Mental Health- Family Support Groups

If you ever need to talk, or want to learn more about a mental illness you or someone you know is suffering from, there are some great support groups in our community that can help educate + counsel you and your family and/or friends.

Barrie Family & Friends Mental Health Support Group
Second Tuesday of every month.
6pm-8pm
350 Grove St East in Barrie (Grace United Church)

Collingwood Family Drop In
Last Thursday of every month
10am-12pm
12 Erie Street in Collingwood (Consumer Survivor Project)

Midland Family & Friends Mental Health Support Circle
Third Tuesday of every month
7pm-9pm
522 Elizabeth St, Midland (Outpatient Services-IKEA Room)

Orillia Family Support Group
Third Wednesday of every month
6:30pm-8:30pm
76 Nottawasaga Street, Orillia

Midland Parents Support Group
Second Wednesday of every month
7pm-9pm
9292 County Rd 93, Midland (Real Canadaian Superstore-Community Room)

Survivors of Suicide Support Program
Is a support group for persons experiences the death of a loved one through suicide. The program consisits of 8-10 week sessions, facilitated by trained volunteers. Topics covered include informal conversations and a sharing of experiences in a safe environment. In-depth counseling is not part of this program. However, someone can meet with you 1 on 1; or through a phone buddy system you will be connected with a person who has been through the program. Talking and connecting with others who understand can be very helpful.
For more information:
Bernadette 705-326-9941 or Dianne 705-327-5970

The Barrie Chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario Family Support
Last Thursday of every month
(no meeting in July, August and December)
7pm-9pm
January and February meetings at 30 Worsley St (Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home)
March through November meetings at 60 Worsley St (Barrie Public Library)

Parents for Childrens Mental Health - Simcoe County Chapter
Third Monday of every month
6pm-8pm
34 Simcoe St, Barrie (Kinark Child & Family Services Office)

Going strong!

I love this time of year.

Its a great time of reflection for me.
Two years ago, was when my body said: "Okay lady. That's it. I'm tired. I'm sick. STOP!"
Two years ago, was when I had my first panic attacks, alerting me that I could no longer ignore my depression and anxiety issues. That I had to stop and get healthy.

I cannot belive how time has flew by. SO much has happened. SO much has changed. I have become such a strong person. And I have all my strong supportive friends and family to thank.
I have learned many things about mental illness. About my own strengths and weaknesses. When to throw the towel in and take a break. I can now recognize my anxious feelings, or negative thoughts. I talk about them as soon as they surface, and I DEAL with them RIGHT AWAY. I have learned so much about balance, energy, and faith. Learned to filter the good and bad. The positive and negative. I truly am a better person, and am still continuing to work on ME.

So thank you again to family, friends, and my clients for being so AWESOME!!! I would not be where I am today if it weren't for you all. Also to all the wonderful information I have found on fantastic sites such as The Canadian Mental Health Association, New Path, Centre for Mental Health & Addiction and many others. It's these sites where I continue to receive information to educate my self and help educate others.

I am blessed and very grateful.

XO

Bullying is a BIG Problem...

When you hear the word “bully” you may think little kids in the school yard. Maybe 8 year old bugging a 6 year old for his toys or goodies in his lunch box. But bullying can happen at any age. Everyday thousands of kids, teens and adults wake up in fear to go to school or work because of bullying.

Studies show that people who are abused by their peers are at risk for mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, stress, depression, anxiety, even suicide.

“Bullying involves an initial desire to hurt, this desire is expressed in action, someone is hurt, the action is directed by a more powerful person or group, it is without justification, it is typically repeated, and it is done so with evident enjoyment." Ken Rigby ( 1998).

Forms of bullying include extortion, threats, malicious rumours, physical violence, damage to property.

Bullying includes behaviours that are verbal, physical, cyber instigated or anti-social, such as exclusion, gossip and non-verbal body language.

Now, living in a world of technology and various tools of social networking such as “twitter”, “facebook” and on line blogging, cyber-bullying may be harder on the victims than face to face name calling. Imagine the effects on someone after reading a mass “facebook” post bullying them, or posting rumors or personal information online. That hurtful information is available to the general public and can be easily accessed by many. Cyber victims may feel more isolated or helpless at the time of the attack rather than a victim from a face-to-face bully encounter. Cyber bullying can however, be traced and blocked.

A study on bullying by the University of British Columbia, based on 490 students (half female, half male) in Grades 8-10 in a B.C. city in the winter of 1999, showed:

·  64 per cent of kids had been bullied at school.

·  » 12 per cent were bullied regularly (once or more a week).

·  » 13 per cent bullied other students regularly (once or more a week).

·  » 72 per cent observed bullying at school at least once in a while.

·  » 40 per cent tried to intervene.

·  » 64 per cent considered bullying a normal part of school life.

·  » 20-50 per cent said bullying can be a good thing (makes people tougher, is a good way to solve problems, etc.).

·  » 25-33 per cent said bullying is sometimes OK and/or that it is OK to pick on losers.

·  » 61-80 per cent said bullies are often popular and enjoy high status among their peers.

Source: Centre For Youth Social Development, UBC Faculty of Education

Bullying Stats and Facts:

One in seven Canadian children aged 11 to 16 are victims of bullying

Bullying occurs once every 7 minutes on the playground and once every 25 minutes in the classroom

Adults who were bullied as children are more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood.

Source: Craig &. Pepler, 1997

2 in 5 parents report their child has been involved in a cyberbullying incident; 1 in 4 educators have been cyber-harassment victims.

38% of girls online report being bullied, compared with 26% of online boys.

Source: Microsoft's Truthyworthy Computing division

According to stopabully.ca

There are 3 R’s to Stop Bullying:

RECOGNIZE bullying.

Increase your understanding & awareness of bullying behaviour and its effects.   Recognize when you or someone you know is being bullied and take steps to make it stop.

REFUSE to be a Bully Bystander.

Most bullying would not occur if the bully did not have an "audience"...

• DO NOT Laugh if Someone is Being Teased
• DO NOT Go Watch a School Fight
• DO NOT Participate in Sending Hurtful Messages
• DO NOT Allow people to be Singled Out
• DO NOT Laugh at Inappropriate Jokes
• DO NOT Forward Private Messages to Others
• DO NOT Participate in Spreading Rumours
• DO NOT Stand By and Do Nothing
• DO NOT Be a Bully Bystander!

REPORT bullying.

If you are a victim of witness to bullying, Report It!   Talk to your parent, talk to a friend, talk to a coworker, talk to a teacher, talk to the counsellor, talk to the Principal, your boss or for students:  Report it Anonymously at Stop A Bully.   Tell someone so action can be taken to make the bullying stop.

The most important thing to remember if you are a victim of bullying is to talk to someone. There are many resources out there for you to report bullying anonymously such as:

Kids Help Phone

1-800-668-6868

Stop a Bully.ca

crimestoppers.ca