Are you a female or non-binary student who feels dissatisfied with your body? If so, you’re not alone. Many students struggle with poor body image and the negative thoughts that accompany those feelings.
There is hope. You can improve how you feel and think about your body. RRC is offering a Body Image Improvement Workshop, based on The Body Project, that is designed to help students feel better about their bodies. Read More →
Earlier this month, RRC welcomed Winnipeg Jets exec Craig Heisinger (Zinger) to give a mental health awareness talk. If you missed it, you’re invited to watch the recording here.
Zinger spoke about his relationship with Rick Rypien who, while struggling with poor mental health, played parts of six seasons with the Manitoba Moose and Vancouver Canucks. After Rick’s death by suicide, Zinger and the True North Foundation started Project 11 to help students learn skills to build strong, positive mental health. Zinger now speaks at many schools each year, highlighting the importance of mental health and support. His talk at RRC was both informative and heartfelt.
on Twitter, check out #ZingerAtRRC to see some of the statements that resonated with those in attendance.
L-R: Kelsey Gillespie, VP Academic, RRCSA; Lauren Slegers, President, RRCSA; Craig Heisinger; Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator, RRC; Laureen Janzen, Manager, Counselling and Accessibility, RRC
RRC is committed to keeping the mental health conversation going so that every member of our community knows they are not alone and that it’s okay to reach out for support. A great way to stay informed of future events is to subscribe to this blog.
A huge thanks goes out to the RRC Students’ Association for supplying the pizza lunch and to the eTV crew for recording and livestreaming. Prize winners will be announced in a subsequent blog post.
Elder Mae Louise will be conducting a four part teaching series focusing on women’s teachings using the holistic model of the Medicine Wheel. Each week will consist of a different teaching; Body, Mind, Emotion and Spirit. Attending all four teachings in the series is encouraged but not required.
EDC – Indigenous Support Centre, P407
Body: March 5 @12pm *(this session will be rescheduled due to the snow storm)
Mind: March 12 @12pm
Emotion: March 19 @12pm
Spirit: March 26 @12pm
NDC – Indigenous Support Centre, F209
Body: March 7 @ 12pm or March 8 @3pm
Mind: March 14 @ 12pm or March 15 @ 3pm
Emotion: March 21 @ 12pm or March 22 @ 3pm
Spirit: March 28 @ 12pm or March 29 @ 3pm
These teachings are open to all female staff and students.
For more information, please contact (NDC) Rhonda or (EDC) Cheyenne
You’re invited to attend a special lunch hour event with True North Sports + Entertainment’s Craig Heisinger (Zinger) as he brings his mental health awareness talk to RRC.
Date: Tuesday, March 13th
Time: noon – 1pm
Location: South Gym, Livestreaming available at rrc.ca/streaming
Zinger is Senior Vice-President & Director, Hockey Operations/Assistant General Manager of the Winnipeg Jets. He also serves as the General Manager of the Manitoba Moose. Zinger was very close with player Rick Rypien who struggled with mental illness and ultimately died by suicide.
Following Rick’s death, Zinger has become a champion for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. We’re happy to host Zinger’s talk and provide a free pizza lunch to all who attend. Other campuses are also participating by viewing the livestream and offering a free pizza lunch. Look for information on your campus!
All students, staff and faculty are welcome to attend. If you have accessibility needs, please contact blsawatzky@rrc.ca.
Win Prizes!
2 Ways to win:
The Prizes
First Prizes (3 Winners)
Dinner and a Movie: $50 Earls Kitchen + Bar gift card + $50 Cineplex Gift Card
Jets Gear: $100 Gift Card for the Winnipeg Jets Team Store
Day at the Spa: $100 gift certificate for Thermea
Second Prizes (8 winners)
4 $25 Cineplex Gift Cards
4 $25 Sobeys Gift Cards
*Note that all winners must be RRC students, staff, or faculty. Prizes must be picked up from their Campus within two weeks of the prize draw. Draws will take place and winners notified on Wednesday, March 14th. Prizes have no cash value. Eligible tweets must be posted on March 13nd.
You’re invited to participate in CMHA’s ‘Ride Don’t Hide’ – Canada’s largest bike ride for mental health. The event is held on Sunday June 24th in communities across the country. CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg are starting recruit bike riders for the event and RRC is excited to participate. There are 6 kilometer and 21 kilometer route options.
From CHMA’s website:
“CMHA’s Ride Don’t Hide is an annual fundraising bike ride held in six provinces in 31 communities. Supported by the fundraising efforts of more than 7000 riders, Ride Don’t Hide will raise funds for essential programs and services in communities, workplaces and schools – programs that change lives. Programs that save lives.
When we hide, mental health stays hidden. When we ride, we create change. This year, on June 24, ride in plain sight. Ride Don’t Hide. It’s more than the name of the event. It’s also the reason we’re riding.”
CMHA is a community partner, helping RRC with our Healthy Minds Healthy College Initiative. This makes participating in Ride Don’t Hide an ideal opportunity for us to show support in return.
The registration cost for an adult is $40 and youth registration costs $25.
If you’d like to be part of the RRC team for Ride Don’t Hide, please contact Breanna Sawatzky at blsawatzky@rrc.ca or 204-632-2061. Students, staff and faculty are welcome.
On Tuesday, February 13th we helped prepare students for a healthy and positive Valentines day by hosting a workshop from the Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC). Red velvet cupcakes from Lilac Bakery and safer sex supplies were distributed to all in attendance.
Check out the CTV Morning Live video clip below, where Bren from SERC and Breanna from RRC discuss attributes of healthy relationships and why these are important to the mental health of college students.
https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1330002&binId=1.1206882&playlistPageNum=1
To learn more about sexual health, consent, and healthy relationships please check out SERC’s website. Stay tuned for more Healthy Minds Healthy College events in future.
Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator
On February 15th 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.
Thank you to all who promoted the Anxiety Forum. We had 90 students and staff in attendance!
Additional thanks to the Manitoba Psychological Society and Dr. Ediger for engaging in this public education at RRC.
Up Next: Join us on Tuesday, March 13th in the NDC South Gym from 12-1pm (or via livestream) as we host Zinger Talks Mental Health. Craig Heisinger (Zinger) from True North Sports and Entertainment will be speaking to students and staff about mental health and suicide prevention. More information to come on this blog!
On February 13th, join speakers from Klinic/SERC to learn about healthy relationships, consent, and sexual harassment. Learning about these important topics will help prepare you for a healthy and positive Valentine’s Day and beyond.
All students who attend are welcome to free condoms and a red velvet cupcake from Lilac Bakery.
Room P107, Roblin Centre, Exchange District Campus, from noon-1pm on Tuesday, February 13.
February is Psychology Month; a time when Psychologists engage the public, educating us on how psychology works to help people live healthy and happy lives. (Canadian Psychology Association)
To celebrate Psychology Month, the Manitoba Psychological Society has organized a variety of educational seminars for the public on a wide variety of psychology-related topics. RRC is fortunate to be hosting two such events. We’ve called them “Anxiety Forums.”
Each forum will include a talk by a prominent Psychologist as well as Q & A with the audience. Free pizza lunch is provided during both forums!
According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba (ADAM), everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. It’s completely normal and can even be helpful. For example, if you’re anxious about an upcoming test, your anxiety can motivate you to study well. However, anxiety can sometimes become severe and negatively affect your life. If your anxiety has reached this point, you may have an anxiety disorder.
Here at RRC, Counselling and Accessibility is works with many students who are experiencing problems with anxiety. These problems affect academic success and overall well-being.
During the two forums, the speakers will share helpful coping strategies related to managing anxiety in a College setting. Although the primary target audience is students, staff and faculty will no doubt benefit from the material presented and discussion to follow.
Registration is not required. All are welcome.
EDC: Wednesday, February 14th, 12 – 1pm in P107 with Dr. Gillian Alcolado and Dr. Elizabeth Hebert
NDC: Thursday, February 15th, 11am-12pm in the Orange Lecture Theatre with Dr. Jason Ediger
The NDC forum will also be recorded and streamed by eTV for the benefit of regional campuses.
Follow the link below to view the Anxiety Forum live streaming presentation: http://blogs.rrc.ca/etv/streaming/
Click on the ‘Live Stream’ image to play. No username or password is required. The stream will go live shortly before the presentation begins.
During the live presentation, you are encouraged to ask questions or add comments. To do so, please click on the “word bubble” icon found on the bottom right of the player. Please include your name, email address (if you require a follow-up response), and a subject heading.
Note: You can also use the “word bubble” to report any technical issues.
Dr. Jason Ediger, C. Psych.
Dr. Ediger has a special interest in blending cognitive behaviour therapy with mindfulness based approaches to change and coping. His practice focuses on anxiety, mood difficulties, chronic pain and health concerns in adults and adolescents. He has extensive experience with disability claims and return to work issues. Read his full bio here.
Dr. Gillian Alcolado, C. Psych.
Dr. Gillian Alcolado is a registered clinical psychologist working at the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at St. Boniface Hospital. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba. She completed her PhD in clinical psychology from Concordia University in Montreal and her residency at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, where she completed a major rotation in their Anxiety Disorders Treatment and Research Centre. Her research interests include the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety and related conditions.
Dr. Elizabeth Hebert
Dr. Elizabeth Hebert is a psychologist in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology and an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Her research focuses on anxiety and worry and the factors that drive them, including difficulty tolerating uncertainty in daily life. Dr. Hebert is the psychologist for the Shared Care Program in Winnipeg. Her clinical work focuses on primary care settings, and includes evidence-based psychological treatments for anxiety, mood, and ADHD; psychodiagnostic and cognitive assessments; and interdisciplinary consultation.
Breanna Sawatzky, Mental Health Coordinator, is happy to come speak briefly to classes in order to promote awareness of these events. Contact her at 204-632-2061 or blsawatzky@rrc.ca to set up a time.
RRC’s Recreation Services is hosting this year’s Get Movin’ Challenge. Those who are involved are trying to log 7,000 steps per day, through a variety of activities. Sign up to join the fun.
Since physical activity contributes to a healthy mind, we’re supporting the Challenge with weekly group walks outdoors at the Notre Dame Campus. These walks will be a perfect opportunity to connect with friends or colleagues, meet new people, get fresh air and sunshine, while logging 3000 steps.
Walks will start at 12:15 outside the Campus Store (NDC) and will return to the same place by 12:50.
Dates
Mondays February 5, 12, 26
All students, staff and faculty are welcome to join; there is no need to register.
RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota Oyate, and Denésuline, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.