This season of Grey's Anatomy focuses on various mental health-related issues and topics along with their biggest battle since the loss of Mc Dreamy, the Covid-19 Pandemic. Specifically, we watch Joe struggle during some flashback episodes where EMDR is used to process her complex trauma. So what exactly is EMDR?

​The holidays this year are going to look a lot different than they have before. In Thunder Bay, we are currently in our second wave. This has a lot of people worried and wondering what Christmas is going to look like. 

​Our mental health and our physical health both affect each other. When one of them is doing poorly, the other can also begin to deteriorate. When we are sick it is important to take care of ourselves not only physically, but mentally as well. ​

​Try not to fall into the trap of right and wrong, when, in fact, multiple truths can exist in any given situation.  When you disagree with someone, that does not make you right and the other person wrong. 

​A quality that makes a human, a human, is the ability to feel empathy.  

​Have you ever tried boxing? I have found that it is a great way to get exercise and benefit my mental health. You can practice with a partner or do it on your own using a punching bag or just punching the air. Boxing can be great for any skill level.

I love talking about mental wellness!

By definition Mental Wellness is the awareness of one’s own ability to cope with stressors of day-to-day life while maintaining the ability to function effectively while socializing, working, learning and taking care of your personal health and hygiene.

​While being a new step-parent can have its challenges, it can also be very rewarding. In movies you see step-parents portrayed as evil, which is the last thing you want to be in real life.

​Can you distinguish a comment from criticism? Being able to distinguish between the two is important.  

Working through addiction can be difficult.  Be kind, understanding, respectful, take care, and listen to yourself.

​After having endured a challenging or difficult experience such as grief and loss, trauma, an accident, or a significant change in life such as retirement, major illness, or diagnosis of a degenerative disease, one may begin to question:

What is the purpose and value of my life?  Why is this important? ​

Investing in a mentally healthy workforce is good for business!

The data tells us 1 in 5 Adults will experience a diagnosable mental illness in any given year and more than 50% of those will go untreated.

​Respecting and treating mental illness on par with other medical illnesses like diabetes or heart disease is the first step to improving employee quality of life, which is the foundation of an effective workplace. As a clinical counsellor, I have worked with a global Employee Assistance Provider (EAP), I know full well the harsh impact of work-related stress and in turn the physical, mental, psychological and financial damage that many people experience.

By: Seija Grant, MEd CP, RP

​Whoooooa. Okay. Yes, there is a lot of shame going around. It seems to spread like wild fire too. So many conductors for shame and guilt that can easily lead to spiraling: feelings of being monitored by others, being judged, criticized or questioned for our actions or behaviours (perceived or actual); for feeling ‘good’ during a global crisis; for coping in a way that we need to; for not doing ‘enough’.

There are people making assumptions about others, posting things all over social media, guilting, blaming and shaming. It’s nearly impossible to avoid.

By: Seija Grant, MEd CP, RP

Linda Kelly, MSW, RSW, CEO, Psychotherapist

​Are you tired of being told to be sensitive? Are you resonating with the #tiredofgenerationsnowflake trend? You might be suffering from social media overkill.
 
So take a break. Chill.

By: Kristen Sohlman, MACP, RP

The definition of bullying is to seek harm, to intimidate, to threaten, or to coerce.  Bullying is often thought of as an issue that only happens to children and teenagers.  The fact of the matter is that bullying can happen at any age or at any point in one’s life.  What remains the same?  Bullying is not alright at any age.

Whether you are experiencing physical, material, verbal, passive-aggressive or even cyber bullying as an adult, here are some things to consider.

By: Kelly Graham, MSW, RSW

​Often, you’ll hear how bad video games are for society. Many people are quick to blame them for increased violence and other social problems.
 
Not many people look at the positive side of video games except those that enjoy them the most, but I think it’s important that we take a moment to acknowledge their worth.

I have always loved spending time outdoors in nature.
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As a child I have fond memories of catching tadpoles in buckets, and noticing ones that had started to develop tiny little legs and the ones that hadn’t. A few years later I recall building a “girls only” fort in the trees behind my family home and running and playing in the forest with child-like wonder and natural curiosity. 

By: Cassandra Nordal

For those of you that don’t know, a Situationship is a romantic relationship that’s undefined or maybe even uncommitted. It is NOT the same as “friends with benefits.” It may be someone that you’ve been comfortably hooking up with for some period of time, or someone that has close intimacy with you but doesn’t refer to you as a partner. Sometimes, having undefined relationships is super fun, sexually satisfying, and liberating, even. Plus, a Situationship gives you time to get to know somebody without feeling pressured to make a big decision about commitment.
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So how do you know if you’re in one? What’s the difference between an “open relationship” or “friends with benefits?” 

By Kelly Graham, MSW, RS

When you think of tattoos, you may not relate them to mental health. Tattoos can improve a person’s mental health by providing an outlet, making meaning for them, and helping them to process difficult feelings and thoughts.
 
People with tattoos get them for a variety of different reasons. Some feel that they make you love your body more because the outside better reflects who you are on the inside. They reflect your memories and experiences because you chose them and decided what you want represented on your skin. 

By: Kristen Sohlman, MACP, RP

​Did you know that gardening helps to support positive mental health?  Here is how!