18-year-old hockey player Myles Mattila has been recognized by the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association for promoting education and awareness about mental health issues among young athletes
The death of Rick Rypien inspires mental health cause
Vancouver Canucks’ player Rick Rypien, suffering from depression, died by suicide on August 15, 2011
Myles Mattila “first became interested in mental health when he read a newspaper story about former Vancouver Canucks forward Rick Rypien, who suffered from clinical depression and took his own life in August 2011. That story led Mattila to mindcheck.ca, an organization that sprang from Rypien’s death and one that has become a valuable online resource for people coping with mental health issues. Mattila, who recognized first-hand the struggles being experienced by a friend and hockey teammate, became a spokesperson for mindcheck.ca.” [source: Prince George Citizen]
MindRight is a mental health wellness program designed to educate Cariboo Cougar hockey players,
coaches, parents, and supporters about their mental health and the health of others
Myles has gone on to speak publicly on the topic of mental health among youth and athletes, and is now a spokesperson for the Cariboo Cougars hockey team’s program (and website) MindRight. MindRight is a mental health wellness program designed to educate Cariboo Cougar players, coaches, parents, and supporters about their mental health and the health of others. We aim to provide information about local resources available, and help players make connections with the services they might need. We are proud to work within the community of Prince George, BC and the surrounding areas to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Mattila was recognized in June 2017 by the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association for promoting education and awareness about mental health issues among young athletes.
International Conference on Youth Mental Health
Myles Mattila (right) with Jack.org founder Eric Windeler (left) at the 4th annual
International Conference on Youth Mental Health, in Dublin
Myles Mattila was recently in Dublin, Ireland, to participate in the 4th annual International Conference on Youth Mental Health. The conference’s parent organization, the International Association for Youth Mental Health, works to ensure that mental health services are developmentally and age appropriate, and that young people have an active voice in determining what is best for them.
We speak with Myles Mattila.
767_myles mattila_youth and athletes mental health_oct 17_2017_40
Left-click to listen; right-click to save.
#podcast |@KIJHL @KelownaChiefs @myles_mattila12 @mindcheck_ca @iaymh @CMHA_NTL @jackdotorg @VIMentalHealth| LISTEN: https://t.co/pSejdfOSDU pic.twitter.com/gsuWPjpa9Y
— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) October 18, 2017
Myles Mattila on Youtube
