With the upcoming General Strike for Climate Action happening at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Friday, September 27th, climate change is top of mind for many people. RRC’s Sustainability Office is marking the occasion in several ways.

Given this timing, it’s fitting to examine how mental health and climate change are connected. Once we take a look, there are indeed several ways that climate change affects mental health.

First, natural disasters place increased strain on people living in areas affected by droughts, floods, forest fires, hurricanes and the like. The trauma caused by these events increases risk of depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. While not everyone exposed to the trauma develops a disorder, when a whole community is affected by such a disaster, there will certainly be an increased demand for mental health services and a disruption to the community as a whole.

In addition, many people experience climate change related grief in response to experienced or anticipated loss of natural environments. Lakes, land, forests, and other natural environments help us develop a sense of place and are key settings in which we build good mental health. The grief related to losing these is very real and impacts a person’s well-being.

Yet another way in which climate change affects mental health is through climate anxiety: worry and fear related to the consequences of climate change. Many people can be concerned, even very concerned, about climate change while still functioning well in their lives. For some, however, this anxiety can become intense and lead to feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, intense anger, inability to continue with daily activities and even thoughts of suicide.

If you are feeling this extreme form of climate anxiety, please reach out for support. Students can connect with RRC Counselling Services or use the student benefits plan to connect with a therapist in the community. Staff can reach out to our Employee and Family Assistance Program.

For anyone whose mental health is affected by climate change, it can be helpful to participate in direct positive action and to be around others who understand your concerns. So, check out the activities that the Sustainability Office has planned and get involved.

References:

Lewis, J. (2018). In the Room With Climate Anxiety PART 1. Psychiatric Times, 35(11), 1–2.

Focus on climate change and mental health. (2018). Nature Climate Change,(4), 259-259. 

On October 8 and 9 RRC is hosting Movies for Mental Health, an interactive workshop that uses the emotional power of short film to initiate dialogue with students on the topic of mental health. This FREE event is delivered by a non-profit called Art With Impact and will be hosted at both the Notre Dame and Exchange District campuses.

This peer-to-peer learning event is two hours long and features:

• free pizza lunch for all who attend the workshop,
• facilitated discussion,
• three short films from Art With Impact’s library, and
• a resource panel with campus and community services.

Join us in creating a healthy environment at RRC through dialogue and growth!

Last year, students who attended found the workshop helped increase awareness of mental health, reduce stigma, and improve knowledge about where to go for help.

Wednesday, October 9, 11am – 1pm in room P107 The Roblin Centre at Exchange District Campus

Tuesday, October 8, 1-3pm in the White Lecture Theatre at Notre Dame Campus.

For any questions or accessibility needs, please contact Breanna Sawatzky.

This event is sponsored by the Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative and RRC Students’ Association as we observe Mental Illness Awareness Week. All students and staff are welcome.

In our Wellness Weekly, mental health roundup feature we curate some of the best writing on the web related to health and wellbeing. Here is some recommended reading for this week.

Making Friends

NPR notes that the act of making and being a friend is as simple as it is difficult. They spoke with experts to help find ways to make new friends, as well as to take better care of the friendships you already have. Read Accept The Awkwardness: How To Make Friends by Julia Furlan.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Are you trying to save money on food? Get the school year off to a healthy start by planning your meals for the next few days or week ahead. It takes a bit of time, but it will help you save money later. The Dieticians of Canada has Ten Tips for Planning Meals on a Budget.

Dealing with Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can feel terrifying in the moment. Managing your thoughts and behaviours can go along way toward reducing the frequency and intensity of panic symptoms as well as how much they interfere with your life. Over on the Anxiety Canada blog, Dr. Melanie Badali shares 5 Tips for Dealing with Panic Attacks – The BRAVE Way.

Richard LeSage, Course Developer

In May and June dozens of staff and faculty members participated in a  30 Day Mindfulness Challenge. Upon completion, those who engaged reported the following outcomes:

• 95% noticed improved mental health.
• 90% were better able to focus.
• 95% found they were managing their stress better.

And because everyone loves prizes, all who completed the challenge were entered onto a draw for one of two passes to Float.Calm or a “Take 5” prize pack. We’re pleased to announce the winners, as determined by a random number generator.

Winners!

Lisa Case, Instructor, Applied Computer Education

Float Calm Gift Certificate #1 – Richard LeSage

Float Calm Gift Certificate #2 – Lisa Case

Take 5 prize pack #1 – Debbie Donato

Take 5 prize pack #2 – CindyLou Benoit

Take 5 prize pack #3 – Lyle Dunlop

Take 5 prize pack #4 – Damien Goodridge

Take 5 prize pack #5 – Bridget Budney

Congratulations to all the prize winners. If you have not yet claimed your prize, please contact Breanna.

Congratulations as well to all those who invested the time needed to complete the challenge. In our busy schedules it can be difficult to make time to learn and practice wellbeing strategies like mindfulness. Cheers to your improved focus, sense of calm and ability to manage stress.

Debbie Donato, Employment Advisor

The 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge is available to all RRC staff, students, and faculty members. It takes 5 to 10 minutes a day and can begin any Tuesday that works for you.

She Wore Flowers in Her Hair is an event in support of mental health awareness in memory of Jaedra Winter who died by suicide in June 2015. The aim is to raise awareness, spread love & create a community where people feel safe talking about mental health. All proceeds go to Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.

The event takes place at Kelburn Estate and starts at noon on Saturday, June 8th. Pre activities such as Bootcamp by Johana Seier and a Volleyball tournament will commence at 11:00 am. Pre registration for these events is 10:30 AM – 11:00 am.

Bring a lawn chair, cash, Picnic blanket, yoga mat, sunscreen, etc.

Activities include:
Live Bands
Inspirational Speakers
Flower Crown Workshop ($5)
Craft Table
Self Care Booth – come make your own self care bag with goodies! (FREE)
Therapy Puppies
Pony Rides
Silent Auction
Makers Market
SWF Merch, Pop, Chips, Cotton Candy on sale!
Lunch by Pony Corral (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, FREE)
Laughter Yoga
Yoga by Modo Yoga
Meditation
Closest to the Pin Gold Competition with prize
Axe Throwing by Lumberjax
Card Readings
Photobooth by Photomonkey
AND MUCH MORE!

Tickets are on sale now
http://weblink.donorperfect.com/sheworeflowers2019

Follow She Wore Flowers in Her Hair on Instagram @officialsheworeflowers
& Facebook, for more information.

Are you feeling motivated to invest 5 minutes a day in your own mental health? If so, please join fellow colleagues by participating in a 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge beginning either May 14 or 20.

This online training can be done anytime, anywhere and on any device. The Challenge teaches ‘mindfulness-in-action’ so you don’t need to stop what you’re doing to become calmer, present and more focused, all of which lead to a happier, healthier work environment.

Registration
Click here to register for the Challenge using your preferred email address. During the registration process, you’ll also be asked to input your mobile number and your ‘buddy’s’ email address (everyone in the Challenge gets to take it with a buddy of their choice, including friends or loved ones from outside of RRC).

Prizes
Complete all 30 days of the Challenge by June 25 and be entered to win some fabulous prizes, including one of two Float Calm experiences. Just scan or mail your certificate of completion to Breanna Sawatzky to be entered. If you’ve already started a challenge, jump back in and finish!

Did you miss Geoff Soloway’s RED Forum presentation on the Challenge? No worries, you can watch his recorded webinars.

If you need technical support registering, please email register@mindwellu.com. Your RRC contacts for this are Jacqueline Wood and Breanna Sawatzky.

On Tuesday, March 26 RRC welcomed Waneek Horn Miller – Mohawk woman, activist, and Olympian – to speak about turning trauma into motivation and reclaiming well-being.

Waneek captivated the audience with stories of her strong mother, embracing her identity, introduction to sport, and resilience in the face of obstacles. She shared lessons learned on her path to becoming captain of the Canadian Olympic water polo team and finding her sense of inner strength.

Her talk was fantastic and is a “must watch” for all students, staff and faculty members interested in resilience, well-being, and truth and reconciliation.

Thanks to the folks at eTV, the recording of her presentation can be found here.

Read more about Waneek here.

You’re invited to attend a lunch and talk featuring Waneek Horn-Miller – Mohawk woman, activist, and Olympian. She’ll be speaking about turning trauma into motivation and reclaiming well-being. All students, staff and faculty are invited to attend.

Date: March 26

Time: Noon – 1:30pm

Location: South Gym

Come early for a free pizza lunch. If you have accessibility needs, please contact Breanna.

ASL interpretation will be provided. If you can’t make it in person, catch the livestream at rrc.ca/streaming.

Throughout her life, Waneek Horn-Miller has always stood up for what was right—as a mother, an activist, an athlete, and an entrepreneur. This has entailed hard choices, pain, and sacrifice. But this commitment has also made her one of Canada’s most inspiring figures.

Horn-Miller’s public life began in 1990 at the age of 14. During the Oka Crisis, she protested the planned development of condos and a golf course on traditional Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) lands and burial grounds near Montreal. After nearly 80 days of stand-off with the RCMP and armed forces, she was stabbed in the chest by a Canadian soldier wielding a bayonet.

This near-death experience marked a turning point in her life. Instead of succumbing to very real traumas, including PTSD, she found the strength to pursue, and achieve, incredible things. “I come from people who have gone through horrific things in history,” she says. “War, death, famine, genocide. How many times did my ancestors want to give up, lay down, and die? But they didn’t. They fought to continue. You have to keep going forward.”

One of Horn-Miller’s greatest achievements has been in athletics. “Sport in the Native world is more than just something to be physically active,” she says. “It’s a suicide preventer. It’s a self-esteem creator. It’s a leadership developer.” She was the first woman to be named Carleton University’s Athlete of the Year, which she won four years in a row. After winning gold with her water polo team at the Pan Am Games in 1999, she became the first Mohawk woman from this country to ever compete in the Olympic games, co-captaining Team Canada in Sydney in 2000. That same year, she appeared on the cover of TIME magazine.

As one of Canada’s few Aboriginal Olympians, Waneek has used her passion and experiences in sport to influence Aboriginal and non-aboriginal leadership towards making Sport and Wellness a community building priority.

RRC’s Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative, along with the Students’ Association and School of Indigenous Education are so pleased to welcome Waneek.

If you could take a pill that would decrease your stress and anxiety while improving your focus and performance, with no side effects, would you take it? Mindfulness can deliver these results.

Mindfulness has moved from the realm of the obscure to now what is seemingly obvious, becoming the go-to mental fitness approach for enhancing individuals, teams, leaders and organizations.

Learn what mindfulness is, the science behind it, and the practical application in your daily professional and personal life. You’ll also be given an orientation and opportunity to register for the Mindfulness Challenge, an evidence-based online training in mindfulness.

Lunch will be provided and the session will be delivered as a webinar.

This event is accessed by registration only. Seating maximum is 26.  To register, please click here.

Presenter: Geoffrey Soloway, PhD

Kindly advise to Taryn Presley at tpresley@rrc.ca or (204) 632-2484 if you if you have any barriers to accessibility or any dietary restrictions for the lunch no later than Monday, March 4, 2019.

Stay tuned – a 2nd mindfulness webinar and lunch will be taking place on March 12 – watch for this in Staff News!

Brought to you by the Healthy Minds Healthy College initiative and ENGAGE Employee Development

On February 14th RRC hosted an Anxiety Forum featuring local Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Jason Ediger. Thanks to the eTV crew, we have a recording available here.  Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services provided ASL interpretation, which is also featured in the recording.

Dr. Ediger spoke about Anxiety in a college context and helped us understand worry, panic attacks, performance anxiety, social fears, and more. He provided helpful tips and introduced coping techniques that so many can benefit from.

Additional thanks to the Manitoba Psychological Society and Dr. Ediger for offering this public education at RRC.

If you think the services of a Psychologist could help you reach your goals, you’ll be pleased to know that these services are covered under RRC’s Student and Employee Benefit plans. You can use an online directory to find a Psychologist near you.

Further information and resources about anxiety can be found at the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba.