By Troy Gillard

open house

Recognizing Mental Health Week in Red Deer

Apr 30, 2019 | 4:52 PM

It seems few people in Red Deer are aware of the mental health support services that are available locally.

“Time after time again, this is proven in various surveys we do in the community,” says Christine Stewart, executive director for Canadian Mental Health Association – Central Alberta Chapter. “All of us feel like we are constantly trying to advertise our services. But until you need them you don’t know to look.”

As part of their effort to change this, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Central Alberta Region is hosting an open house event on Wednesday ahead of Mental Health Week.

The event at The Hub on Ross runs from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

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“We’re just trying to spread the word not only about the services we offer, but about the stigmas around mental health in general,” Stewart says. “This year we’ve decided to partner with some of the other organizations that do great work in the world of mental health.”

Those partners include Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre, Shalom Counselling Centre, The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation, Vantage Community Services and The Hub On Ross.

“We’d really like to bring attention to the fact that mental health affects five in five people. We all have mental health; it’s just a matter of where we are on the spectrum,” explains Stewart.

“Sometimes that’s situational. Sometimes it’s a lifelong struggle. But either way, statistically speaking, all of us have needed some type of mental health support sometime in our lives. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, that’s just reality.”

Stewart adds, “There is always more work to be done. Because mental health affects everyone, there definitely aren’t services for everyone at any given moment. But we have people that will help you navigate the systems. We have crisis counsellors at many of our organizations, free walk-in counselling, discounted counselling, physical health sometimes falls within the mental health spectrum, too.

“I think it’s just a matter of reaching out and all of us organizations working together to make sure no one falls between the cracks.”

Another open house event for Mental Health Month is scheduled for May 8.

Visit reddeer.cmha.ca to learn more.