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Avoid the holiday blues this festive season

December 1, 2022 By Jessica Samuels Leave a Comment

Tips for Holiday Peace of Mind and Coping with Holiday Grief

The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy, celebration and for spending time with those we love. However, the festivities come with high expectations of perfection that many of us struggle to live up to. Many people experience feelings of isolation, financial strain or increased family conflict that can make this a very stressful time of year – making for possibly a very stressful time of year. And it’s even harder for those of us with poor mental health.

CMHA Kelowna suggests that some of the best ways to deal with added stress around the holiday season are common sense strategies. The key is to keep things simple, focus on what is important to you and, most importantly, remember to make your mental health a priority.

Tips for Holiday Peace of Mind:

  1. Plan ahead. If you’re entertaining, use the “keep it simple” strategy. Try menus you can make ahead of time or at least partially prepare and freeze. Decorate, cook, shop, or do whatever’s on your list in advance. Then you can really relax and enjoy visiting friends, relatives and coworkers.
  2. As much as possible, organize and delegate. Make a list and check it twice. Rather than one person cooking the whole family meal, invite guests to bring a dish. Kids can help with gift-wrapping, decorating, baking, or addressing or decorating cards.
  3. Beware of overindulgence. Having a few too many glasses of eggnog or holiday spirits can initially lift your mood but then drop you lower than before. Also, too many sweets will probably make you feel lethargic and tired. Simple things like eating well, exercising regularly and getting a good night’s sleep are ways to maintain holiday peace of mind and the winter blues.
  4. Stay within budget. Finances can be a huge source of stress for many people, especially during the holidays, and likely this year more so than others. Try putting family members and partners’ names in a hat and buy one gift for the person you draw; this can help reduce expenses and refocus energies on thoughtfulness, creativity and truly personal gifts. Encourage children to make gifts for friends and relatives so the focus is on giving rather than buying. Try to eliminate the unnecessary and stay within your budget. A call, a visit or a note to tell someone how important they are to you can be as touching as and more meaningful than a gift. You can also enjoy free activities like walking or driving around to look at holiday decorations, going window shopping, or making your own decorations or presents. Craigslist and swap events are great places to find inexpensive brand-new items, and excellent-condition used items (which is good for the environment too).
  5. Remember what the holiday season is about for you. Make that your priority. This season is really about sharing, loving and time spent with family and loved ones. Develop your own meaningful family traditions that don’t have to cost a lot of money. Also, remember not to take things too seriously. Fun or silly things to do, games or movies that make you laugh, playing with pets, and time alone or with a partner are all good ways to reduce stress. Use this time of year to help regain perspective; watching children can help remind us of the simple things that can bring us joy.
  6. Invite others. If you have few family or friends, reach out to neighbours. Find ways to spend the holidays with other people. If you’re part of a family gathering, invite someone you know is alone to your gathering.
  7. Connection is key. For some, this time of year can be a time for joy, celebration and for spending times with loved ones. For others, it can be a time of feeling lonely and isolated – it is important to remember that this year is not always merry for everyone. We all understand how feelings of connection and belonging are so strongly tied to our mental health. This time of year is the perfect time to reconnect with your network. Find ways to safely spend time with others. Also, if you know that someone will be alone – invite them to take part. This will help you and them to feel better.
  8. Remember the weather doesn’t help. Some people get the winter blues each year, and a much smaller number (2-3%) develop Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Paying attention to nutrition, exercise and sleep and being careful with alcohol are also important if you have a history of depression. If your low mood carries on into the New Year and starts to affect your daily life, you should see your family doctor. There are free skills and coaching available to help overcome low mood or mild to moderate depression. If you think you need help, during the holiday season or anytime of the year – click here for some resources.
  9. Learn stress-busting skills you can use year-round. If the holidays often get you down, you may struggle with stress, low mood and worry at other times of year. CMHA Kelowna’s Discovery College is for anyone and everyone who wants to gain the confidence to face life’s challenges. Our courses are created to support your well-being through learning. Each course is developed and delivered in collaboration with people who have knowledge and personal experience in each topic area. This means, at Discovery College you will experience an empowering learning environment where genuine people share knowledge and practical tools.

More Tips—Dealing with Holiday Grief

The holiday season can be especially rough for those of us who’ve lost someone close recently or who lost someone close at this time of the year. With all the messages of family togetherness and joy, the emptiness left behind when someone passes away is in harsh contrast to what society seems to “expect” us to feel. Below are some extra tips to help you or someone you know get through a potentially hard time:

  1. Talking about the deceased person is okay. Your stress will only increase if the deceased person’s memory is allowed to become a landmine that everyone tiptoes around.
  2. Things won’t be the same. It’s normal to feel at odds with yourself and family events when dealing with grief. Try not to hide away, but don’t feel guilty about setting limits on how many events you will attend.
  3. Don’t let other people’s expectations dictate how your holiday will unfold. If you don’t feel like doing something this holiday season, don’t let others force you. If you do want to attend holiday functions, make sure you know your limits. Leave early, arrive late, drive alone—do whatever you need to do to help yourself.
  4. Take care of yourself and seek support. Stress, depression and bodily neglect are not a great mix at any time of the year. Don’t forget to practice self-care and talk to your friends and family about how you feel. Also, many communities offer support groups for people who are grieving. Being around people who know what you’re going through can be very comforting.
  5. Think about building some new traditions. Remember that it’s okay not to do what you traditionally do. Planning something totally different is not an insult to the memory of a loved one, and can be a positive way to ease some of the pressure. That said, one of the traditions may include planning a special time to celebrate the memories of the person who died. Some families develop creative rituals like decorating a miniature Christmas tree at the cemetery, donating money to a charity like CMHA, singing their favourite seasonal song, reciting a special prayer before the evening meal, or even just lighting a candle. Symbolic gestures like these can help families validate their feelings of sadness and overcome the guilt of enjoying special occasions.

What Really Works?

With the holiday season fast approaching, we can begin to experience the pressure of festive expectations. To help cope, please check out What Really Works? A mental health podcast for young people. In Episode 14, hosts Beki and Olivia chat about why the holiday season can be stressful and filled with tough emotions, especially this time of year. From grief to hardships, to our personal expectations of festivities, you’ll hear not only validation of why this time of the year can be difficult for some, but also what tools we can use to support ourselves.

Whether you’re excited about the festive season of feeling apprehensive about it, this episode will provide you with some great knowledge and techniques!

Filed Under: News Tagged With: anxiety, awareness, caregivers, CMHA, cmhakelowna, depression, education, family support, help, holiday blues, holidays, mental health, stress, support

CMHA Kelowna collaborates with HeChangedIt to launch new series, supporting men’s mental health.

November 8, 2022 By Jessica Samuels Leave a Comment

KELOWNA, BC, November 8, 2022 – CMHA Kelowna’s Discovery College is launching their new Real Talk series on November, 24th. The first of the series’ focus is on men’s mental health, in collaboration with HeChangedIt. The purpose of the Discovery College Real Talk series is to bring people together and know we’re not alone in our experiences.

Men’s mental health is an important, but frequently unspoken topic. November is often recognized as men’s health month through Movember. During Real Talk: MENtal Health, CMHA Kelowna hopes to break down the stereotype so often connected to “being a man” while also acknowledging the conversation about men’s mental health can’t stop at the end of November.

Stigma and shame so often contribute to why a man doesn’t seek mental health support, and men are three times more likely to die by suicide. That’s why CMHA Kelowna and HeChangedIt create change, giving men more mental health support and resources. Real Talk: MENtal Health’s goal is to open up the conversation with a panel of six men sharing their experiences, breaking down what it means to ‘man up’, and giving understanding about the realities that men are facing, and offering support for attendees. Panels will include HeCast podcast host Mike Chisholm, retired NHL burn survivor & Author, Aaron Volpatti, and local coffee roaster Dan Connolly of The Local Chemist.

Mike Gawliuk, CEO of CMHA Kelowna, said “Statistics on depression and suicide highlight how prevalent mental health challenges are with men. Unfortunately, men are much less likely to seek or receive mental health care. There needs to be a bigger shift in our culture so that openly discussing mental health issues and accessing supports is seen as an act of strength, not weakness.”

Andre Brosseau, President of Innov8 Digital Solutions spoke of why they chose to sponsor the event, “All too often there are men who are suffering in silence. The typical social norms suppress men’s ability to express and share the challenges they are facing and HeChangedIt & CMHA Kelowna are helping redefine this. We truly believe it is important to recognize and help bring this to the forefront.”

The in-person event will take place at Okanagan Co-Lab from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM on Thursday, November 24th. Attendees will hear from a panel of guys talking about their experiences and also have the opportunity to browse some local men’s organizations and businesses, and network with guys who want to change what it means to ‘man-up’.

You can register online for your free in-person ticket at www.discoverycollegekelowna.com.
Real Talk: MENtal Health is proudly sponsored by Innov8 Digital Solutions, and brought to you by CMHA Kelowna’s Discovery College in collaboration with HeChangedIt, and support from Co-Lab & Rebellious Unicorns.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CMHA Kelowna, Discovery College Kelowna, men's mental health, mental health, real talk

Foundry Kelowna celebrates five years of supporting youth and families.

November 1, 2022 By Jessica Samuels Leave a Comment


Kelowna, BC, November 1, 2022
– Foundry Kelowna, an integrated mental health clinic for youth aged 12-24 and their families, is celebrating five years of being in the community. Since opening its doors in 2017, more than 4,500 youth and 3,000 families have accessed mental health services at the centre.

Billed as a ‘proof of concept’, Kelowna was the second Foundry location to open in BC. The goal for the innovative model is to fundamentally change the way youth and their families’ access mental health care through an integrated approach with a focus on prevention and early intervention. Foundry Kelowna, operated by CMHA Kelowna, offers mental health and substance use counselling and supports, primary care, in addition to an array of social services such as access to housing, employment, income, and peer supports. Now, five years later, there are more than 20 Foundry locations open across the province.

Mike Gawliuk, CMHA Kelowna CEO says the demand for the services was almost immediate. “What initially sparked the journey of Foundry Kelowna, was the understanding that there was a gap in reaching young people with mild-to-moderate mental health challenges. We knew then that early intervention and prevention was key to supporting youth in our community.”
Gawliuk says the number of young people and their caregivers who are in need has increased with the onset of the pandemic. “At Foundry Kelowna, we adapted and expanded services in order to respond to the need during incredible uncertainty. Providing virtual services to youth and families during the pandemic was a mainstay for us in terms of continuing to offer help. 2021 also saw the launch of Foundry Kelowna’s Wellness on Wheels – a first of its kind mobile unit that travels to West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, and Lake Country to offer services for young people in those communities.”

Collaboration and partnership have been cornerstones of the overall Foundry model. “No one agency can do it all,” adds Gawliuk. “By working together, agencies and service providers in the community have a better chance to make it easier for young people to access care and navigate systems. The pandemic made collaboration much more challenging and we are looking forward to finding better ways to support youth in our community. We are so grateful to our many partners over the years.

In 2017, the community caught the vision and really helped make Foundry Kelowna a reality through generous donations, service partnerships and simply daring to do things differently. We look forward to the many years of working together to support youth and families in our community.”

About Foundry Kelowna

Operated by CMHA Kelowna, Foundry Kelowna is an integrated youth and family clinic that unites partner organizations to provide coordinated services addressing the primary care, mental health, substance use, counselling and social service needs of youth 12-24 and their families. Foundry Kelowna supports young peoples’ well-being by intervening early so youth can find the help they need, when they need it. To learn more, please visit:
Foundry Kelowna.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CMHA, CMHA Kelowna, Foundry Kelowna, mental health, youth mental health, youth support

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