A Place to Heal | A Place to Grow
Our team of experienced, dedicated St. Albert therapists and counsellors are here to help you heal and grow through some of life's toughest challenges.
In this Webinar, you will learn how to identify family values and rules, and use them to guide your family during an uncertain time. Our lives have changed with the COVID 19 pandemic and they will continue to evolve again as the relaunch strategies roll out. Christine provides some guidance and ideas on how to help identify the values and rules that will help guide your family in the direction you and your kiddos choose.
Read MoreEveryone has a different and complex relationship with food, their body and exercise, it’s personal. We weren’t born hating or disliking our bodies or viewing them as something to be managed, changed or controlled; your body is not a problem! In this webinar, we will explore the ubiquitous cultural messages that contribute to body dissatisfaction, dieting, restrictive eating and excessive exercise as a signal of distress, and the role food plays in our lives. Hopefully, by the end of this talk, you will have a new perspective and compassionate strategies to challenge the harmful/unhelpful body messages and negative self-talk.
Read MoreFacebook bloggers to philosophers have debated whether hope is a belief, an emotion, or spiritual state. Regardless, keeping it as a foundation is critical to 'flattening the curve' and getting through the COVID-19 pandemic individually and collectively. Discussing strategies for engaging with hope through your mental, emotional, social, spiritual and physical self, means that you keep it present throughout your lifestyle and accessible through our shared public crisis or other challenges your life's journey might present.
Read MoreRecovery is about support, support, and more support. so, with community gatherings and centres shut down, it can be a stressful time to try and find ways to maintain your recovery. With loneliness, boredom, and stress being top triggers for relapse, it is essential to make sure you are keeping up with new and old recovery tools. During this talk, Britni discusses creative ways to help you through a lonely and stressful time.
Read MoreIn this Webinar, Grant introduces the work of Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman, whose research has led to the classification of Character and Signature Strengths. This webinar concludes with a self-guided music meditation.
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant provides of review of the previous nine weeks, discussing the highlights from each week. This week concludes with the same meditation from week five, a Self-Compassion Meditation, from Tara Brach.
We find ourselves in unprecedented times. The stress and anxiety we are currently dealing with is something most of us have never had to face in our lifetime. Amidst the uncertainty, even ten minutes of mindfulness meditation a day can help calm your nervous system, enabling you to find a sense of inner peace. In this video, Grant teaches us about mindfulness meditation. In addition to practicing two guided meditations, he discusses what mindfulness is and the benefits, as well as offering practical guidance for developing your own practice.
Locals predict more trouble ahead post-pandemic
MENTAL HEALTH — St. Albert-area mental health experts Alysha Moore (left), Kjariene Seymour, and Peter Silverstone say that Canadians could see more anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues as the country emerges from its pandemic lockdown. VARIOUS/Photo
Canadians' mental health has declined because of the pandemic, new studies suggest, and psychologists predict more troubles ahead as we come out of it.
Statistics Canada published a report May 27 on Canadians’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a crowd-sourced questionnaire of 46,000 people. While the questionnaire was not considered representative of Canada as a whole (as its participants were not randomly selected), its results were consistent with several recent nationally representative surveys.
The questionnaire found 46 percent of respondents had very good or excellent mental health as of late April/early May, compared to the 69 percent of all Canadians who did in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey. About 24 percent reported fair/poor mental health, compared to just eight percent in the 2018 survey.
These results line up with those of the April 24 Canadian Perspective Survey, which found just 54 percent of Canadians ages 15 and up reported very good/excellent mental health during the pandemic. A May 11 poll by Ipsos of 1,000 adult Canadians found 56 percent reported worse mental health due to the pandemic.
The questionnaire found 88 percent of participants reported at least one symptom of anxiety in the two weeks prior to the survey, with 41 percent of those whose mental health had worsened during the pandemic having symptoms consistent with moderate or severe anxiety. Like the Canadian Perspective Survey, the questionnaire found youths were the most likely (64 percent) to report worse mental health since the start of physical distancing, while seniors were the least (35 percent).
Psychologist Kjariene Seymour of St. Albert’s Rivers Edge Counselling Centre said she is only slightly surprised by these results.
“COVID is kind of a perfect storm for anxiety and depression,” she said, as it has disrupted schools and workplaces and cut off many of the social activities people use to cope.
Seymour said the pandemic has worsened pre-existing conditions for some and laid bare struggles they’ve previously ignored for others. She is seeing more couples issues between people not used to spending all day with each other, and more kids who are missing out on school or friends.
Seymour said she is a little surprised to see less severe impacts on seniors, as she has counselled many who are lonely or worried about their health due to the pandemic. These results could reflect the fact that many seniors already live isolated lives and wouldn’t be as affected by physical distancing.
St. Albert’s Alysha Moore said she’s seen a spike in the severity but not the volume of cases she has been taking as a psychiatric nurse with the Edmonton-area mobile mental health unit Access 24/7 since the pandemic started.
“People are definitely more distressed,” she said, and many of these cases are pandemic-related, whether they involve frustration with physical distancing or fears of the virus.
Seymour and Moore said they saw a dip in cases in the initial weeks of the pandemic as people focused on immediate physical needs followed by a more recent spike as mental health issues became too acute to ignore. Moore said many clients weren’t reaching out for help until their problems became a crisis, as most non-crisis mental health services are closed right now.
Seymour said some of her clients reported more anxiety now that Alberta’s economy is opening up, whether it be due to a fear of going back to work or the belief that the reopening would cause the disease to spread.
“For some kids I’ve worked with, it’s going to be difficult to get them to go back to school,” she said, as they may have been bullied there and prefer to stay home. Still, she said it is important to get these kids back to school so they could develop vital social skills.
COVID-19 and the economic recession it has caused will have profound long-term effects on Canadians’ mental health, said University of Alberta psychiatry professor Peter Silverstone. Expect grief, anxiety and PTSD (especially in health care workers) to rise as the economy reopens, with the recession multiplying their effects.
“Alberta already has the highest rates of suicide across Canada as well as the highest rates of domestic violence,” he said, and there’s real concern that these and other negative effects will rise in due to the pandemic.
Seymour and Moore encouraged anyone with mental health concerns to reach out for help. Alberta Health Services’ Access 24/7 line (780-424-2424) is a good starting point, as it can direct you to local supports and have specialists visit you on-site in emergencies.
“It’s so easy for us to look at what has been temporarily taken away from us,” Moore said. Instead, she suggests focusing on what you can still do. You might not be able to hug Grandma right now, for example, but you can still visit her in the driveway and hug a stuffed animal.
The Statistics Canada report can be found at bit.ly/2zHP5H9.
*Article originally appeared here - https://www.stalberttoday.ca/local-news/pandemic-harms-mental-health-surveys-find-statistics-canada-kjariene-seymour-alysha-moore-2395123
In this webinar, Grant discusses the many benefits of the mindfulness practice of gratitude, including the ways in which the individual benefits of this practice also enhance us socially and culturally.
Read MoreRegardless of age, gender, or culture, humans find nature restorative, especially in times of such great uncertainty. Many people report that their moods improve after spending time outside. The natural world can bring us calm, balance, and connection. Eco-therapy can help us harness the healing power of nature to create positive change in our lives as we tackle the challenges from our new reality. In this wellness talk, Selena and Shaheen share: - what Eco-therapy is and how it can benefit us - how we can integrate eco-therapy into our current reality of social distancing
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant discusses the negative impact of social comparison and reads from the work of Jon Kabat-Zin. This webinar ends with a guided visualization entitled, Taking Refuge Inside and Out.
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant discusses ways of savouring experiences as means of increasing our state of wellbeing. A brief discussion on things we think make us happy, but don’t, is followed by a discussion highlighting Grant’s journey to mindfulness practice. This webinar finishes with a Breathscape/Bodyscape Meditation, based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Read MoreWith so many changes for parents and children, it can feel like the world had turned upside down. In this webinar, psychologist Christine Crocker explores the needs of parents and children during this time, with connection as a key focus. She shares with participants some of the elements to a 'good enough' parenting day, to help add to your own unique recipe for daily success.
Read MoreThis new social norm to stay physically distant from others, away from our usual places of gathering, and to avoid touch in rituals of greeting and affection, is creating a sense of loss and anxiety for many. For others, their social connection has long felt awkward or absent and these new restrictions only intensify what was already there. Keeping connected, however, is important for our physical and mental immunity. No matter what your usual style, this webinar will help you stay healthy by understanding the emotion of loneliness and developing personal strategies to keep it at bay.
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant provides a list of online applications that focus on the practice of mindfulness. The work of Tara Brach is introduced with an overview of the RAIN of Self- Compassion. This webinar concludes with a Self-Compassion Meditation adopted from one of Tara’s online meditations.
Read MoreIn this session, Dr. Rhonda Wizniak shares tips for reading with your children at home, including basic strategies to help develop your child's reading abilities and level. The webinar will also help you better understand the process of learning to read.
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant provides some coping strategies for dealing with increased stress and anxiety, including the mindfulness practice of 5-4-3-2-1. This webinar ends with a Body-Scan Meditation.
Read MoreIn this webinar, Grant highlights some of the consequences of not being mindful and discusses some of the myths and misconceptions of mindfulness meditation. This webinar closes with a Loving-Kindness Meditation.
Read MoreBeing in a helping role can be overwhelming and exhausting during routine times. With the arrival of the CO-VID 19 pandemic, health care professionals and caregivers are facing more uncertainty, greater risk of exposure and added stress while caring for patients and our community’s most vulnerable citizens. In this webinar, Adam Sartore addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic can place health care workers and caregivers at greater risk of burnout and compassion fatigue. The webinar also offers strategies and resources for finding moments of personal wellness and navigating the emotional stress of helping during these uncertain times.
Read MoreCouples who function effectively treat each other with consideration and support each other. There is nothing like a pandemic to test the strength of healthy relationship. In these unprecedented times with increased uncertainty about the future, there will be moments (maybe days) when even the most healthy and high-functioning couple is going to spin out of control and perform below their capacity. In times of stress, like no other the ability to respond quickly with repair measures is crucial. In this webinar, participants learn that conflict and big emotions are not the enemies. Couples are introduced to the Gottman repair checklist and shown how the tool applied to real-life scenarios. When managed responsibly, honestly and with care, even the most intense stress, is something that can make a relationship stronger.
Read MoreDo you know your love language? What are the things that make the people in your life feel truly loved and supported? During this time when we are all being encouraged to socially distance, it is normal to feel some loneliness, and perhaps even a bit lost at times. In this webinar, Cynthia Smith offers creative ideas about how to have our emotional needs met, and experience meaningful connection with others, during this challenging time.
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