Are you supporting a loved one with a mental health or substance use challenge? We are piloting this course for a second time before we launch Discovery College in January. We know you may be busy, so we designed a streamlined course that discusses key topics for families, friends and parents who are supporting someone with a mental health or substance use challenge. Topics include maintaining your own wellness, moving from fixing to supporting and strengthening our relationships through boundaries, awareness and reflection.

Finding Your Balance is a 3-session course that will run from 6-8pm on Wednesday October 16, 23 and 30 at Foundry Kelowna. Participants must be available for all 3 sessions.

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For more detailed information, here is the course syllabus:

Finding Your Balance Outline:

We acknowledge that the CMHA Kelowna, its staff and participants, are guests on the unceded traditional territory of the Syilx peoples.

CMHA Discovery College Core Principles:
Inclusion and Diversity | Accessibility | Empowerment | Connection

Location:	Foundry Kelowna 100 – 1815 Kirschner Road	Course Time:	6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Course Dates:	October 16th, 23rd and 30th 2019	Phone Number	236-420-2804
Co-Facilitator:	Melody Brewer	Co-Facilitator:	Shelley Cameron

Target Audience: Parents, friends or families supporting a loved one with a mental health and/or substance use challenge.

Course Format: The course duration is 6 hours (2 hour sessions x 3 modules) this course content was co-produced with caregivers and professionals and will be implemented with a person centred/family systems approach.

Course Overview, Objective and Competencies:

Overview: This course discusses topics brought up by the caregiving population such as maintaining your own wellness, moving from fixing to supporting, and strengthening our relationships through boundaries, awareness and reflection.

Objectives:

• Participants will begin to recognize that their journey of self-discovery and wellness is separate from their loved one’s.
• Increase awareness about wellness strategies including self-care, communication, and how to set boundaries.
• Understanding the impacts of moving from fixing to supporting our loved one during their wellness journey.

Competencies:

• Emotional regulation
• Empathy
• Connection
• Communication
• Mindfulness
• Self-Acceptance
• Learning

Learning Outcomes:

Topic	Overview	Objectives	Competencies
Module 1: Your Own Wellness   October 16th, 2019	In week one of this course, participants will look at family systems, reflect on their own wellness along with various coping strategies that can be used to maintain personal wellness even if their loved one is not doing well.	Gain self-awareness in regards to your personal wellness journey and self-care. Learn to recognize distorted thinking patterns and ways to respond in a healthy manor. Discover how to cope with grief, loss and disappointment that may be experienced in the caregiver role.	Mindfulness Self-Acceptance Emotional Regulation
Module 2: Moving from Fixing to Supporting   October 23rd, 2019	In week two of this course we will discuss how to best support our loved ones in a productive way and learn how to use communication skills to strengthen the relationship.	Explore ways to empower your loved one through supporting versus fixing. Learning ways to use communication skills to be direct, clear, validating and empathetic.	Empathy Communication Emotional Regulation
Module 3: Strengthening our Relationships   October 30th, 2019	The third and final week of the course will focus on creating boundaries, acknowledging strengths, finding hope and self-reflection.	Increase knowledge on the importance of boundaries as well as learn how to set and implement them in your life. Identify personal strengths as well as strengths in your loved one. Exploring ways to manage expectations moving forward.	Communication Emotional Regulation Self-Acceptance Learning

Parking:

Foundry Kelowna is located at 100 – 1815 Kirschner Road, there is a parking lot with plenty of spaces, if they are all filled there is additional street parking available on Kirschner Road.  https://goo.gl/maps/GEUW8ysC69aLuFs16.

What to bring and what to expect:

Materials required for the course will be supplied by CMHA Discovery College

Discovery College courses are structured as a group course so there will be other participants taking the course with you as well as two facilitators.  This course is a blended model which will include presentation, group discussion (drawing on the knowledge in the room) and activities of self-discovery.