February 2025 Resource Round-Up: Bullying & Suicide Prevention
Pink Shirt Day is observed annually on the last Wednesday of February, and this year, it falls on February 26. It’s a day dedicated to standing up against bullying and promoting kindness, empathy, and respect. It started back in 2007, when two grade 12 students in Nova Scotia bought and distributed 50 pink shirts after […]
January 2025 Resource Roundup: Conversation Guides
Throughout January, there are a few different awareness days that focus on mental health and wellbeing, including Bell Let’s Talk Day. To help support caring conversations about mental health and suicide prevention in our community, we’ve compiled some of our favourite conversation guides. BeThere.Org Be There – Mental health support BeThere.Org is a free resource […]
Suicide Prevention and Life Transitions: Older Adulthood
Older adults are typically understood to be those aged 65 and older. These adults are a growing proportion of the world’s population. In fact, Region of Waterloo estimates that by 20235, 1/5 residents will be considered to be older adults. (Region of Waterloo, 2022). It’s long been recognized that as a population group, older […]
Suicide Prevention and Life Transitions: Middle Adulthood
Middle adulthood can often bring its own unique challenges, many associated with specific transitions experienced during this life stage. Although there is no agreed upon definition of middle age and middle-adulthood, it can refer to a range of ages from 30 to 65. Some significant life transitions that may be experienced by mid-age adults […]
Suicide Prevention and Life Transitions: Young Adulthood
The transition to young adulthood is filled with new experiences and decisions to be made, including whether to attend post-secondary school, such as college or university. Beginning college or university can come with many significant changes which may impact a person’s mental health and wellbeing. Changes such as moving to a new city and/or […]
Suicide Prevention and Life Transitions
Suicide is a complex issue that affects individuals across the lifespan, from children and youth to older adults. While there is no single risk factor that can predict suicide, there may be an increased risk for suicide during specific life transitions. This is because life transitions often involve significant change, upheaval, and uncertainty which can […]
The Role of Libraries in Promoting Mental Health & Wellness in Communities
Libraries are often referred to as “third places,” a term popularized by sociologist Ray Oldenburg to describe places outside of home (the “first place”) and work or school (the “second place”). Third places, like libraries, are vital for mental health and wellness of a community. Third places help people to connect, unwind, and feel part […]
November 2024 Resource Round Up: Grief after Suicide
November is recognized as Grief Awareness Month, and is a time to remember. It’s also a time to learn how we can help support ourselves, and others, through our grief. To help you along your grief journey, we have curated a list of grief resources, including books, websites, and community organizations in Waterloo Region. You […]
#CompassionConnects: A Compassionate Community is a Resilient Community
Compassion is an emotional response to the struggles of others combined with a real, authentic desire to help lessen their suffering. Compassion is something we can extend to others, and to ourselves. Compassion can also be shared on an individual, group, and community level. Interestingly, a community that promotes, and practices compassion is often a […]
#CompassionConnects: Keeping Safe with Self-Compassion
Compassion is an emotional response to the struggles of others combined with a real, authentic desire to help lessen their suffering. Although compassion is often discussed as a way to help others, we can also show compassion to ourselves, through developing self-compassion. According to researcher and author Kristin Neff, “self-compassion refers to being supportive towards […]