about how life will look like in the future is a reality and a stressor that many of us face on a daily basis. No matter how helpless you may feel, there are coping mechanisms that help us better deal with the uncertainty and negative feelings that many of us are going through. Taking care of your mental health and focusing on things that bring you joy won’t make the large-scale issues disappear, but it can improve your daily happiness and outlook on life. Taking the time to incorporate mini self-care and mindset rituals will help process these difficult emotions in healthy ways and make progress towards a more positive mindset. Here are 7 tips you can try out: 1. Focus on what you can control No matter what situation you are in, there are still some things that you can control. For example, recognizing and practicing gratitude for the small things, such as having a roof over your head, food in your belly, and people around you that you love. Recognizing the small blessings in your life will give you a better perspective of the things you do have right now versus what you do not, and also provides a greater sense of control in your life while avoiding the feeling of being overwhelmed by the larger picture of things. Focusing in on things we can control can soothe our anxiety by being practical about how we exert our power. Instead of worrying aimlessly, it prompts us to become actively involved in how our experience of everyday life is. 2. Be Present When you fully focus on the present, you don’t worry as much. Don’t try to predict what may happen, and don’t let yourself think of everything that could go wrong. Instead, connect to and appreciate the present moment. Meditation is such a widespread practice because it is a powerful tool to practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness grounds us by returning our thoughts and emotions to the present moment rather than letting it drift off into the past or future, which can induce anxiety or depression. If you feel especially anxious, try this practice to ground yourself back to the present moment: 5 things you can see 4 things you can feel (your feet against the floor, palms against the table etc.) 3 things you can hear 2 things you can smell 1 thing you can taste (you can leave your spot to find something to savour) 3. Take Care of Your Well-Being Taking care of your mental and physical well-being means you are more capable to deal with what life throws at you. This includes: Exercise - try to move a little bit every day Get enough sleep Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Do your best to avoid sugary or processed foods Spend time outdoors Do activities you enjoy that help you relax 4. Eliminate Your Triggers Do you know what your triggers are? Are you able to avoid or reduce those triggers so that you can worry less? For example, limiting your time on social media might help you feel more optimistic about your life and reduce comparisons. 5. Reflect on Your Need for Certainty As much as we’d like to, we can never control absolutely everything in our lives. Change is the only constant part of life, and no matter how much we plan and prepare, unexpected events can still happen. Dealing with change is difficult, even if the change is for the better. It’s okay to feel sad about it and mourn the way things were. Some of us may avoid or fight against changes that are inevitable that we have no control over. To cope with change, try to reframe your thinking and see the positives. Unexpected events aren’t always a bad thing - good things can happen out of the blue too! Have you ever met someone unexpectedly that turned out to become one of your nearest and dearest? Have you stumbled upon a fun, memorable experience when you least expected it? You can answer these questions to challenge your need for certainty and reflect on the coping mechanism that you already use. What are some good things about uncertainty? In the past, did things turn out well even though you were not certain about what would happen? What did you do to cope if things did not turn out okay? Can you use those coping strategies again? 6. Learn to Tolerate Change and Uncertainty If you feel ready, you can try to build your tolerance for change and uncertainty slowly. Start with something that gives you just a little bit of anxiety. For example, you might always feel the need to drink in social situations to ease your nerves. Challenge yourself to drink less, or put off your first drink for at least 1 hour into the gathering, or try to avoid drinking completely. Afterwards, reflect on your experience: How did you feel? What happened? Did everything turn out okay? What did you do if things did not go as you expected? When you keep practicing, in time, you may notice that things that once caused you anxiety have become much easier to handle and that your tolerance for the unexpected has grown. 7. Do Not Hesitate to Seek Professional Help Mental health is something that everyone should be paying attention to. If your anxiety is more than just passing feelings for you, a mental health therapist can help identify your coping mechanisms for you. Counseling may feel like a big step to take, but please know that many people turn to professional help each year. It’s okay to feel nervous at your first session. Counseling is a great way to help you think more clearly and work through your thoughts and feelings when you feel stuck. If you feel ready for professional support, FSEAP’s Counseling, Guided iCBT Program, and Work/Life Balance Support services can help.

Good quality sleep is essential for your physical and mental well-being. Getting enough quality sleep is vital for healing from injuries, recovery from illness and stress and helps your brain process information and consolidate our memories. A lack of sleep can interfere with your ability to concentrate, manage your moods, and make good decisions. It can also lead to increased risk of accidents and injuries at home or at work. Research shows that a chronic lack of sleep can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and infections. ​ Public Health Canada states that 25-33% of adult (ages 18 to 79) Canadians are not getting sufficient sleep. 10% of those have sleep problems severe enough to cause them distress during the daytime. ​ Are you getting enough sleep? If not, here are some resources that can help. Find Help Experts agree that healthy adults regularly need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to function at their best. Some people need more than that, especially if they have health conditions. Many sleep problems are short-lived and go away on their own. But some sleep problems result from emotional or physical health conditions that require medical or professional help. If you have sleep problems that last longer than a week, see your health care provider. A doctor can help you identify the problem and type of treatment you need to get the quality sleep you need to function well and feel your best. FSEAP offers professional counselling and CBT resources specially designed to help individuals with sleep problems develop healthy sleep habits and thinking to improve their sleep. Give us a call to learn more about how we can help.

The Government of Canada offers a number of assessments, tools and calculators to help you plan and manage your finances. Click here to See All Financial Tools and Calculators Or, select from the following: Budget Planner Financial Goal Calculator Mortgage Calculator Mortgage Qualifier Tool Bank Account Comparison Tool Credit Card Comparison Tool Retirement Income Calculator Financial Literacy Self-assessment Quiz Credit Card Payment Calculator Canadian Financial Literacy Database Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/finance.html