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Master sax man brings inspiring message

September 6th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Master sax man brings inspiring message)

Juno award-winning master musician and composer Phil Dwyer has battled with addiction and mental illness

Phil Dwyer’s 2012 Juno award for the incredibly ambitious Changing Seasons is the latest in a “resume full of examples of his genuinely adventurous creative spirit,” says the Juno website. Changing Seasons was awarded “Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year.”

The Changing Seasons suite marks a new stage in Phil Dwyer‘s development as an artist, writes Nou Dadoun at VancouverJazz.com.  The theme running through the composition is change, described by Phil as:  “Changing weather, changing climatic conditions, the changing economic structure of the world and some big changes in my own life.  It’s a call to acknowledge the fact of all these changes taking place and a query as to what are we going to do about it.” (more…)

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From personal experience to helping others

July 5th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Karen Liberman believes thousands of workers affected by mental illness are trying to hide it, unable to talk about it

Karen Liberman was once so ill with clinical depression that she would sometimes spend 24 hours at a time crying. Though she now says she was barely surviving at the time, she nonetheless continued to go to work through ten years of illness. “While suffering, I was ashamed, and I kept my illness a secret as much as possible,” she told the magazine Benefits Canada. “I did not ask for support. I learned that not acknowledging my illness left me isolated; it also meant my co-workers could not address the issue, which created resentment.” (more…)

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Facilitating real conversations to build community

June 28th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (0 Comments)

Facilitators’ purpose is to invite possibilities to emerge and manifest through engaging people in “real conversations”

A group of facilitators, consultants, coaches and health practitioners who are passionate and committed to promoting a shift towards healthier communities have created an initiative called Real Conversations.  The purpose is to “invite possibilities to emerge and manifest” through engaging people in facilitated conversations.

The facilitators’ role is to provide opportunities for people to connect across organizations to experience meaningful, productive conversations that lead to initiatives to build thriving communities. Real Conversations is now hosting a series of conversations about Mental Wellness. The first event was on January 16, 2012 at the Canadian Mental Health Association in Ottawa. (more…)

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A cross-border partnership to end stigma

June 21st, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A cross-border partnership to end stigma)

NoStigmas raises awareness to erase the stigmas of suicide and mental illness by sharing stories of hope and inspiration

A cross-border partnership to end the stigmas associated with suicide and mental illness has been created under the banner of NoStigmas.org—with participants from both Canada and the U.S. Ottawa-based Ray Folkins has joined Chicago-based Jake Moore in his ongoing efforts to develop collaborative partnership programs to help people implement life-changing and life-enhancing strategies. Both men have ‘lived experience’ with anxiety and depression and are now focused on helping others—and particularly, to help erase the stigmas related to mental health issues among youth and adults. (more…)

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Wayne Cho brings his message to the world

May 24th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Wayne Cho brings his message to the world)

After running across Canada, Wayne Cho brings his stigma-busting and awareness-raising message to a world audience

Wayne Cho developed anxiety and bipolar disorders which he says resulted from neglect and abuses he experienced throughout his childhood. At the age of 30, he took up long distance running, an activity that provided both relief from his anxiety symptoms and the confidence to dream. He ran across Canada in 2009 to raise awareness about mental illness.

Now Wayne has begun an around-the-world effort called Love World Run. (more…)

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Mental illness can affect the entire family

May 24th, 2012 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Mental illness can affect the entire family)

What are the challenges—and what does Canada’s new mental health strategy have to say about it?

Canada’s first-ever national mental health strategy was released on May 8, 2012, after five years of extensive consultations across the country. Changing Directions, Changing Lives [opens to PDF] represents a blueprint for change and provides six strategic directions.

The Strategy focuses on improving mental health and well-being for all people living in Canada and on creating a mental health system that can truly meet the needs of people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses—and their families. (more…)

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