News
Bell Let’s Talk – Mental Health Support for Students and Staff
By Karissa Johnson, GDI Research & Communications Coordinator
Jan 30, 2023
Posted in: health
Bell Let’s Talk day is a campaign to promote conversations around mental health, with a goal of reducing stigma around mental illness. Reducing stigma, along with self-judgment or shame, can help people feel more empowered to seek support.
Mental health is the ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Tending to your mental health might look like talking through concerns with a professional. Mental health, along with emotional, physical, and spiritual health, contribute to wellbeing. Emotional health refers to awareness of feelings and being able to express them. Taking care of your emotional health might look like journaling about what is going well for you. Physical health includes taking care of your body and might look like going for a walk a few times a week. Finally, spiritual health refers to your sense of purpose and connection to life. Taking care of your spiritual health might look like spending more time outdoors. Interestingly, all of these facets are all intertwined; when you take care of one, you take care of the others. The most important thing is to take care of yourself in a way that works for you.
There can be challenges to accessing mental health resources, such as cost. Fortunately, the Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI) is partnered withGuard Me to provide 24/7 access to online mental health services to GDI students through keep.meSAFE. In addition, GDI staff have access to Employee & Family Assistance program, through LifeWorks. If you could use support, the complimentary programs are available through web links or through their respective apps (scan the QR code on the left to download).
For local resources, The Saskatchewan Health Authority offers a handful of free counselling resources (visit https://www.counsellingconnectsask.ca/#BookaSession). Major cities, (i.e., Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Regina, and Broadview) have designated healing centers at their major hospitals (https://www.saskhealthauthority.ca/your-health/conditions-diseases-services/indigenous-health/first-nations-and-metis-health-services). The Métis Nation—Saskatchewan also provides Métis culturally-specific support for adults, youth, and families, virtually or in-person. Their toll-free crisis line is 24/7 and is reachable at 1-855-671-5638.
As students and staff, wellbeing is important to prioritize to ensure you are showing up to your potential as often as possible. Everyone deserves to feel good, and that starts with taking care of oneself.
