“I’ve accomplished a lot, but it wasn’t an easy road.” Andrew’s recovery journey began in 2004 when he approached CMHA HKPR in Peterborough, Ontario, in search of supports for mental health, housing and budgeting. He had been struggling to secure housing due to anxiety, substance use, financial issues and a learning disability. Andrew found his […]Continue readingAndrew’s Story – CMHA Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge
By Diana Weeks, guest blogger As I sit in my sunny new kitchen, amid boxes in my new house, I am at peace. I am happy, and I am once again optimistic and excited for my future. But the reminder of how quickly things can go south for me if I don’t take care of my mental […]Continue readingDiana’s Story
By Scott Ste Marie We create all sorts of labels for ourselves as we progress through our lives and enter new career paths. We are doctors, advocates, CEOs, managers, consultants, speakers, etc. We give ourselves these labels because it helps us make sense of our place in the world and provides us with a sense […]Continue readingI’m Scott, I’m Human
At that heart of this CMHA story is MJ (and Juniper, the dog). MJ is a CMHA peer navigator and Juniper is her new pet therapy dog. Together, they are helping people find their way through the mental health system, and clearing a path to recovery. Peer support is emotional and practical support between two […]Continue readingMJ & Juniper’s Story – CMHA North & West Vancouver
By Nikki Mattocks, guest blogger I feel like I’m drowning, in an acid filled sea, I don’t know how to swim, I don’t know how to breathe My heart is so heavy, I can’t lift my head up I try to fake a smile but life is too tough I just want to scream but […]Continue readingThis too shall pass – a poem and a story
We’ve made progress on destigmatizing mental illness in recent years. I’ve made strides of my own, and the conversations I’ve had with friends and colleagues have given me not just hollow hope, but concrete confidence that things are headed in the right direction. There has been one conversation, however, that […]Continue readingWhy I Didn’t Tell My Boss I Have Bipolar Disorder — Until Now
