Did you know, according to the Mental Health Commission, on any given week, more than 500,000 Canadians are unable to go to work due to mental health problems? Have you experienced this in your workplace? I would encourage employers to have a Workplace Mental Health Strategy that includes the 13 factors of the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. When considering each factor, read the definition, and then come up with action plans that make sense for your workplace. You will see a return on your investment. Take small steps to make positive changes today!
Community News
Make The Most Of Your New Year’s Resolutions
If you’re planning to adopt a healthier lifestyle this year you need to know an important fact – no matter what stress handling techniques you use, how well you eat, or how much exercise and sleep you get, to achieve your goals and get the most out of your efforts, your body must be functioning optimally. That is why it is important to find out if your body is lacking the crucial nutrients needed to properly function. Specialized nutritional testing can help you get the answers you need to improve your health and make your New Year’s resolutions a reality.
Feeling Stuck in Your Job?
Career Counsellors/Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants help people navigate work, education, learning and life transitions. We develop and execute vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work plans with the purpose to achieve vocational and avocational outcomes. Our services are for all individuals whether you have a disability or not—our service philosophy is the same—to help you overcome barriers in finding employment. Oftentimes, clients arrive lacking sleep, are anxious and stressed, experiencing mental health issues and dysregulation. Providing mental health therapy helps encourage movement towards occupational choices, preparation for job search and interview success to result in goal achievement.
There are no “High-Functioning” Alcoholics
Do you know someone who thinks they are a “high-functioning alcoholic”? Alcoholism is progressive, so they are likely in the early stages. They won’t stay there forever. Over time, they will need to drink more to feel the same effects. This will progress until they are no longer “functioning” as they once were. The longer they wait to cut back or stop drinking, the harder it is to change. It is never too early to be aware of how alcohol or other drugs are affecting your life and start making changes.
Indigenous Traditions May Hold Key to Conservation
Jordyn Burnouf says stewardship of land is a key piece of reconciliation and fighting climate change. “Conservation is a foundational tenet of Indigenous worldview,” she told CBC. “In Indigenous knowledge systems, you don’t take more than you need …that treaty was our promise to be stewards of the land.” She believes approaching the treaty with mutual recognition, mutual respect, and shared responsibility will play a key role in both reconciliation and the fight against climate change. Jordyn Burnouf is a member of the Black Lake First Nation, and she grew up in the Métis community of Île-à-la-Crosse.
Celebrate Recovery!
If someone you love is recovering from alcoholism, addiction, or other mental health issues, there is a way to celebrate. SRWC Wellness Centre: Your HELP is vital to saving lives. Be a HERO today. Everything makes a difference! You can donate by calling Candace at 204-956-6650 ext. 104, or mailing 2nd floor, 225 Vaughan St. Winnipeg, MB, R3C 1T7. Gifts can also be sent through the website at srwc-mb.ca.
No Patience for Meditation?
Not everyone has the patience for meditation. You may want to practice mindfulness in your daily activities instead. Try these today. Mindful Walking: Take your time. Notice how your body moves while you walk. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells as you walk. Mindful Eating: Instead of snacking mindlessly, pay attention to your food. Take note of the smell and the taste. Notice the colour, temperature, and texture. Mindful Chores: Whatever chore you do next, pay attention to how your body feels when you are doing it. Bring your awareness to the temperatures or textures you feel.
Acupuncture for Back Pain
Chronic back pain can often be caused by things like muscle or ligament strain, bulging or ruptured discs, arthritis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, or osteoporosis. Anyone can develop chronic back pain at any age, and factors like lack of exercise, excess weight, disease, and physical injury can increase your risk. Acupuncture may help to lessen symptoms of chronic back pain by unblocking energy and restoring your body’s energy and flow. Studies have shown that acupuncture may improve chronic pain by reducing the brain’s response to the pain, as well as improving blood flow to the area causing pain.
Understanding the Stages of Change
Whenever someone changes to a healthier habit, they go through several stages of change. Knowing these stages can help you achieve your change goals. Pre-Contemplation: This is before you see it as a problem or are motivated to change it. / Contemplation: You are aware of the problem but still deciding whether to change. / Preparation: Willing to change and making plans. / Action: Do the plan. intentionally choose new habits. / Maintenance: Sustain the new habit with increasing less effort over time (6 months.) / Slip: Brief return to previous habits. Can happen anytime. It is a natural part of the process.
Dealing with Stress at Work
If you are experiencing work-related stress, consider these strategies. Exercise regularly: This helps your body build resilience to stress. Focus on your breathing. Breathe slowly and evenly. Focus on what’s going on in your body as you inhale and exhale. Remember, what you are experiencing is temporary. Understand what you can and cannot control. Work on changing the things you can. Practice accepting the things you cannot change. You can still change how it affects you, and how you respond to it.
Dealing with Addiction?
When you are ready to take back control of your life, we can help. SRWC has been helping people get and stay sober for 25 years. We are open-minded, non-judgmental, and we help people enter a life of recovery from substance use, addiction, and other mental health issues. We are a diverse group of professional staff and volunteers, committed to providing personalized, ongoing recovery support. Our groups, individual counselling and day or evening programs are designed to fit your schedule. SRWC is conveniently located in downtown Winnipeg, 225 Vaughan Street (2nd floor).
