County honours Mental Health Week with call for empathy

Strathcona County is celebrating Mental Health Week from May 2-8, encouraging residents to practice self-compassion and kindness to others after two years marked by disconnection.

Mental Health Week is a national initiative led by the Canadian Mental Health Association. This year, they’re calling Canadians to #GetReal about to how to help others by listening to and empathizing with their friends, family and neighbours.

For many in our community, the pandemic brought loneliness, financial stress, parenting challenges or other difficulties. In 2021, one in four adult Canadians screened positive for symptoms of anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), up from one in five in 2020, according to Statistics Canada.

“A lot of us are returning to activities, spaces and people we missed during the pandemic. Even as we celebrate, we can also acknowledge we’ve been through a lot,” says Bree Claude, director of Strathcona County Family and Community Services. “It’s essential we show up with kindness for ourselves and others.”

To help start the conversation on mental health, residents can enter the County’s online contest, running May 2-10. People are encouraged to use the online form to share how they take care of their mental health or support others — and be entered to win a prize basket (valued at $150). Visit strathcona.ca/MentalHealth to enter to win.

Together, everyone can seize this opportunity for reconnection. By showing kindness, a culture is created where asking for help is not only okay, but celebrated as a sign of strength.

The County’s Family and Community Services team is also here to help, offering counselling and other services that can support you through interpersonal relationships, parenting challenges, financial stress or any of life’s complications. Call 780-464-4044, and check out the new program guide at strathcona.ca/FCS for more information about programs and services.

For more information, including how to enter the online contest, visit strathcona.ca/MentalHealth.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595