Wood's Homes Blog

No one has time for Blue Monday. We don’t even know what day it is anymore.

Several years ago I wrote a blog debunking the myth of Blue Monday, but this year I could not help but think about how little importance specific days have become in the wake of COVID-19.  COVID birthdays and other special events have all taken on new (or less) meaning because they can’t be celebrated in the same way. I recently wrote a celebratory note to a friend who had achieved an important milestone, realizing “wish we could celebrate in person” could not be made more palatable by suggesting that we will somehow do it in the future. There is only so much you can put off before there is a sense of not wanting to bother.

“What’s the typical mental health and behaviour of a teenager?” is a question I often hear in my role as a Family Support Counsellor with Community Psychiatric Unit. Understanding when behavior deviates outside of a ‘normal’ range becomes a hot topic when parents are trying to better support their children after leaving the program. This question seems to be all the more complex and has a notable sense of urgency when Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a primary diagnosis.

2020 has been a year of “darkness” for many. Times of “light” - creating space for joy, peace, friendship, freedom and the sweetness of life has never been more urgent in history. The convergence of movements like Black Lives Matter, climate activism, the #MeToo movement, and Canadian Truth and Reconciliation amidst global waves of COVID-19 are a stark reminder of the need to prioritize one’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

It was Oct. 4, 1996. I was four days overdue and after being sent for a routine ultrasound, they found massive fluid in my baby's brain. Everyone and everything went into panic mode. I had no idea at the time that this was to be the death of my pre-conceived notion of what our lives would be like and the beginning of a journey most can never even imagine. She came into the world in the early hours of Oct. 17, code blue (not breathing).

As Wood's Homes Addictions Specialist, one of the most common question I am asked, “What is an addiction?”

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary (2020) defines addiction as “a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence: the state of being addicted.”

However, I believe that a more appropriate definition would be “a negative coping strategy for ones trauma” and that by changing our perspective, we could help to remove the stigma, self-stigma and shame of users.

Bullying is a workplace issue.

When you were growing up, did you ever imagine this would be a reality? Statistics on bullying range from 19% to 60% of people having experienced this behaviour at work. It’s easy to recognize the blatant bullying – the yelling, nasty comments and jokes at someone’s expense. But what we sometimes don’t recognize as bullying are the callous remarks in meetings, rolled eyes, gossiping and spreading of rumours. Remember – the majority of your communication is not what you are saying, but how you are saying it.

The old adage, ‘good things come to those who wait’ is likely getting very old to many of us right now. Tom Petty once crooned that “the waiting was the hardest part”, Dr. Seuss wrote about The Waiting Place, where “everyone is just waiting” and poet Mary Oliver described “the dull hangover of waiting,” which I feel more aligned with as we enter yet another month of waiting for the pandemic to end. 

What does waiting mean to you?

In Alberta, October is recognized as a month to appreciate our Foster and Kinship Caregivers for their commitment to going above and beyond in meeting the needs of the children placed in their care.

Wood’s Homes Family Support Network is honored to support and recognize 27 dedicated kinship homes in 2020.

In Alberta, October is recognized as a month to appreciate our Foster and Kinship Caregivers for their commitment to going above and beyond in meeting the needs of the children placed in their care.

Wood’s Homes Foster Care Network is honored to recognize 34 dedicated foster homes that have helped support up to 80 children in 2020.

Thanksgiving 2020 feels different this year – for all of us. COVID-19 has moved us to think about life in different ways and to count our blessings just a little more. What tops our ‘Be Thankful’ list here at Wood’s Homes is the joy we get working with children, youth and families, the support we receive from our loyal and generous community, and our ability to continue the work of our founder, Reverend George Wood. 

In the spirit of the season, we decided to ask our clients and staff what they are thankful for. Click 'Read More' to hear what they had to say.