Self-care has become a popular topic in recent years and we are often told we need to practice it for the benefit of our mental health. But what is it? It is the intentional way we take care of our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. It is about taking care of ourselves so we are better able to manage everyday stresses. It is preemptively managing our overall health. Often we are told self-care includes bubble baths, yoga, meditation or taking care of our basic needs (i.e. getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, healthy eating, etc.). While these are all great examples, self-care is so much more than that and unique to each individual. What makes one individual feel at peace and well, may not for someone else. What is great about practicing self-care in one area of well-being, is that it often has an impact on the others as well. Below are some ideas to include in a self-care routine that can even be incorporated into a busy life: Physical: 5-15 minutes of direct sunlight - vitamin D has so many incredible benefits Go for a walk Pre-make a breakfast you look forward to having the next morning Have a treat Hygiene practices that make you feel good (skin care routine, hot shower/bath, spending extra time on yourself, trying a new look, brushing your teeth, etc.) Exercise that you look forward to and doesn’t feel like a chore Move your body in small ways (i.e. stretching during a Netflix binge) Emotional: Set and maintain boundaries - this sets the standards for how we want to be treated by others Seek connection: surround yourself with healthy relationships, engage in activities that interest you, regularly spend time with those who make you feel loved Take a pause: take a break from a task that is becoming too much, allow yourself down time and rest, use your vacation days for you Be aware of the media you consume: pay attention if you are feeling drained, stressed, heightened, or experience decreased mood after a show, movie, podcast, listening to particular music, or scrolling social media Mental: Unplug: take time to unplug from the tv, phone, computer etc. Constant intake of information is overwhelming for our brain and can also make us feel lethargic or foggy Set a timer for 15 minutes (or whatever time frame that feels right for you) and try to accomplish one task. Having a brain bogged down by an endless to-do list is exhausting. Doing something small can lessen the load and make us feel accomplished. Do more of what you love - hobbies, activities, visiting new or favourite places Get extra support when needed - ask family/friends for help, connect with a therapist, make that doctor’s appointment Try gratitude - shifting our focus on what we are grateful for, when possible, can shift our entire mindset and reduce negative thoughts Spiritual: Spend time in the places that bring you peace and connection - [...]

Many clients ask about what to do over the summer months with therapy sessions. The warm weather, beach days and vacations can certainly improve our mood, but it’s important to remember that consistency with your care helps to maintain progress you have made and can help prevent setbacks with your mental health. In this blog we break down some important points to consider for adults and children when it comes to their care over the summer months. For Adults Summer can feel easier but that’s not always true: Longer days and sunshine help, but stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue don’t disappear with warm weather. Mental health care isn’t just for crisis moments: It’s also about maintaining progress, routines, and emotional strength, just like physical fitness. Gaps in therapy can stall growth: Even a short pause can make it harder to return or undo some momentum that you have built up previously. Consider flexible care: Summer is a great time to switch to biweekly sessions, use online therapy, or check in monthly with intention. Self-care does not mean solo care: Vacations and beach days are refreshing, but they’re not a substitute for structured support if you're navigating anxiety, depression, or healing. For Kids & Teens:  Summer changes their routine, not their needs: Just because school’s out doesn’t mean emotions stop. In fact, summer can bring to surface some new anxieties as it relates to identity, friendships, transitions, or boredom. Boredom often drives teenagers to make drastic decisions during summer months. Proactively get them engaged in setting goals to work on for the summer. It’s a great time to go deeper: Without school stress, many kids are more open and present in sessions. Consistency builds safety: Therapy can be a constant, supportive anchor during a season with fewer rules. Tailor therapy to feel lighter: Some therapists offer more creative, play-based, or nature-integrated sessions in summer. This is perfect for younger clients. Include mental health in your summer wellness plan: Just like sunscreen and hydration, don’t forget emotional care this summer. Final Thoughts: Therapy doesn't always have to be intense, but it should stay intentional. Summer can be a time of growth, connection, and healing, not just a break. If you are interested in learning more about our team and how we can support you, or a loved one, give us a call at 519.302.2300 or email reception@brantmentalhealth.com

Many of us think of exercise from a purely physical standpoint and whilst it is great as a way of promoting healthy joints and muscles and has many cardiac benefits, there is also a lot of research that shows the benefits of exercise on our mental health. Exercise is one of the most effective, accessible, and natural ways to support your mental health. Whether it’s a walk around the block, dancing in your kitchen, or swimming with your kids, physical activity can have a profound impact on your mood, stress levels, and overall mental wellbeing. It’s also something that doesn’t have to cost anything, depending on the type of exercise you choose. Why does exercise make us feel better? When you move your body, your brain releases chemicals like endorphins, which are known to elevate mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Regular exercise also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, like cortisol, and helps improve sleep, focus, and self-esteem. This type of exercise does not need to be intense, or time consuming to provide you with benefits. Here are some simple ideas to get you started: Go for a walk with a friend This has the benefit of physical exercise and social connection. If you have a friend who understands your mental health struggles too, it can be a good way to connect in nature and talk about the things you are both going through. Put some music on and dance This is one I enjoy in my home with my kids. Getting your children involved in exercise and movement also teaches them about the importance of movement on mental health and gives them something to add to their wellness toolbox. Lift some light weights If you struggle with walking, jogging etc, try lifting some light weights, this can even be done from a seated position. Chair yoga is also a good option for those who prefer exercise that can be done seated. Go for a swim This is something that can be enjoyed with friends and family, especially as we head into the warmer weather. This is also a great low impact exercise option for those with chronic pain. Take your kids to the park and play a game Taking a soccer ball, basketball or baseball to the park can be a good way to get out and exercise. Nature scavenger hunts or checking out a new trail are also fun ways to exercise and balance parenting responsibilities. Try incorporating exercise into your day, for example, going for a walk after dinner each day, or early in the morning before your day starts. Exercising during mental health struggles can feel counterintuitive and it can be a challenge for those who are dealing with severe low mood. If you have a trusted friend in your life, reach out to them and look for creative ways to be active with the support of a friend or loved one. Final Thoughts: Exercise is not [...]

Graduating from post-secondary education is a milestone that many people find both exciting and overwhelming. For the first time, the main focus is no longer attending classes and completing assignments, and the future seems wide open. With fewer daily constraints, the world feels full of possibility. But, as freeing as this phase can be, it can also feel uncertain, leaving many people wondering: What's next? Embrace the Uncertainty There’s a lot to consider, repaying student loans, finding a job, figuring out housing, and navigating newfound freedom. It can feel like a lot to juggle all at once, and that's completely normal. But here’s something worth remembering: the uncertainty and challenges you’re facing are part of the process. What comes next might not always be what you expect, but that’s okay. In fact, it’s often in the unexpected that we find the most growth. Career Opportunities: What You Can Expect (And What You Can’t) Many believe that having a degree automatically opens the doors to career opportunities. While that’s true for some, it’s not always the case. It’s possible you might not land your dream job right away, or you might even find that the job you thought was perfect for you isn’t everything you thought it would be. But life has a way of throwing curveballs, and these challenges can lead to unexpected rewards that you never would have dreamed of. Many young people pass up job offers, holding out for the hypothetical “perfect” job, which can lead to feeling unmotivated, questioning their abilities, and even feeling hopeless. It is perfectly fine to start with a job you didn't expect to have. This first job may not seem like the dream job, but sometimes these early roles provide valuable experience, broaden your perspective, and offer lessons that become essential down the road. Other times, it’s the people you meet in less-than-ideal circumstances—whether as coworkers or mentors—who help shape your journey in the best ways possible. If you’re having a hard time getting started and have a job opportunity that you aren’t sure about, take a moment to consider the following three things: Does this job offer valuable experience that will enhance your resume and open doors for future career opportunities? Are there clear opportunities for growth within this role that could help you move closer to your long-term career goals? Make a pros and cons, or risk-to-benefit list. This can help you visualize the reasons to take or decline a job offer. Remember, only you can decide what you’re willing to compromise in the short term for your long-term success. Finally, remember that taking one job does not mean that you’re stuck. If you don’t enjoy it or if it doesn’t work out, you can continue your job search and move on to the next thing! As an added reminder, if your dream job does present itself after you've already accepted another offer, the worst-case scenario is that you can gracefully withdraw from the first [...]

For generations, men have been taught to "suck it up," "be strong," and "deal with it." But here’s the truth: silence isn’t strength and suppressing what you're feeling doesn’t make you resilient, it leaves you exhausted. Men are often expected to carry pressure without complaint, provide without pause, and succeed without struggle. But that pressure builds. It turns into burnout, disconnection, and in far too many cases, untreated depression and anxiety. This is why men’s mental health is not just important, it’s a necessity. Caring for your mental health isn’t about being weak. It’s about being human. 5 Small (But Powerful) Ways Men Can Support Their Mental Health: Ditch the Lone Wolf Mentality: You’re not meant to carry everything on your own. Whether it’s a friend, a therapist, or a group chat. Open up in small, honest ways. Connection doesn’t just help it heals. Move to Shift Your Mood: You don’t need to hit the gym like a superhero. Just move, walk, stretch, dance. Do pushups in your room. Physical movement is one of the most reliable mood boosters we have. Take Your Mental Diet Seriously: What you consume affects how you feel. That includes the news, social media, conversations, and even your inner voice. Be intentional with what you feed your mind. Learn the Language of Emotion: You don’t need to turn into a poet, but being able to say “I feel frustrated” instead of “I’m fine” is a game changer. Name what you are feeling, and you take away its power to weigh you down. Redefine Strength: True strength isn’t staying silent, it’s being real. It’s asking for help when you need it. It’s showing up for yourself, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable. You’re not just allowed to care about your mental health, you deserve to. Because your peace, your clarity, and your confidence matter. Not just for those around you, but for you as well. Feel free to reach out to us for more information, or if you would like to book a consultation with someone on our team.

It is every parent's worst nightmare when their child is diagnosed with a chronic illness. Life changes in an instant and becomes centred around medical appointments, procedures, managing daily life and trying to give your child the best quality of life possible as they come to terms with an impactful diagnosis. For the child themselves, this can be an extremely stressful and confusing time as they adapt to significant changes in their life and their health. It may be no surprise that children who have chronic health conditions are at an increased risk of developing psychological difficulties, as are their families and caregivers. Some risk factors for psychological issues include: How much pain the condition causes, How visible the illness is, How much the illness impacts daily life, Any cognitive difficulties experienced. During the process of being diagnosed, and immediately after, the focus is typically on treatment options, appointments, and potentially lifestyle changes. While this is completely normal, we often forget the mental component to any illness, regardless of age. Children may be sitting in appointments with adults talking over them, making decisions for them and feel a complete loss of control over their body and what is happening to them. What to look out for in your child after a new diagnosis: Withdrawal from friends, family or activities they previously enjoyed, School refusal or not participating in the same way at school, Emotional outbursts that seem disproportionate to the situation, or out of character for them, Difficulty or resistance in getting them to participate in appointments or make necessary lifestyle changes, Changes to sleep patterns, Changes to eating patterns, Anxious or racing thoughts, Becoming self-conscious (particularly if their illness is “visible” in any way), Becoming more fearful of other things happening, for example, getting another illness, getting into an accident, losing someone, fearing death, Ruminating on things that happened at the hospital, or mentioning vivid “flashbacks” and struggling to move beyond procedures or experiences in the hospital. You may also notice some of these signs in their siblings or other family members as you all adjust to this big shift in your life. Some tips for supporting your child through a chronic illness: 1. Have age appropriate conversations: It’s important to have conversations that are age appropriate with your child around their illness. Depending on where they are developmentally it can be helpful to use pictures as a way of helping them understand what is happening in their body. For some children it might be helpful to fill in a body outline that can be used as a reference point to discuss from. When our son was diagnosed with a chronic illness, his specialist at the hospital provided us with a drawing of him that showed him exactly what was happening in his body and where. I have placed an example below: 2. Be mindful of “concrete” thinking in children: Depending on where your child is in their development, they may not fully understand [...]

What is ADHD and how does anxiety factor in? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Anxiety is a natural emotion that embodies feelings of worry, nervousness or fear. Anxiety becomes disordered when it manifests itself into thoughts, physical responses, and behaviours that are maladaptive. We often hear from parents that their child who experiences anxiety is now being identified at school as possibly having ADHD, which can come as a shock to them. However, this actually makes sense and is quite common as ADHD and anxiety have some overlapping characteristics. Some of these overlapping characteristics include: Inattention, Trouble focussing, Emotional instability, Low self-esteem, Outbursts, Overstimulation, Problems with social skills. How we understand these as signs of ADHD or as signs of anxiety depends on the lens we are seeing them through, some questions to ask are: Is this a struggle of the brain or is this an emotional response? Is it hard for your child to focus because they have a hard time paying attention in general or are they experiencing racing thoughts? Are they overstimulated from the need to move around or from experiencing overwhelming and intense feelings? Are they having trouble with friends because of their behaviours or because they have isolated themselves due to excessive worry? Understanding the reasons behind the behaviour is key to determining if your child has a possible diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety, or both. A psychological assessment or appointment with your doctor can determine the diagnosis and next steps to best support your child. If you are interested in learning more about how our team can support diagnosis and provide mental health support call us at 519.302.2300 or email reception@brantmentalhealth.com To watch a video from one of our social workers about ADHD, head to this facebook link https://www.facebook.com/BrantMentalHealthSolutions/videos/283035674648877

Being a new parent (or second time, third, etc.) brings on a myriad of changes and feelings. It is adapting to a new role and identity while also sometimes feeling like you are losing other parts of yourself. It is feelings of happiness, sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, exhaustion, fulfillment and/or insecurity. All this on top of trying to physically heal from pregnancy and birth. Parental leave is designed to allow that time to heal while also time to bond with the baby, but being home alone with a baby can be an isolating experience. Taking care of the baby can be all consuming and can often feel like the focus is only on the baby by service providers and family/friends. Please remember, as a parent and as a human being, that your mental well-being is just as important. Below are some tips to help you prioritize your mental health while on maternity leave. 1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Your baby will have several check ups throughout their first year of life. These appointments are as much about the baby's overall health as they are touch points for you to check in. You can connect with your doctor at these appointments if you are struggling and need additional mental health support. If family or friends are offering to help, take it. Whether that is taking the baby so you can do something for yourself or helping with tasks. 2. Stay Connected: It is easy to become isolated and confined to home taking care of a newborn but this can set you up for ruminating thoughts and feed into intense feelings. You need time to connect with other adults and time to feel like yourself beyond being a parent. If you have a partner, try to make time together. Remember you are partners, not just parents. If you don’t have family or friends nearby, there are many wonderful parent and baby programs in our community through the EarlyON Centres and Kids Can Fly. 3. Manage Your Expectations: It is okay if the dishes don’t get done today. It is okay if your body has changed. Taking care of a baby is exhausting and a full time job so it is not as easy to be as productive as we once were or make it to the gym if that was part of our routine before. If you are parenting with a partner, checking in with each other about the other’s expectations in regards to sharing the workload is important so neither feel resentful or burnt out. Be transparent about your needs. 4. Honour Your Feelings: Caring for a baby while on maternity leave can sometimes make you feel disconnected from the rest of the world (especially during those 3am wake ups!). It is okay if you don’t feel happy or as in love with the baby as everyone expects you to be. You might feel many contradictory feelings and that is okay. Acknowledge them, [...]

Cultural practices do impact people’s beliefs, way of life, and willingness to access mental health services. Mental health is deeply influenced by culture. Our culture entails our values, beliefs, and our overall way of life. How we express emotions, seek support, and even how we define strength can vary widely in different cultures. If you're struggling with your mental health in a culture that stigmatizes it, there are some ways to navigate it: 1. Honor Your Feelings: Just because your culture may not openly discuss mental health doesn’t mean your struggles aren’t real. Your emotions are valid. 2. Redefine Strength: Many cultures view suppressing emotions as "strong," but true resilience comes from acknowledging and addressing them. Ignoring our emotions only suppresses them until we can no longer hold them down. We need to process our emotions by finding safe avenues to do so. 3. Find Safe Spaces: Seek out culturally sensitive therapists, support groups, or online communities where you feel understood. 4. Bridge the Gap: If loved ones don’t get it, educate them gently. Share personal experiences or resources that resonate with your culture. 5. Self-Care Without Guilt:  Prioritizing your mental health isn’t selfish. It allows you to show up better for yourself and others. 6. Seek Culturally Aware Support:  Therapists and coaches with a background in your culture can help navigate mental health in a way that aligns with your values. Mental health is universal, but healing is personal. Take what serves you & leave the rest. And most importantly, when it comes to mental health please reach out and speak up. Do not remain silent thinking that mental health challenges will go away on their own. Seek opportunities to share with people who care and support you. Contact a professional, speak to a friend, call a crisis line. Help is available and you are not alone!

Indigenous people in Canada often face barriers when seeking support for their mental health for a variety of reasons. These barriers can make for a less comfortable experience seeking and receiving mental health supports that are offered across Canada. In this article, we will take a look at what some of these systematic and cultural barriers are, and how to handle the challenges that they present. Reasons Why Indigenous Peoples Face Barriers to Mental Health Supports  Intergenerational/Historical Trauma and Distrust: The Indigenous people of Canada have survived through many attempts of cultural genocide perpetrated by the Canadian Government and Churches (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2020). This history can be understood and recognized through the Residential School System, the 60s Scoop, and national policies which have, and continue to, systematically disadvantage the Indigenous population. This narrative makes it difficult for many people of indigenous heritage to trust Euro-Westernized healthcare systems, which offer mental health services. Many indigenous peoples have faced mistreatment by healthcare systems in the past, resulting in a hesitancy or reluctance to seek support from organizations that may be perceived as having a lack of awareness or understanding of this history (Bombay, Matheson, & Anisman, 2009). Different Views on Mental Health: In many Indigenous cultures, mental health is regarded as part of overall wellbeing, taking a holistic approach which includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects; focusing on the whole person, rather than just the mind. Traditionally, in Western ideals, mental health has been treated with a more singular approach focusing on the mind, which does not always consider the holistic nature of Indigenous ways of being, leaving Indigenous peoples receiving treatment feeling disconnected from their beliefs (Kirmayer, Brass, & Tait, 2003). This can create a gap in the trusting relationship between the client and service provider, making it difficult to feel supported and understood by their mental health professional. Stigma and Shame: In some Indigenous communities, individuals may feel a sense of embarrassment when seeking mental health support or fear of being judged by their family or community (Wexler, 2014). When one struggles independently, it can lead to Indigenous youth and adults using coping methods that do not support healthy overall well-being. Lack of Access to Services: There are many Indigenous communities located in rural or remote areas of Canada where services are not accessible without substantial travel and financial resources. Other barriers to access include lack of information regarding services, access to funding or programs such as the Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB), and long wait lists for off- or on-reserve services (National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health [NCCIH], 2019). How Can Indigenous Peoples Overcome These Barriers? Even though there are challenges, receiving support while simultaneously respecting Indigenous culture is still possible! Here are some ways to overcome potential barriers: Look for Culturally Sensitive Professionals and Agencies: Finding a mental health professional who has personal, academic, or professional knowledge and experience of Indigenous ways of being and culture can make a big difference. When [...]