Republished with permission from Cassandra Cardy, a student in Red River College Creative Communications program.

I dipped low this summer. I have dipped before in my life and usually justified the feelings of sadness and guilt with hormones or growing up.

I got up, left the house without saying goodbye to anyone like I was doing every day, and I got into my car.

I didn’t know where I was going but I had a phone number my friend gave me a couple weeks ago and I couldn’t live with myself another day. I don’t like saying “myself” because from February-August I was not myself. In fact, what I was experiencing was a deep longing for my old self. I missed her. I missed her like I missed a dead person, like she was never coming back. I don’t know how, when or why she left.

I drove down the highway toward town with nowhere to go. No desires. No wants. No purpose. Nothing was making me want to do this again tomorrow. There was no point to any of this.

I pulled into the truck stop I drive by every day for 20 years and parked in the foreign parking lot with semis and road-trippers using the bathroom.

I call the number for a mental health nurse my friend gave me. It rang and it rang and her friendly voice came on at the end and said to leave a message. I rested my head on the steering wheel.

Forty-five minutes later I was in Brandon putting a Toonie in a parking meter. I stepped around the smeared tent caterpillars on the sidewalk while walking to the downtown clinic.

I walked passed the brochures on suicide and abortion. I walked passed the pile of sticky Home Sense Magazine on the coffee table waiting room. A lady’s head stuck out from behind the admin counter and when she looked at me from over her glasses I began to sob.

“I need help.”

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Red River College Students’ Association (RRCSA) has partnered with the College’s Healthy College Healthy Minds initiative to bring students and staff more opportunities to de-stress, learn about their mental health and join the mental health conversation. This week long series of events, held at both Notre Dame and Roblin Campuses, offers a wide array of activities for both staff and students to participate in including:

-Paint Night
-Meditation and Yoga
-Speaker Series
-Music
-Therapy Dogs
-Mental Health First Aid Training
-and more activities!

Please view the Thrive Week Guide below for times, dates and a full listing of all activities.

Notre Dame Campus Thrive Week Guide

Roblin Centre Campus Thrive Week Guide

As part of Red River College’s group benefits, Employees in Flex Options 1, 2, 4 or 5 may have coverage for a variety of dental benefits. Your coverage is based on your Flex Option choice.

Preventive and Basic Services

• Recall exams, twice per calendar year* provided within the same year)
• (only once where a complete oral exam is also
• Bitewing x-rays, twice per calendar year*
• Complete series of x-rays, one per 24 months
• Panoramic x-rays, one per 36 months
• Complete oral examinations, one per calendar year
• (initial examination with a new dentist)
• Polishing, scaling and fluoride, twice per calendar year*
• Minor restorative services (fillings, posts, prefabricated
• crowns for primary teeth)
• Periodontal and Endodontic services
• Oral surgery

*must be separated by an interval of at least 5 months

Major Services

• Crowns, Onlays, Inlays and Veneer Restorations
• Dentures, maintenance and repairs
• Bridgework

Orthodontics

• Coverage for dependent children under child’s 18^th birthday)
• the age of 19 (treatment must start before the
• Diagnostic services and treatments

For detailed dental coverage information refer to your benefits booklet.

The above is a summary of the provisions of the group plan. In the event of a discrepancy between this summary and the group contract, the terms of the group contract will apply.

Pre-Determination of Dentalcare Benefits

Before incurring any large dental expenses ($500 or more), or beginning any orthodontic treatment, ask your dental service provider to complete a treatment plan and submit it to Great-West Life. The benefits payable for the proposed treatment will be calculated, so you know if the expenses are eligible and the approximate portion of the cost you will have to pay.

Are you prepared for Flu Season?

With the fluctuating temperatures and more time spent indoors, the flu season can sneak up on us. Health Canada suggests the flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself against the flu. Flu vaccines are free and are available at a variety of venues such as doctor’s offices, nursing stations and pharmacies.[1]

In addition to getting vaccinated each year, consider following these tips to prevent the flu this season:[2]

• Wash your hands frequently
• Use the bend of your arm when coughing and sneezing instead of your hands
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces at work and at home often
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat healthy foods and exercise
• Get lots of rest

Check out the Government of Canada website for more information here.

Fall Cooking

Try this Spiced Up Butternut Squash Soup recipe to keep you warm this fall:[3]

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp mild curry powder or paste
• 3 cups sodium reduced vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup 0% fat plain Greek yogurt (optional)

1. Peel squash and cut into quarters. Remove seeds and further cut into cubes.
2. In a soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic and curry powder. Cook while stirring for about 2 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add squash, broth and cilantro or parsley, if using. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until squash is tender.
3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Stir in pepper.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

It’s that busy time of year again, whether you’re moving or adjusting to a transition, LifeWorks can support you with resources to help you adapt to change. Check out this months’ recommended podcast:

• Coping with Loss

[1] Because it’s about them too. Get Vaccinated. Don’t Spread the Flu. Manitoba Health. 2016. http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/flu/index.html

[2] Prevention of flu (influenza). Government of Canada. 2015. http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-maladie/flu-grippe/prevention-eng.php

[3] Spiced Up Butternut Squash Soup. Government of Canada. 2014. http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/healthy-eating-saine-alimentation/tips-conseils/recipes-recettes/butternut-squash-soup-soupe-courge-butternut-eng.php

Whether you’re moving, in transition, or you’re starting over, LifeWorks is here to help you through the changes in your life.

You may be leaving home, starting a new job, getting used to a roommate, or adjusting to life as a single person. Maybe you’re coping with a health change, or the challenges of a new phase of life. Contact LifeWorks any time, 24/7, to speak with a professional consultant for confidential support and resources.

You can also log in any time to www.lifeworks.com to access helpful online resources such as these:

• A new infographic on Getting Over a Breakup.
• A new podcast: Coping with Loss. A leading expert offers guidance for those going through a death, divorce, illness, or other painful event and describes how to come out stronger and more resilient.
• Our recordings, Navigating Workplace Change and Growing Stronger Through Change.
• Booklets, articles, and audio content in our Change and Resilience Toolkit.
• Articles on Coping with Change, Growing Stronger Through Change, Deciding to Move in with Your Partner, and Thriving Through Workplace Change.

Call LifeWorks toll-free, any time: 1-877-207-8833
TTY: 1-877-371-9978
You can also visit www.lifeworks.com
(username: rrcefap; password: efap).

Don’t forget to reconfirm Student Status!

To ensure your dependent children, age 22 to 25, continue to receive uninterrupted Health and Dental coverage for the duration of their formal education, be sure to update their student status with Great-West Life each year.

Is your Dependent Child eligible?

If you have unmarried, natural, adopted or step children, under the age of 22 and not working more than 30 hours a week, unless they are full-time students, they are eligible for coverage through your group benefits plan with Great-West Life. If your child is age 22 or over, they must be a full-time student to maintain coverage until age 25.

Is your Dependent Child considered a fill-time student?

A child is considered a full-time student if they have registered in an educational institution for 15 hours a week or more; sometime in the last 6 months. Your child is no longer deemed a dependent if they are being paid to attend an educational institution.

Does my dependent child have coverage while out-of-country?

If your child is considered an eligible dependent, they will be covered for unexpected emergency medical situation while out-of-country. An emergency is defined as a sudden, unexpected injury or an acute episode of disease. If your dependent child has a medical issue, the condition must be stable and controlled for 3 months prior to their departure from Canada in order to be eligible for coverage. Check with your doctor and Great-West Life if you are unsure. For a dependent who is not a student, no benefits will be paid for expenses incurred more than 90 days after the date of departure from Canada in the event of a medical emergency.

Is your child covered while studying abroad?

Your dependent child will remain on your Health and Dental plan for the duration of their education, or until they reach age 25 as long as approval is given by the student’s provincial health plan. For more information on your provincial health plan, visit http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/index.html.

Keep in mind, any routine or non-emergency services or expenses such as chiropractic care or prescription drugs incurred out-of-country will be reimbursed at the reasonable and customary amount charged in your home province of residence.

If you feel your dependent’s coverage is inadequate and require additional individual coverage, plans purchased in Canada for students abroad can be significantly less expensive than plans available through post-secondary institutions. Red River College Employees have access to HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting Individual Health Dental and Travel service which provides information and assistance in obtaining individual coverage. Contact HUB STRATA at 1-866-756-3281 or e-mail emerge@hubinternational.com for more information.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

Resources are available to help you resolve conflict and build strong relationships. This month the recommended Podcast is:

• Workplace Manners

STRATA Select Travel Discount Program

Through our affiliation with HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting, we are able to offer our employees products and services at discounted or preferred rates through the Voluntary STRATA Select Program.

One of these products provides access to below-market hotel and car rental discounts while you travel. Hotel discounts are available for over 120,000 hotel properties worldwide with car rental discounts for over 800 car rental suppliers across 175 countries. For more information on these discounts or the Voluntary STRATA Select Program, please visit your STRATA Select website.

Login: rrc              Password: voluntary

Through the voluntary STRATA Select Program, you are eligible for discounts on a variety of products and services such as an Individual Life & Living Benefits consultation. Whether you are looking to supplement or replace group life and living benefits, or reviewing options for a loved one, a consultation with an independent insurance agent is your best choice.

With access to multiple insurance companies without bias, an independent agent will serve as your consultant and trusted advisor. With your best interests in mind, a consultant will analyze the full array of available products to recommend the best fit for you.

An individual life and living benefits consultation will include:

• A Comprehensive Needs Assessment – before recommending your best combination of coverage, service and value, your consultation will assess:
  • Budget
  • Coverage Duration
  • Family Medical History
  • Outstanding Debt Concerns
• Administrative Support – application process and completion of all required administration within applicable timeframes.
• Prompt and Personal Service – ongoing assistance with any questions, policy adjustments and claims as they arise.

Log on to your STRATA Select website for contact information and more information on other STRATA Select discounts.

Login: rrc              Password: voluntary

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars and Podcasts at www.lifeworks.com.

LifeWorks contains the resources for managing stress, depression, addiction, and many other mental health issues that may be affecting your health and well-being. Check out this month’s recommended Podcast:

• Getting Help for Depression

Summer Sun Protection

It’s that time of year. Time to head outside and enjoy all of the fun summer activities. It is very important to take protective measures against heat-related illness and sun exposure while enjoying the outdoors. Here is some information and tips to help you stay safe in the sun this summer.

The Facts about Ultraviolet (UV) Light and Skin Damage: [1]

• Sunlight is strong and can cause skin cancer, premature aging of your skin and can be harmful to your eyes
• The two types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that can be harmful to you are UVA and UVB rays
• UV rays can get through clouds, fog and haze, and can be reflected by water, sand, concrete and snow

UV Index

The UV index is a useful tool that tells you the strength of the sun’s UV rays. Check the UV Index daily before going outside. When the UV Index reaches 3 or higher it is a good idea to protect your skin. The sun’s rays are the highest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily.

Tips for Avoiding Skin Damage:[2]

• Choose to sit under a tree or an awning to avoid the sun. If you can see the sky from your shady spot, you may still need to use other methods to protect yourself from the sun’s rays
• Wear UV-protective clothing and a hat with a wide brim
• Wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection that wrap around your face, completely protecting your eyes
• Use SPF broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher
• Try to plan activities in the shade[3]
• Some medications may negatively react with sun exposure. Be sure to read the label and information leaflet carefully to find out if there may be side effects.

Heat related Illness

It is important to keep cool and drink plenty of fluids when spending time outdoors during the summer months. Heat related illnesses can affect you quickly, so prepare for the heat and educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of heat related illnesses. Visit the Health Canada website for more information on how to protect yourself from extreme heat.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

LifeWorks contains the resources to guide you in making healthy choices every day. Check out this months’ recommended Podcast:

• Becoming a Better Listener

Did You Know?

Through the voluntary STRATA Select Program, you are eligible for hotel discounts. STRATA Select has teamed up with Choice Hotels® to make travelling more enjoyable and convenient with a 15% discount. Choice Hotels® group of hotels includes Comfort™, Quality®, Clarion® and many more. With over 6,300 Choice Hotels® locations worldwide and 325 locations spanning across all provinces, you will be sure to find a conveniently located Choice Hotel for your stay.

Log on to your STRATA Select website for more information.

Login: rrc              Password: voluntary

[1] Sun and UV. Canadian Cancer Society. 2016. http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/live-well/sun-and-uv/?region=qc

[2] Being safe in the sun. Canadian Cancer Society. 2016. http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/live-well/sun-and-uv/being-safe-in-the-sun/?region=qc

[3] Protecting Your Family. Canadian Dermatology Association. 2016. http://www.dermatology.ca/programs-resources/resources/sun-safety/#!/programs-resources/resources/sun-safety/protecting-your-family/

I’ve got two young kids, a full-time career, a busy husband, and no parents or siblings in Manitoba. It’s it’s hard to juggle all the moving parts that come with a fast-paced life. I’m sure you can relate in your own way!

It is said that wellness is many things: a state of being, a skill, a journey. I’m writing this post to share my encouragement about what it takes (and doesn’t take) to “keep it together!” This is my first post on this topic.

I heard a working mom once reply to the question, “can we have it all?” by saying what we often hear: “Yes, sure we can! We just can’t have it all at once.” You know what? That comment falls a bit flat for me.

I’ve heard a response that resonates more deeply, which is “no, we can’t actually have it all – and when we are able to reconcile this truth and make peace with it, life actually gets happier.” Now, that’s a statement that challenges me and makes sense at the same time. Why? It’s not about settling. This is about realigning what your priorities actually are, being grateful for the things you do have, and finding peace and happiness as you are.

One big struggle I deal with on a regular basis is the lack of immediate family I have in Manitoba. I came to live in Winnipeg nine years ago with my husband, but we weren’t sure if we were going to stay after he finished law school here.

Well, we stayed. It’s not a surprise that my family didn’t follow us out here – after all, life continues for them back home, but I never realized just how much I would be longing for help, support and overall sharing of life’s ups and downs with our parents and siblings who live two and three provinces away. I openly admit that I envy other moms who tell me how their kids are going for a sleepover to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on the weekend or that a sibling is helping out when someone in the family is sick.

So when I look at this one example, can I have it all? Well, if “it” includes having family present in our daily lives, then no, I can’t – at least not in the clichéd sense, and that’s not likely to ever change.

But there’s a beautiful saying by Theodore Roosevelt that helps me with this and I want to share it with you — Comparison is the thief of joy.

What a good thing to remember. And if you are like me, I love my joy! So what a powerful thought to realize that comparison allows joy to be stolen.

When I find myself in the mire of comparison, I will sometimes have a bit of a “pity party” – which basically just means that I allow myself to feel upset without self-judgement. Sometimes, along with that, anger or resentment bubbles up in there – I know how to let that fade. It always does. But while it’s around, it’s an ugly feeling.

When we’re comparing ourselves to others,  it’s good to get in the habit of noticing it. Just to be aware what happens in that split second can be so revealing. We are conditioned to think that comparison is a motivational tool that propels us to improve our own situation, but  it’s also a dangerous mental habit. Is becoming “motivated” by the act of comparing yourself to someone actually worth your joy?

In sharing with you my thoughts in this area, I’m also happy to tell you that there is one aspect of my life where I’ve actually got this lesson somewhat figured out. It’s regarding what my kids are “supposed to be doing” at their ages (of 5 and 3). I often get asked, “so did you put your kids in soccer this spring?” “Are they in hockey yet?” “What about swimming?” “Kindermusik? It’s the must-have class this year!” It makes me chuckle when I enter conversations like this, because I have a clarity that brings me so much peace.

Here’s my clarity: I can only do with them what I can, and I can’t take both of my kids to many of those kinds of activities at the same time without being run ragged, so I am choosy. I also need my own time! And on top of this, frankly, there is simply no rush – I really can’t say this enough.

So for us, my 5 year old daughter had some dance classes about a year ago, and she had some swim lessons in the winter. Meanwhile, my 3-year old son hasn’t started a single “activity” yet. And you know what? It’s great. Both my kids are both active, joyful, social, super bright, funny, silly people who have talents and gifts – some of which are developing with mom and dad, some at daycare, some on their own – and others which will develop as time passes. I’m looking at piano lessons for my 5 years old this summer. Maybe. But you know what?  I’ll never look back and wish I hadn’t “missed the boat” on getting them into 3-year old soccer twice a week and that they’ve lost some critical developmental milestone from not having had the chance to kick a ball and eat a snack (the most fun part of soccer). I just know this.

I share this lesson with you to encourage you – if you’re feeling like your decisions are sometimes being driven by the “norms” you see happening in your peer group, take a step back and remind yourself that you forge your own norm, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Your circumstances are unique, your needs are your own, and someone else’s life trajectory will never be the same as yours, so your decisions don’t need to be the same either. It’s about letting go of comparison.

What are the things you find you struggle with comparing against others? Do you take comfort in anything I’ve shared with you? What has given you peace? How do you “keep it together?” Parents and non-parents alike, I’d love to hear your comments.

Have you experienced a Life Event?

When you elect a Health and Dental option, you are locked in at that level until the next re-enrolment period, which is every 2 years. However, if you experience a Life Event during a plan year that affects your coverage needs, you may make changes to your benefit options without waiting until the next re-enrolment period.

Any of the following is considered a Life Event:

• Acquiring a spouse
• Acquiring a child (birth, adoption or step-child)
• Gain or involuntary loss of similar coverage through your spouse’s group benefit program (for example, because of a change in your spouse’s employment status)
• Death of your spouse or child
• Your spouse or child ceasing to qualify for coverage (for example, through divorce or your child’s attainment of a limiting age)

For more information, please refer to your benefits booklet.

What do you do if you experience a Life Event?

If you experience a Life Event, contact Human Resource Services with your details no later than 60 days after the Life Event occurs. If the Life Event is not reported within 60 days your opportunity to change your Flex Option will be during the next re-enrolment.

Additionally, any time you experience a Life Event resulting in a change to your family status, you should review your beneficiary designation.

For more information on your Flex Options, refer to your benefits booklet.

Coordination of Benefits

Coordination of Benefits, or COB, is a benefit claim procedure developed by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) for individuals covered under two or more Health and/or Dental policies.

Applying this procedure ensures that you and your dependents receive the maximum eligible benefits available from all policies under which you are covered. It also outlines the method used for determining where to submit your claims first.

An EOB (also called a payment summary) is a letter from the insurance company which is sent to you with the claim reimbursement. It outlines the amount of the expense and how much of it was reimbursed.  For drug claims paid via your drug card, your pharmacy receipt is considered your EOB.

Here is how COB works:

Your Own Expenses

1. Submit your claim to your Great-West Life plan.
2. If a portion of your claim is not covered by the Great-West Life plan (such as a deductible, coinsurance or an amount over a maximum), submit the EOB form from Great-West Life to your spouse’s plan (if you have family coverage) for reimbursement of the remaining portion.
3. If a portion of the claim is still not reimbursed, you may submit the EOB form from your spouse’s insurer to your Health Care Spending Account.
4. If your spouse has a Health Care Spending Account, this plan would be the last payor.

Your Spouse’s Expenses

1. Your spouse will first submit their own claim to their own insurer.
2. If a portion of their claim is not payable under their own plan, the EOB can be submitted to your Great-West Life plan, if you have family coverage.
3. If a portion of their claim is still not payable, the remaining portion can be submitted to your spouse’s Health Care Spending Account, if applicable.
4. The last payor for your spouse’s expenses is your Health Care Spending Account.

Your Dependent Child’s Expenses

1. If both your Great-West Life plan and your spouse’s plan include coverage for dependent children, the claims should first be submitted to the plan of the parent whose birth date is earlier in the calendar year. For example, if your birth date is February and your spouse’s birth date is August, the claim should first be submitted to your Great-West Life plan. (In situations where you and your spouse have the same birth date, the claim should be submitted to the plan of the parent whose first name begins with the earlier letter in the alphabet.)
2. If the first payor doesn’t cover the full expense, the EOB can be forwarded to the other parent’s plan. Regardless of the above rules, if the parents are separated or divorced, the first payor is the insurer of the parent with custody of the child, then the plan of the spouse of that parent, then the plan of the parent not having custody of the child and finally the plan of the spouse of that parent.
3. Health Care Spending Accounts are the final payors. To determine which Health Care Spending Account the remaining portion of the expense should be submitted to first, apply the birth date rule as described in step 1.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

LifeWorks has resources to help your family thrive, regardless of your family situation. Whether you’re a single parent, a new parent or raising teenagers check out the useful resources that LifeWorks has to offer! This month the recommended Podcast is:

• Holding a Family Meeting

Before I started gardening, I thought it was a nice pastime for sedentary folks.   Was I wrong !!!   8 years ago I moved into a new home & decided that on the May Long weekend I wanted to create a flower garden in a corner patch of my yard.   I’d never embarked on this type of activity before, so basically I winged it.   In a matter of 3 days, I dug up the space & charted out my flower patch; I hauled bricks from the store to the car to create the flower bed; shoveled a truck load of dirt into the garden. I was exhausted and elated at the same time!   My first DIY project was underway.       Then it was onto research of best plants to grow in that area – do I want annual or perennials? Or a combination … hmm, so many choices!   I especially enjoyed digging in the dirt, carefully planting my chosen gems

During the course of that summer, I proudly watched the flowers and plants grow & prosper, I felt a sense of accomplishment and happiness, which continues today as I’ve expanded into vegetables and herb gardens. I like the physical aspects of gardening as well as the stillness that I feel as I prune and pluck the weeds, at one with the earth.   I experienced the other side of the emotional spectrum as well – cursing the weather; disappointment when a prized perennial doesn’t return the next season; seeing my lilies get consumed by bugs seemingly overnight!

Check out this great article that captures all the fantastic health and wellness aspects of gardening – The Dirt on Gardening!

Nancy Cumbers