Wood's Homes Blog

Since 2011, #BellLetsTalk has been used and promoted over 1 billion times to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health. Every last Wednesday of January, you may have noticed your social media platforms filled with messages of support for those who struggle with their mental health.

Most of the messages are heart-warming, thought-provoking and insightful. I found myself wishing how great it would be if this was everyone’s response to mental health struggles year-round. Imagine if we lived in world where it was comfortable to say, “I’m having a hard time with my thoughts” or, “I feel so stuck”.

Blue Monday is a term coined by a psychologist in the early 2000s for a marketing campaign to encourage people to fly south in January. Go on vacation to make all your worries and sadness go away.  

But the truth is…mental health is year-round.  

Every day can have its struggles and its frustrations. Having good mental health year-round means you have strong coping strategies in place as everyday problems pop up. And that you know who to talk to when your coping strategies are maxed out, or when a something devastating happens to you or your family – such as a significant illness or a death of a loved one. 

Every year on November 20^th, Canada celebrates the rights of children on what is called National Child Day.

This year’s theme is ‘The Right to Participate'.

At Wood’s Homes, we value a child’s right to participate. Working from a client and person-centered approach, we listen to and value the feedback of the children we serve. By giving children the right to participate in their treatment and care, we give them a voice and teach them the skills they need to advocate for themselves as they grow into youth and journey into adulthood.

February is....Psychology Month.

This year’s theme is ‘The Value of Choosing a Psychologist’.

The goal of Psychology Month is to raise awareness of the role that psychology plays in our lives, our schools, our communities and our employment. It provides a good opportunity for public education and promotion of the profession.

Mental health professionals come in all shapes and sizes. At Wood’s Homes, treatment and support teams include a range of interdisciplinary professionals - social workers, psychologists, counsellors, youth and family counsellors, pediatricians, psychiatrists, nurses, occupational therapists, creative arts therapists and on and on.

As our new year began, there were a lot of grumblings about how the clock was moving forward but we were all still locked in time.

Sayings like, ‘2022 = 2020, too’, were both true and a little demoralizing. I have written before that Blue Monday isn’t real, but if you are feeling a little less excited about 2022, I think that it is worth talking about.

National Child Day is November 20 and this year’s celebration marks the 30^th anniversary of Canada’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Wood’s Homes, as an agency, has many ties to this day through its work in the 40+ programs and services we provide.

Recently, I paid my first visit to Capitol Hill, a program that works with children under 12. This home in the community is a short-term safe refuge for these little ones who are behaviourally at-risk and have broken down or are at risk of breaking down their current caregiver placements.

November is Family Violence Prevention Month in Alberta.  According to the province of Alberta, we have the third highest self-reported spousal abuse rate in the country. Family violence is a crime and it can happen to anyone - within all ages - from children to the elderly - and within all cultural backgrounds and all gender identities. When your home is no longer safe or when trusted family members hurt you physically or emotionally, talk to someone.  

Entering the Inglewood Opportunity Hub for the first time was a relief. I looked around, hoping to find someone like me. Being gay within the homeless population is terrifying and you are always searching for an ally. On the wall, I noticed a flag that showed me that this is a safe place for all.

The place had a different feeling for me. I was welcomed here.

The past year has brought tremendous obstacles and challenges for all us. Working within the Emergency department of the Alberta Children’s Hospital has been no exception.

As we entered the new world of COVID-19 in March 2020, we, as a community, did so with caution and uncertainty. This was evident in the Emergency department; the hustle and bustle we once knew became a solemn void. We witnessed a collective apprehension towards attending the hospital.

Where did all the mental health concerns go? For us, this was the calm before the storm, and we were patiently waiting and preparing.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and restrictions have been hard on all of us. We’ve all experienced increased stress and previously unforeseen challenges in our personal and work lives. But through all of it, Wood’s Homes and its staff have come together to support one another and find new and innovative ways to complete our work and continue serving our clients.