Holiday festivities bring joy, laughter, and love. It may also bring stress, chaos, and a feeling of being overwhelmed. This holiday season, prioritize your own moments of quiet reflection to nurture a resilient spirit with resources on gratitude, resilience and mindfulness.
By embracing the present moment, we fortify our resilience against the inevitable stresses of the season. Mindfulness invites us to savour each joyous occasion, foster a deep sense of gratitude, and acts as a grounding force, allowing us to navigate challenges with grace amid the hustle and bustle.
On December 13th at 11 a.m. ET the Ask the Expert web with Dr. Christopher Willard PsyD, Clinical Psychologist and Author, will be on Mindfulness Techniques for the Holidays
Check out your LifeSpeak platform now! Log in using the Group Account option. The password is "wellness".
Please note: At the General Council Executive meeting in November, the Executive approved the termination of the current LifeSpeak contract. Plan members will still have access to the LifeSpeak resources until December 31, 2023.
Resilience isn’t only about bouncing back – it’s also being able to thrive through challenges. When you pair that with a mindful attitude, it allows you to approach situations with acceptance, curiosity, and in a non-judgmental way. These articles highlight the importance of incorporating resilience and mindfulness in your everyday life:
There are also great articles on general emotional well-being under the health & well-being section.
Therapy isn't a one-size-fits-all model. That's why GreenShield Canada is offering two free hours of virtual therapy for women to explore their mental health needs with a therapist who understands. This program is open to Canadians, 18 years and older, who are women, transgender women, women-identifying, non-binary and gender non-conforming, including people from racialized and/or marginalized groups who are underserved by the current mental health system.
This program is also open to friends and family who hold these above-named gender identities. The participant does not need to be a GreenShield plan member to use this service.
People who sign up for GreenShield Cares’ Women’s Mental Health Program, will receive two free hours of culturally sensitive talk therapy sessions and a complimentary subscription to online coach-assisted therapy (iCBT). The two hours of complimentary talk therapy expire on December 31, 2023.
Talking to someone who understands people’s unique and diverse needs can be immensely helpful for one’s healing journey.
GreenShield’s program offers a personalized counselling matching tool with over 50 matching options, including culture, race, language, and religion, to ensure people can find a mental health professional who shares and/or can relate to one’s identities and lived experiences. Hundreds of their certified practitioners identify as Indigenous or racialized so that people can find the right supports. If the certified mental health professional is not the right fit, that’s ok. It’s possible to book a consultation with another certified mental health professional, or they can help manually match participants to ensure finding a good fit for one’s journey.
The professionals recognize and acknowledge the intersection of race, Indigenous identities, individuals living with a disability and a range of gender identities, and aim to provide programming that is inclusive and accessible.
GreenShield Cares featured articles:
Book your two free hours of talk therapy here.
LifeSpeak
Conversations about, or acknowledging your own substance use or gambling can be challenging. However, by increasing our understanding of these issues, we can effectively reduce stigma and gain valuable insights into the connection between these behaviors and mental health.
When we create safe spaces and engage in meaningful dialogue around these topics, we open opportunities to reflect on how substance use and gambling impact our lives.
If you are contemplating your relationship with a habit, or supporting someone who might be struggling in one of these areas, LifeSpeak’s experts can help. They will guide you through a series of educational resources designed to equip you with the tools to make small, yet impactful changes in your own life and / or assisting those you care about.
On October 25 at 12:00 p.m. ET the Ask the Expert web with Dr. Jonah Paquette PsyD, Clinical Psychologist, Author, Speaker, will be on strategies to protect your mental health.
Check out your LifeSpeak platform now! Log in using the Group Account option. The password is "wellness".
Workhealthlife
Our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) on the workhealthlife site has an entire section dedicated to addictions – whether it be for you or a supporting a loved one. Here are a few articles that could help make those difficult conversations, a little less daunting:
There are also great articles on mental health, and emotional well-being. EFAP is a support service that can help you take the first step toward change, and provides immediate and confidential assistance for any work, health or life concern.
Psychological wellness doesn’t just make us feel good—it makes us more resilient. It helps us overcome challenging situations and stay connected to others. As some of us will return to work after the Summer break, LifeSpeak experts are sharing some tools along the topic of health and safety at work, creating a mentally healthy workplace and much more. Discover the resources to learn more.
On August 22nd at 12:00 p.m. ET the Ask the Expert web chat will be on navigating the back to school transition.
Check out your LifeSpeak platform now! Log in using the Group Account option. The password is "wellness".
Summer has arrived, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers a variety of summer-themed resources to support your mental health.
Resources you can download include:
You can also download the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resource guide here.
For more information, please visit www.lifeworks-learning.com/?sfid=787&_sf_s=self%20care&_sft_audience=employeesrkplace Learning (lifeworks-learning.com).
Pride Month is celebrated by millions of people, and it’s a great time for everyone to embrace who they are and display it proudly. To celebrate, we’re sharing expert-led mental health and wellbeing resources on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and mental health. Discover these resources to learn more.
On June 21st at 12:00 p.m. ET the Ask the Expert web chat will be on Improving Your Well-being at Work.
Check out your LifeSpeak platform now! Log in using the Group Account option. The password is "wellness".
Everyone has their own mental health story and all are equally valuable. These different journeys showcase the importance of mental health care and why it’s needed for all. To raise awareness of mental health and promote well-being, we’re providing resources to support you and your loved ones.
On May 23rd at 12:00 p.m. ET the Ask the Expert web chat will be on Managing Mental Health in Times of Uncertainty.
Check out your LifeSpeak platform now! Log in using the Group Account option. The password is "wellness".