Finding Diversity In Mental Health

Later this month join CMHA and the Utilitarian Church of Vancouver in welcoming mental health counselor and advocate Will Hall. Will is based out of Portland, Oregon but travels internationally to speak at events and workshops. Some of the organizations Will works with include Portland Hearing Voices, The Icarus Project and Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care.

Will is in Vancouver from Friday, March 16 - Sunday 18, for a series of public events and workshops about diversity in mental health.

Some of the topics that will be covered during the three day event include:

• Living with Mental Diversity: Bipolar, Schizophrenia and Psychosis in a Crazy World
• Emotional CPR and New Ways of Supporting Extreme States
• Queer Pride Mad Pride and Mental Diversity
• Mental Health Extreme States, Dangerousness, and an Effective Social Response

If these topics interest you contact the Utilitarian Church of Vancouver for more information.

10 Tips for Mental Health

The CMHA provides many resources ranging from extensive programming to basic online healthy living tips. The importance of making small changes should never be underestimated. The tips below can help bring balance, well being and happiness to your everyday life.

1) Build Confidence - Identify your abilities, build on them and do rhe best you can with what you have

2) Eat Right, Keep Fit - A balanced diet goes a long way with helping reduce stress

3) Make Time For Family and Friends - Don't take these relationships for granted

4) Give And Accept Support - Relationships thrive when they are 'put to the test'

5) Create A Meaningful Budget - Over spending causes stress, identify needs versus wants

6) Volunteer - Being involved gives a sense of satisfaction and well being that paid work can't provide

7) Manage Stress - Learn to identify and manage stressors

8) Find Strength In Numbers - Share your problems with others, it will help you feel less isolated

9) Identify And Deal With Moods - Find safe and constructive ways to deal with and feel emotions

10) Learn To Be At Peace With Yourself - Get to know who you are, what makes you happy and accept what you cannot change

Give these tips a try - who knows, a small change could make a big difference!

Roll to the Vancouver Bike Show

This weekend CMHA Vancouver-Burnaby will be hosting a booth at the annual Vancouver Bike Show. The bike show is this weekend March 3 and 4, 2012. This is the place to be this weekend for anyone with an interest in riding - see bike demos, meet pro-riders and much more at this two day affair.

The CMHA booth will be providing information about our upcoming fourth annual community bike ride. Our bike ride brings together hundreds of cyclists riding through the city to raise money for mental health services in our community. Register now if you are interested in a fun day of riding, which is full of family friendly activities benefitting a great cause!

If you are planning on biking to the event this weekend always remember the five basic principles of safe riding:

• maintain your bicycle in good working order
• be as visible as possible to others
• learn the skills needed to control the bike
• cycle in traffic safely and predictably
• know and obey the rules of the ride

To learn more, the bike show this weekend will help any rider from novice to advanced learn training tips, how to ride safely in the city and the importance of staying healthy and getting outside. Hope to see you there!

Take a Stand Against Bullying

Today is the last Wednesday of February, which means it's Anti-Bullying Day in Canada. The day, also known as pink shirt day, asks participants and supporters to wear pink shirts to support anti-bullying efforts.

The movement has gained traction in the last few years due to the increased attention surrounding bullying in school and cyber-bullying. Besides wearing pink shirts, anti-bullying day can consist of a number of activities in school or the workplace to draw attention to the importance of helping reduce bullying, and not being a silent observer.

Besides making schools and communities a safe and warm place for everyone; it's important to stop bullying because of the link with depression. Being bullied can make victims feel isolated and affect their general feelings of well being - possibly leading to depression. Both bullies and victims can suffer long term negative mental health effects which may not be immediately apparent.

So even if you missed the pink shirt memo today, remember the message all year long. Bullying has negative effects both short and long term - saying no to bullying creates a safer environment for us all.

B.C. Housing Programs

In 2005, BC Housing approached CMHA-VB with an opportunity to offer a recreation program for the tenants at one of their Vancouver locations. Since then, the program has expanded and grown to six locations in Vancouver and Burnaby.

Each of the six locations offers diverse activities for the residents, either free or at a low affordable cost. Some of the weekday activities include games nights, cooking classes, art programs, fitness sessions and outdoor fun!

The programs allow for residents to get out and socialize in a supportive and safe environment. For a peek into some of the activities take a look at the 2011 highlights from Hall Tower at vimeo. Hall Tower is one of the six residents in the recreation program.

What's Your Bottom Line?

Work is an important part of our lives. We spent the majority of our weekday in our places of work. Our co-workers and the overall atmosphere of our office have an impact on how we feel. It's important for employeers to provide a place a work which encourages positive mental health.

The CMHA recognizes the importance of the workplace on our overall health. Next week CMHA is hosting the 2012 annual Bottom Line Conference. This B.C. wide conference brings together executives, managers, HR and health personal together to discuss mental health in the workplace.

The 9th annual conference, which includes workshops, is a two day affair starting on February 29, 2012. The event will explore key issues of daily work life that can affect mental health including:

•Workload
•Work-life balance
•Work environment
•Leadership/management style
•Communication

The two day conference in an ideal opportuntity for employers to come together and recognize the importance of the workplace on their employees overall health. If you aren't attending, the event's website provides thorough and relevant references on improving workplace mental health.

Get the Giggles at Laugher Yoga

Looking for the perfect way to de-stress on your lunch break and beat a serious case of the Mondays?

Try laughter yoga at the Burnaby-Vancouver branch of CMHA! Laughter yoga is a series of playful interactive exercises designed to stimulate laughter. The sessions provide a safe non-judgmental environment to be playful and express joy.


Laughter yoga does not involve yoga postures, and you do not need any special clothing, equipment or props to practice laughter yoga. It can be practiced by anyone, of any age and fitness level, and can be modified for people with limited physical activities.

Laughter yoga was developed by Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician in Mumbia, India who was looking for a way to help his patients many of whom were stressing from stress and stress related illnesses. He developed a technique to help people laugh without jokes or humour, which uses simulated laughter and playful interactive exercises to help people re- connect with their inner spirit of joy. Scientifically proven benefits include:

• Relieves stress and anxiety
• Decreases blood pressure
• Boosts the immune system
• Helps with pain management
• Provides aerobic exercise
• Enhances the mood

 Laughter yoga is by donation on every third Monday at CMHA #110-2425 Quebec Street. Hope to see you at our next session on March 19, 2012.