Wellness Wednesday with Nicola Kimber - CMHA Regina

Mental health and physical health – what’s the difference? We know about physical

health. We know to brush our teeth, to eat healthy foods, to go for walks. We know that

ignoring our physical health can lead to negative consequences, like cavities, infections,

or sickness. But what about mental health? Is good mental health an absence of mental

illness? If we take care of our mental health, does that mean we won’t get mentally ill?

We’re going to answer some of these questions and talk about the Canadian Mental

Health Association Regina Branch and what we do there!

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) was founded in 1918 as a nation-

wide voluntary organization that aims to promote the mental health of all and support

the resilience and recovery of individuals experiencing mental illness. The Canadian

Mental Health Association (CMHA) Regina Branch serves the Regina area.

Mental health is a spectrum. Good mental health does not mean you are immune to

mental illnesses or mental health challenges, and poor mental health does not mean

you automatically have a mental illness. It’s important to look after your mental health

just as it’s important to look after your physical health. This is why the Member’s Club is

a huge draw to CMHA Regina. The Member’s Club is located at 1810 Albert Street in

Regina and is open to anyone 18 and older. The Member’s Club is open during the

week from 9am-4pm and serves a homemade lunch at noon for 25 cents! Here

members enjoy free access to games, activities, and outings such as going to Wascana

Trails, or touring the Government House. Skill-building support groups such as coping

with anxiety, learning about healthy relationships, and journalling are offered as well. As

everyone is on their own unique mental health journey, sometimes just chatting with

another member over coffee, or watching a movie with friends is the boost people need

to feel a little better.

Sometimes stigma prevents people from getting help. We’re scared that others might

look at us differently, or that society might label us. There is a societal lack of

understanding surrounding mental illness, and while recent years have seen the topic

gain traction, we still have a long way to go. Imagine if someone broke their leg and

didn’t acknowledge it. They keep trying to walk on it and don’t seek professional help.

The leg would likely get worse, and the person might experience other difficulties like

infections or fractures. Similarly, if someone ignores their mental illness, it can get

worse. It’s important to be able to acknowledge that anyone can have a mental illness,

and it is not something to be ashamed of.

At the CMHA Regina Member’s Club, people can feel more at ease, knowing that every

person who walks through our doors understands that we are all going through

something, and that mental illness and mental health challenges are very real. Being

able to walk into a room and know that everyone at the table has experienced a mental

illness or mental health challenge is a visual and mental reminder that we are not alone.

When we feel alone and like no one cares, a kind smile from another member or a

simple greeting from staff can transform those thoughts.

CMHA Regina also has a vocational program, which provides training and employment

opportunities for individuals living with a mental illness. This includes a food service

program, where trainees will help prepare a warm homemade meal to the members at

the Member’s Club. Janitorial and work crew opportunities are also part of this program.

The aim of the vocational program is to allow individuals living with mental illnesses to

gain employable skills with the understanding that everyone is at a different part of their

mental health journey. As working full time can be a huge step from being unemployed,

the vocational program works to slowly bring people back into the workforce and

connects with job opportunities in the community who are accommodating to this.

Approximately one in five Canadians are living with a mental illness – likely even more

so, as many do not report it. There are stigmas and myths which surround mental

illness in our society and culture. For instance, the myth that individuals living with a

mental illness are unemployable is simply not true. Statistically there are hundreds of

thousands of people in Canada living with a mental illness who are in the workforce.

Living with a mental illness does not mean suffering from a mental illness. While there

are many who are in need of help, there are also many who manage their illness.

Mental illnesses are not so different from physical illnesses. When people hear that

individuals living with a mental illness are in the workforce, sometimes they feel unease.

However, individuals living with a physical illness, such as diabetes, may be treated

differently than those with a mental illness. Just as an individual living with diabetes can

regulate their illness with insulin, an individual living with a mental illness can also

manage their illness.

At the Canadian Mental Health Association Regina Branch, we strive to break the

stigma against mental health and mental illnesses. We work to be a safe, fun place for

individuals living with a mental illness and to ensure they can get help when they need

it. Within our community engagement program, we work with various businesses,

schools, and organizations to deliver presentations and workshops on the importance

mental health and looking after it as well as providing an understanding of the difference

between mental health and mental illnesses – all in order to help reduce the stigma that

often surrounds it. Together we can fight against mental health stigma and for

understanding, curiosity, and compassion. Everyone has mental health. Everyone can

make a difference.

- Nicola Kimber, Canadian Mental Health Association Regina Branch

www.cmharegina.com