The Spring Update from
Mood Disorders Society of Canada
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DEFEAT DEPRESSION DAY IS MAY 29th!
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Caring For Your Mental Health during Covid-19
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We continue to develop new resources that support your mental health needs related to the pandemic – all are free and are downloadable resources. Our most recent resource is called: Working from Home. You can find it here . In case you missed it, we also created a comprehensive list of links to key resources from a wide array of government and stakeholders organizations. These tools are for your use, please access and use them to help you through this time. Share with colleagues, family and friends.
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ACCESS, EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE
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The project includes updates for Canadians regarding access to mental health information, education, tools and knowledge. We have introduced several new offerings to Canadians including:
Caring for your Mental Health – We are providing Canadians with guides and coping strategies/resources through our online resources in order to assist you during these challenging times. Please avail yourself of these resources and share them with your family and friends, they are found here
Mental Health and Mental Illness – Sometimes the terminologies of mental health and mental illness can be misused. Follow us on our social media to learn more!
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MENTAL HEALTH VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
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MDSC is proud to be part of a consortium developing a mental health virtual assistant (MHVA) which will use world-leading technology with Canadian roots. The MHVA will meet people where they are – connecting them to services, supports and resources in a convenient method of their own choosing.
Digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, present new and exciting opportunities to bridge significant gaps in mental health care service provision. This project leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to help bridge gaps in mental health care system navigation.
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Supporting our Healthcare Workers
At particularly risk during this unprecedented time are Healthcare Workers. Facing the increased risk of anxiety, burnout and depression due to their efforts in addressing the pandemic, our pilot phase of this project will focus on supporting these workers and their families.
MDSC and our partners realize that PTSD, Moral injury and other traumas will be a significant issue for the foreseeable future and this project will support Canada’s efforts in tackling these health concerns.
Of particular concern is the trauma health care workers are witnessing within the workplace, how their ongoing work tasks limits their ability to address their mental health concerns, and how they may be processing these experiences when they are outside of the workplace, and they have more available time to actually re-process what they are seeing.
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MDSC is pleased to announce the redesigned and expanded depressionhurts.ca website! With almost 2.8 million visitors to our website, MDSC’s depressionhurts.ca is a proven source of important resources for persons impacted by depression as well as their families, caregivers and health care providers. Offering information in four languages, this website has in-depth information, tools and supports.
This newly upgraded site with new content added regularly is a one-point of access trusted resource.
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NATIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
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Recently, the NYAC hosted a month-long online wellness campaign “Project Blue” using the Move for Mental Health fundraising framework. The team explored weekly themes including physical activity, nutrition, sleep, hygiene, and self-care. Students were invited to participate and attend a live panel discussion on diversity in nutrition.
The team is beginning work on several summer projects which include the development of a podcast in collaboration with a few external volunteers, and the launch of an accessible fitness initiative Glo Fitness.
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NYAC has connected with fitness professionals and organizations in Ontario, Quebec, BC, and Nova Scotia (including yoga instructors, Zumba teachers, personal trainers) who are willing to collaborate to offer live online fitness classes at little to no cost for students around the country! Accompanying this, NYAC members will be sharing evidence-informed blog and social media posts to combat stigma and misinformation about mental and physical health.
The council is also currently exploring opportunities to collaborate with grass-roots organizations for a Pride Month event and to offer interactive online workshops focusing on Indigenous youth mental health with a local BC organization.
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MDSC ONLINE PEER SUPPORT FORUM
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MDSC’s Online Peer Support Forum offers a safe venue to access experiential knowledge, resources and support. By joining the forum you can ask questions, read about how others are living with and managing mood disorders, connect with people — all from the privacy, and comfort of your own home and on your schedule.
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This year, you choose the physical activity of your choice to support mental health.
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Support Mental Health
Take Action Now!
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The campaign is growing, if you want to bring an event to your community and would like to be part of an organizing committee, please contact us.
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Follow Defeat Depression on Social Media
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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PEER & TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES
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We are pleased to share that Christine Newman, our PATSS team LGBTQ2S+ liaison and lead facilitator is providing LGBTQ2S+ focused online peer training with Psychotherapist, Joddie Walker presenting the mental health worker portions and Brad and Syd doing their usual very caring and humorous lived experience sharing. We are honoured to have wellness volunteer members from the Police Service of Northern Ireland participate in this training.
We are very excited to share that Christine will lead another workshop focused on the LGBTQ2S+ communities on June 9-10 and people can register by clicking here
To access the schedule for upcoming peer support training and to register click here.
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ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (EITR)
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Hundreds of corporations, workplaces, health providers, government departments, colleges, universities and schools use the EITR campaign to eliminate stigma.
To implement this turn-key, customizable anti-stigma campaign at your organization, please contact us at info@mdsc.ca. Be sure to visit our EITR website today at: eitr.ca and follow us on social media. Show you are fighting the stigma by implementing the campaign today! Share your photos!
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MDSC is proud of the work being accomplished by our hard-working and talented volunteers. It is with their help that we are able to fulfill our mandate. Our volunteers are an integral part of the MDSC team.
Our organization benefits from an extensive team of volunteers and ambassadors supporting our efforts throughout Canada.
If you are interested in volunteering please keep an eye on our social media or email admin@mdsc.ca.
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MDSC is proud to partner with MOODIE. The App is designed to support increased wellness maintenance. Download the free MOODIE APP today!
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With the COVID-19 Crisis impacting the charitable sector significantly, we are facing a crucial time. Increased demand for resource development and support provision at a time where we have seen donations drop by 52% is having a negative impact on our organization.
If you are able to support our efforts with a donation, please do, we would be greatly appreciative. Know that your donation helps us continue to offer mental health programs, develop new effective resources and maintain our wellness promotion and education activities for all Canadians.
Please make your tax-deductible charitable donation to MDSC by clicking the button below. Thank you for your support!
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Additional Educational Resources
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Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) was launched in 2001 to provide people with mood disorders, their families and caregivers a strong, cohesive voice at the national level on issues relating to mental health and mental illness. MDSC has evolved to become one of Canada’s best-connected mental health NGOs and aims to improve access to treatment, inform research, shape program development and government policy to improve the quality of life for people affected by mood disorders. The Society fulfills its mandate through an active partnership approach that engages like-minded organizations in the public, private and voluntary sectors. MDSC is engaged on an ongoing basis in a wide range of projects and initiatives designed to support the inclusion of persons with disabling mental illnesses in Canadian society and it has taken a lead proactive role in public policy and program development in many capacities on the national stage.
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