From May 1–7, it’s National Mental Health Week. This annual awareness-raising initiative is focused on bringing greater attention to mental health issues in Canada.
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) recognizes the importance of this week given the multitude of mental health issues which effect hundreds of thousands of people across the country.
“Whether it is depression, stress at work, or anxiety at home, mental health can impact almost any Canadian family at a given time across the lifespan,” says Dr. Natasha Caverley, President of CCPA. “An estimated 20 per cent of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime, and National Mental Health Week provides a perfect opportunity to shine a light on some of the issues people often struggle with in silence.”
While mental health has been receiving greater attention over the past several years, it is still of critical importance that awareness events exist to bring more heightened responsiveness to the issues many Canadians face on a daily basis.
“Mental health is something which encompasses so many different things, including addiction,” said Dr. Caverley. “As we’ve seen by reports in the media, addiction and the opioid health crisis are impacting Canada at an extremely alarming rate. National Mental Health Week provides an opportunity to talk more openly about some of the mental health issues, including addiction, impacting and influencing our communities and the people within them who need help.”
If you are looking for therapeutic support, go to www.ccpa-accp.ca, where you can search for a Canadian Certified Counsellor in your region. You can also find authoritative information about the profession of counselling and psychotherapy by visiting CCPA’s public website, www.talkingcanhelp.ca.
