Community Resource - ADAPT - Registration Required - See Flyers for Contact Info

 

Community Resource - JHS John Howard Society - See Flyers for Details and Registration

 

New Resources

Below are some resources that a great friend has shared with me so I am not familiar with them. 

I do look forward to checking this out and learning more about these free resources.  

Thank you so much C for sharing this with me.

https://www.verywellmind.com/ (It is American but you can sign up for their free newsletter which is delivered to your inbox each day.  Their articles include a wide arrange of topics on wellness and mental health.  A lot of the articles also contain really informative podcasts as well).

www.toxicties.com (Again it's American but there are some excellent blogs dealing with toxic relationships and emotional abuse).

I also wanted to comment that  the waitlist for Thrive Counselling for women who are facing any type of abuse is approximately a month whereas the waitlist to see someone at the Women's Centre is approximately 10 months.  As mentioned in my blog under mental health resources people can visit the Burlington location of Thrive Counselling as a walk-in to see someone right away as well as calling The Women's Centre and speaking to a peer volunteer while they are on the waitlist.

https://fountainofhealth.ca/en  (It is Canadian!!! And focuses on the thrive approach - Thoughts, Health Habits, Relationships, Interests, Valued Goals and Emotion).  There are excellent articles, resources and classes all of which are free of charge.

www.wellcentral.ca/well-being-course (This is an outstanding online course and yes it's free!).  It covers everything from nutrition, to sleep, to physical exercise, to cognitive well being as well as emotional well-being and relationships).  You can do it on your own time.  It takes a few weeks to complete and you get a certificate at the end.  There are excellent resources on each of the topics included as well.

DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

There are excellent worksheets and videos on DBT at https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/.

Aromatherapy and more: Maria Fiordalisi

I just wanted to mention another fantastic workshop that I participated in thanks to the Women's Centre of Halton.  

I have actually been lucky to attend 2 of her workshops so far.

 

Maria has come to the WC to share with us her passion and knowledge on Aromatherapy.  

We were also quite spoiled by her session as we were given the materials and ingredients to make our own bottle.  

The 1st session I made one for Motivation and this most recent session I made a bottle for Pain.

This was a very informative and interesting workshop to be a part of as I learned so much about essential oils and what to look for in the products sold out there.  

It was quite fun being able to make our own bottle to take away and use as needed!  

Love my essential oils

Maria is also a Certified Reflexologist / Reiki II / Alternative Healing and works at a Centre in Oakville called C'est La Vie! 

This is located on 88 Nelson St   

info@cestlaviewellness.ca
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maria_helianthus/

https://cestlaviewellness.ca/

This is what Maria offers at C'est La Vie:

REFLEXOLOGY

REIKI

AROMA & LYMPH MASSAGE

SIGNATURE REFLEX WELLNESS TREATMENT

VIBRANT MIND BODY FUSION

INFINITY FACIAL REFLEXOLOGY

FACIAL REFLEXOLOGY DIEN CHAN

ESSENTIAL OIL MAKEOVER

AROMATHERAPY CONSULTATION

BLACK PEARL THERAPY

ELEMENTAL SPACE CLEARING

SOUND ESSENCE VIBRATIONAL THERAPY

INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE

RELAX/ALIGN/BALANCE DISCOVERY CALL

Soulful Colour-Sophia

 

Another amazing workshop I was lucky to participate in at the Women's Centre of Halton.  

I took part in Meditative Colour: An Afternoon of Mindfulness Connection run by Sophia also known as SoJoy.  

She has such spunk, positive energy and always smiling; it was contagious!

I must admit I was not in a great mood the day of this workshop.  

I was in a funk, feeling sad about something that happened earlier.  

I never imagined that going back to our child years so to speak-going back to a simply the act of colouring would have me out of my mood so quickly.  

By the end I completely forgot what I was upset about and was having such fun colouring my version of my sheet while looking forward to seeing what everyone else had done with their versions.  

We all coloured the same colouring page with a positive quote yet we all had such different pages by the end.  

Many women were so creative by adding things to the beach scene we were given.  

Many choose different modalities of colour be it crayons and pencil crayons to paint and markers.  

Sophia was beyond prepared with all her supplies and my favourite cool tool she had was a protective sheet we could use under our colouring page.  

I was happy to purchase a couple of these pages along with a couple of her colouring books-one of which is in English and French  

Oh la la C'est fantastique!  Bilingualism at its finest!  

Highly recommend checking her out

https://www.instagram.com/soulfulcolour

https://soulfulcolour.com/

The Art of Changing Your Life-Dunia

I just wanted to highly recommend Dunia and her fascinating program to you all.  

Dunia came to the Women's Centre of Halton to run her 4 week program called The Art of Changing Your Life-sadly we have our last class next week.  

I am so looking forward to it yet it is bittersweet that it will be ending. 

Her workshops have been very eye opening, thought provoking and super informative.  

She is a fabulous facilitator and allowed for us to share our experiences and readily answered our questions.  

If you ever have the opportunity to take her program I know you will not be disappointed. 

Here is the link to learn more about her program:

https://www.creationfromwithin.com/

Do you ever feel stuck in your current situation? Do you believe that your life cannot be changed? Discover how to become the creator of your own life.

Infinite Possibilities
The Art of Changing Your Life

The Art of Changing Your Life workshop is for people who are ready to turn their thoughts into things, to truly see the power within them and to make changes in their life.

Interactive Electrical Learning-for kids

 Empower Your Child's Curiosity with Interactive Electrical Learning!

Fun Interactive Electrical Classes For Kids 8 - 12

MAX Power Presents

Build , Create & Learn how Electricity works !!!

All students will build and bring home a fun activity to share.

Hamilton West Mount - 8 spots available

June 22 2024 - Runs from 8am until 12 noon.

$50 for 4 hour sessions

Learn circuit building and build fun games using electricity they can take home. Learn the science behind it too. DC circuits. I will also be touching on safety a bit too

If you know anyone interested pass along the information.

Text Chris Cumoric for details.

Cell: 647-383-6232 ** it’s a mobile trailer so I can travel

CMHA Halton's Wellness Matters Newsletter

 


Coming Up - Summer and Fall courses!
We have Mental Health First Aid and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) courses scheduled for June to October. Click here for more info and to check out upcoming dates on our website

Check out dates for our DBT-informed workshops with sessions on Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness skills. 
Read more and register.

We honour this month dedicated to centering and amplifying the stories, accomplishments, and enduring strength of Indigenous Peoples, who have inhabited this land for countless generations and continue to shape the fabric of modern Canada. 

In the News: Government of Canada announces National Suicide Prevention Action Plan
On May 31, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced the release of Canada's first National Suicide Prevention Action Plan. The Plan lays the foundation for increased collaboration and engagement with partners across the country to strengthen Canada's response to suicide.
Click here to read the Plan.

CMHA Halton joins individuals and organizations worldwide to celebrate the history, courage and diversity of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) individuals for Pride Month in June.

Free Crisis Planning App: Be Safe

Be Safe by mindyourmind is a free evidence-informed safety planning and service navigation app developed in partnership with youth. Check it out to create a safety plan, find local resources, and be prepared if you find yourself in a crisis. Get it wherever you find your apps

Wellness Wisdom
"For me, it's not about perfection, but persistence and showing up to repeat a new habit, even when I am feeling 50% into it. This has helped me cultivate my meditation practice for the last year and a half. There are some days I do 2 minutes of breathwork with a lot of chatter in my mind and others I can go up to 20 minutes or longer. I've seen incredible impacts of this imperfect persistence in so many areas of my life, especially parenting."
-Wajiha, Manager, Clinical Services

Mindful Movement-Karma Gaia

 

4 Types of Mindful Movement

Breathing exercises are different from when we observe our breath at rest during seated meditation. Rather, we intentionally lengthen our breaths to quiet our parasympathetic nervous system or deliberately shorten them for brief intervals to re-energize and refocus in order to establish a connection with our body.

A walking meditation can be a simple and effective way to explore mindful movement. The primary distinction between strolling normally and engaging in a walking meditation is that during the former, our goal is to become still. Rather, we take our time and make an effort to walk with complete awareness. This may manifest as paying attention to our breathing or when we take each stride and become more aware of the ground beneath our feet. We return our thoughts back to the present feelings when they stray.

Stretching and yoga can help us release tension, stiffness, and heavy emotions. Our body and minds both experience discomfort when immobility persists. We can increase our energy, attention, and resilience by taking a moment to let go of the day's distractions, moving away from the couch or desk, and practicing mindful movement.

If you’re looking to blow off steam, working out is another opportunity for mindfulness. Exercise can help us become more aware of our bodies, coordinate our breathing, and live in the present moment while also strengthening and nourishing our muscles.

Building A Healthy Self-Image-Karma Gaia

 

Take it one step at a time and start small.

Don't worry about starting small; you won't change everything at once. Establish attainable, easy-to-achieve goals and begin working toward them.

Say “No” to your inner critic

Developing your self-esteem might be a fantastic starting point for learning how to deal with and replace the voice of your inner critic. Recognize your negative ideas and address them. A problem is easier to fix the easier it is to recognize it.

Take a 2-minute self-appreciation break

Sometimes it's helpful to just slow down, take a big breath, and ask yourself what you like about yourself. These items don't have to be significant, but they should showcase the aspects of you that you now find appealing. Counting the good aspects of who you are will boost your self-confidence and help you transform a bad day into a productive one.

Go for good enough

It's simple to let yourself down when you strive for perfection, and this will have an impact on how you see yourself going forward. Enhancing your self-perception can be achieved by understanding that it is acceptable to give it your all and be satisfied with the result, even if it is not perfect. Instead of dwelling on your shortcomings, acknowledge and appreciate your accomplishments.

Avoid falling into the comparison trap

You can never win when you put yourself in the position of comparing yourself to other people. There is always someone who has more or is better than you at something. Comparing yourself to yourself and concentrating on your progress is a superior strategy. Concentrating on your accomplishments will inspire you and boost your self-confidence.

Overcome Traumatic Memories-Karma Gaia

 

Soothe Emotional Trauma Meditation

Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or events that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. It can stem from a single incident or repeated stress, affecting one’s mental and emotional well-being.

Healing from trauma may involve therapy and practices like meditation, which help manage and soothe the long-term effects.

This meditation harnesses the power of the breath and mindful visualization to soothe anxiety and gently ease the responses triggered by past trauma, promoting emotional regulation and resilience. Join me in embracing calm and understanding through these mindful moments, as we guide our minds and bodies toward peace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=149tYQEhqvY

Traumatic memories: what are they?

Traumatic memories are frequently stored in the subconscious until they are triggered by particular events.

Places, experiences, emotions, and people can all act as triggers. For instance, being in a crowd could trigger a terrible occurrence you had at a concert. Triggers cause the memory to become salient and can mean the person feels like they’re reliving the event.

This can induce psychological and physiological symptoms such as issues regulating negative emotions, increased heart rate, nervousness, and sweating.

Some attempt to suppress painful memories in an effort to avoid negative emotions. While doing so may temporarily alleviate symptoms, over time it may make the problem worse.

Solutions:

1. Identify possible triggers

Even if it could seem like unpleasant memories are all you can think about, you might be able to ignore them for the most part.

You may, however, be able to recollect these memories in response to specific internal or external stimuli, or triggers. The traumatic memory itself determines how specific these triggers are.

Certain memories are activated by specific stimuli, like a certain house or aroma, while others are triggered by more general ones, like loud noise or crowded areas.

You might be able to prevent unpleasant memories from being triggered if you can recognize your triggers and stay away from them.

However, if the triggers are more general, this may be difficult. Finding the trigger in this situation is still beneficial since you can use soothing methods like breathing exercises, grounding (staying in the moment), and flashback halting strategy.

The method known as "flashback halting protocol" takes you back to the present by preventing the flashback from occurring.

Researchers suggest that triggers can be reassociated with different memories. Reducing the impact of a traumatic memory on your life might be achieved by associating such triggers with pleasant experiences or emotions.

2. Exposure therapy

One popular type of psychotherapy that tries to expose people to their concerns is called exposure therapy. A mental health professional offers safe spaces for you to confront unpleasant memories and helps you develop useful coping mechanisms.

Numerous research have proven that exposure therapy works. One study showed that exposure therapy could reduce PTSD symptoms in female veterans.

Narrative exposure  is another form of exposure therapy that involves an individual telling the story of their entire life rather than just repeating the one traumatic event. This method has been effective, particularly with refugees and individuals who have gone through torture and conflict.

Positivity-Karma Gaia

 

How To Be Positive Everyday

You must accept and welcome the fact that thinking positively is a purposeful and conscious decision in your life. Here are some really effective strategies on how to improve positive attitude –

1. Practice Gratitude

Adopt a grateful mindset. It is among the easiest and most effective strategies for cultivating optimism. Every day, take a few minutes to reflect on the blessings in your life.

It could be something as easy as making dinner at home, something important like completing your job ahead of schedule, or something enjoyable like going on a date.

The moment you shift your focus to the positives, your consciousness and attention is withdrawn from stressors, worries and negative thoughts. This contributes to making the room necessary for developing a growth attitude and optimism.

2. Surround Yourself with Positivity

The individuals in our immediate environment have a big impact on our feelings and thoughts. Your heart and mind will be overflowing with negativity if you spend a lot of time with people who constantly complain and whine or who have a scarcity mindset.

It is for this reason that you should associate with and be surrounded by people who inspire you. People that radiate positivity and encourage others. Being in their presence will help you comprehend their outlook on life.

Another helpful strategy is to avoid or restrict your access to news, social media and toxic environments that can leave you feeling drained and lead to negative thinking. Instead, take part in things that make you joyful and raise your spirits.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Living in the present allows you to be more hopeful and more capable of overcoming intrusive negative thoughts. You can deliberately choose to have a happy attitude in life by being attentive of the present moment and objectively observing your thoughts and feelings.

Additionally, practicing mindfulness can increase your awareness of your thoughts and emotions and make you feel calmer and more at ease in daily life. Controlling intrusive thoughts and increasing your optimism can be achieved by reducing stress and improving awareness. This is the daily approach to positivity.

4. Reframe Negative Thoughts

It's normal to experience negative thoughts when we deal with dangers and difficulties on a regular basis. No one is 100% optimistic all the time. However, you can reframe this pessimistic mindset by changing your inner thoughts and rephrasing them to more empowering and positive thoughts.

When presented with a problem, for instance, concentrate on the lessons you can take away from it rather than the chances you lost. Pay more attention to the opportunity for development than to the obstacle or setback. No, it won't be simple, but with little practice, you may improve your attitude and way of thinking.

Regain Your Self-Respect-Karma Gaia

 

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Although social media opens up a lot of good opportunities, it can also foster harmful ideas. Everyone has experienced the natural tendency of comparing their lives to what they see on social media at some point.

When you see that you are making comparisons, how do you gain confidence? First, tell yourself that it isn't beneficial to do so. There is no competition in life; each person is competing in their own race.

Reminding yourself of your own accomplishments and talents is a fantastic place to start because it will help you concentrate on your own life rather than the lives of others.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

Perhaps more than you realize, the people you spend time with can affect the way you think about and feel about yourself. Thus, be aware of how other people make you feel. It could be time to say goodbye if, after spending time with a certain individual, you feel self-conscious.

While having a large social circle is not a terrible thing, it is also not incorrect to have a small one. Seek for people who can boost your confidence and are optimistic. Positivity and self-assurance go hand in hand.

Take Care of Your Body

We have talked about how you can show respect to yourself through taking care of yourself and this will also result in having more confidence. If you are mistreating your body, it is difficult to feel good about yourself. You'll inherently feel more confident if you practice self-care since you're taking good care of your mind, body, and spirit.

Face Your Fears

Try confronting some of your anxieties that are caused by a lack of trust in yourself. Try even if you're worried you'll look foolish or that you won't do it well. A small amount of self-doubt may even boost output.

You may discover that occasional anxiety or a few slip-ups aren't as terrible as you once believed. Additionally, as you advance, your self-confidence grows.