Join us as Katrina talks about the supports needed to live with positive mental health and specifically the Rural Mental Health Project in Alberta.
Join us as Katrina talks about the supports needed to live with positive mental health and specifically the Rural Mental Health Project in Alberta.
00:00:00 Teresa
Welcome to the voice of Albertans with disabilities. AKA Vad Societies first podcast of 2022, I'm Teresa Jackson.
00:00:08 Teresa
Your host and VAD program and service manager.
00:00:11 Teresa
Thanks for joining us today.
00:00:13 Teresa
In today's podcast, I'll be talking to Katrina Bro and one of her many different community hats.
00:00:18 Teresa
We will talk about mental health.
00:00:20 Teresa
And it's effects on individuals, the community, and specifically rural Alberta.
00:00:25 Teresa
Mental health is a very important topic and the repercussions to the community as it pertains to inclusion, accessibility and full participation are often untold.
00:00:34 Teresa
One of Katrina's many roles in the community is the president for Voice of Albertans with disabilities. But she is also an avid participant in the rural mental health.
00:00:44 Teresa
Projecten has some great knowledge about mental health supports.
00:00:48 Teresa
I wanted to get her on the show to share her insights with you and talk about mental health as it affects individuals with the.
00:00:54 Teresa
With the disability.
00:00:56 Teresa
Together we hold the power.
00:00:57 Teresa
Please welcome Katrina.
00:00:59 Katrina
Thank you so much.
00:01:00 Katrina
I'm excited to be here today with you.
00:01:02 Teresa
Awesome thank you.
00:01:04 Teresa
Can you take a moment and just briefly reintroduce yourself and tell us about the hat that you're wearing in regards to mental health?
00:01:10
Right?
00:01:11 Katrina
Sure, absolutely so.
00:01:13 Katrina
As Teresa mentioned, my name is Katrina Bro and I am the President of the Voice of Albertans with disabilities as well as on many other boards for neurological conditions like the Edmonton Epilepsy Association and others as well and also the rural mental health advocate for the.
00:01:31 Katrina
Area of Saint Albert and also contribute into the rural mental health project of our province and really lifting up mental health.
00:01:39 Katrina
And this has become near and dear to my heart, because as a person that has really grown up with a lot of different mental health challenge.
00:01:48 Katrina
Is it's something that I really wanted to shine a light on because so many times in so many small towns it's really shunned upon and in my health journey as I grew up, I also lived with epilepsy, dyslexia, a whole verse of adverse childhood experiences or with many layers of trauma.
00:02:06 Katrina
And all of these contributed.
00:02:08 Katrina
Two mental health roller coasters that I was always going up and down.
00:02:12 Katrina
Going on, but choosing to make positive pivots for myself and others living with neurological challenges and really discovering methods to rise to new levels to create ripples and positive effects within our community has been really important for me and one of the ways I love to lift others through connection.
00:02:32 Katrina
With others is to realize that we're all walking similar journeys.
00:02:37 Katrina
And you're never alone, we just need to make that connection to really discover and be supportive of other people in our areas.
00:02:46 Katrina
And as a Community member, I wear many hats as Teresa has said and love the many ways of bringing commonality to others, which makes us all feel.
00:02:57 Katrina
The power of acceptance and true connection.
00:03:00 Katrina
Then you know I am a rural mental health community animator supporting the wonderful community of St Albert, AB and I love to inspire positive pivots of connection in our community and empowerment as we build relationships, gaining real social connection and open conversations that truly listen.
00:03:20 Katrina
To the needs and ways that community members may be falling through the cracks of our regular systems.
00:03:28 Katrina
And I know in my journey I truly did fall through many different cracks and many different ages.
00:03:34 Katrina
You know whether it was a child dealing with issues of extreme controversy and school, or a team or adults, and and all levels of these issues and any community members with an interest in catalyzing, you know, group conversations around mental health and well being.
00:03:52 Katrina
It's it's important for us to get together.
00:03:54 Katrina
And together we can stimulate, you know, great trust, tolerance, understanding as well as acceptance of those needs within the Community that make connections and positive transformation process.
00:04:07 Katrina
People for individuals as well as our community, and that's what our rural mental health project is really about and why I love it so much.
00:04:15 Teresa
Awesome, that was pretty awesome.
00:04:18 Teresa
Before we jump into the rural mental health project in detail, can you give us a quick definition of what mental health is is compared to mental illness and what are some experiences that can be influenced either positively or negatively, for mental health?
00:04:35 Katrina
Absolutely well.
00:04:36 Katrina
When you look at mental health, all Albertans have mental health.
00:04:41 Katrina
We all struggle with mental health at times, stepping into a Community approach really lightens the impact on all of us and truly lifts our mental Wellness and mental Wellness is really important when it comes to mental health.
00:04:56 Katrina
I believe that mental health includes a wide range of emotional, psychological and social well being that really needs a unique balance to to keep all of us stable and many times little things chip away at that foundation.
00:05:11 Katrina
It affects how we think, act and feel.
00:05:13 Katrina
It also determines how we handle stresses relate to each other and make daily choices for me.
00:05:19 Katrina
My mental health has been very important at every stage of my life due to the unique experiences that I faced as a child.
00:05:27 Katrina
You know, I I grew up with both my parents having multiple.
00:05:31 Katrina
Divorce is extreme levels of abuse as well as having a neurological comp.
00:05:36 Katrina
Occasions as a child that didn't really fit in the regular school system and and really felt that swirling drain of depression coming on and and and not having the self confidence to really be who I needed to be for my mental health to really be stabilized.
00:05:53 Katrina
And you know, and and really looking at, you know.
00:05:56 Katrina
Challenges that I had as a child as a teen.
00:05:59 Katrina
As an adult, a newly married woman, a new mother and employee menopausal.
00:06:04 Katrina
Common caregiver for my family members as well as working in geriatric and palliative care and the pressures on the front lines, not only in COVID, but even before that a life coach.
00:06:16 Katrina
A businesswoman and.
00:06:17 Katrina
Many other special hats that I wear, as well as all of the rest of us that where many of these hats and.
00:06:24 Katrina
You know when we think about you, know your mood and our behaviors and our thought process.
00:06:29 Katrina
All of these different things were affected by not only our biological factors like genetics and unique brain chemistry, and for me it's also the aspect of living with epilepsy and all the different medications that I would be placed on and off and and all the side effects I was dealing with as well as living with dyslexia and depression and combines of all of those things.
00:06:50 Katrina
And also by my life experiences of really rebuilding from many broken pieces of my foundational operating as well as the family history of the whole spectrum of mental health challenges from my parents life experiences as well as their parents.
00:07:06 Katrina
You know my my parents were children of World War Times and their parents were, you know, living the the impacts of war with all other different complications of mental health that many times were shunned and and just sort of, you know, suck it up and and move on and and and society really didn't embrace the way to help each other.
00:07:27 Katrina
And I think we really need to do that.
00:07:28 Katrina
So many things in our life can be influenced by mental health.
00:07:32 Katrina
And you know when you look at things like our eating habits or our sleeping habits, interactions with others, and our activities as we participate or pull away from different.
00:07:43 Katrina
States and they all have impacts on us in ways that sometimes we don't see, but we sometimes need to step away and allow that reflection and be honest with what we see in that reflection, whether that be you know, having low energy levels, having expected pain, unexpected pains that come up in our body or feelings.
00:08:03 Katrina
That go up and down like a rollercoaster of hopelessness and confusion.
00:08:07 Katrina
Fervet, forgetfulness, anger, worry, and all of these things.
00:08:10 Katrina
Kind of pull us at at times and.
00:08:12 Katrina
And we experience extreme mood swings that can cause problems in our relationships or friendships or even our marriages.
00:08:20 Katrina
And I love that the picture of you know, when you mentally think of going and taking a beautiful hike to the top of the mountain and looking out at the beautiful scenery there and putting your blanket down to have a picnic but.
00:08:32 Katrina
Focusing on instead of that beauty, the ants that are coming on the.
00:08:36 Katrina
Picnic blanket and.
00:08:37 Katrina
Many times our mental health works very similar.
00:08:39 Katrina
Where these ants are like the automatic negative thoughts that come in and invade us from really seeing the beauty around us and we need to make some of those pivots sometimes to do.
00:08:49 Katrina
That because you know it can come towards in abilities to perform daily tasks or even self care for ourselves and also leading to things like drinking and other complications.
00:08:59 Katrina
But although there are many negative effects to mental health, there are just as many positive experiences and we need to understand both sides of the spectrum to really see a clear vision.
00:09:09 Katrina
Into our own.
00:09:10 Katrina
Mental health areas.
00:09:11 Katrina
And you know, with positive mental health, it really allows us to reflect and choose to make some pivots in our life.
00:09:19 Katrina
You know when we when we see some of the positive focuses, it helps us to realize.
00:09:24 Katrina
Our full pit.
00:09:25 Katrina
You know, if I if I believed what I was necessarily told by my different diagnosis, I'll just sit on the couch and wait to die.
00:09:32 Katrina
But that's not.
00:09:33 Katrina
What I want for.
00:09:34 Katrina
My life we have to realize.
00:09:35 Katrina
That we all have.
00:09:37 Katrina
Potential no matter what our challenges with living with diverse cities and challenges of our disabilities that are there and really learning new skills to manage our stress a little better work more productively.
00:09:51 Katrina
Whether that be alone or with others.
00:09:54 Katrina
Utilize different methods and maintain.
00:09:56 Katrina
Good positive mental health with connecting with other people and especially during times of COVID, there're so many.
00:10:03 Katrina
The levels of of isolation that chip away at us too, because social connection is important, even if it is through zoom, we can.
00:10:12 Katrina
Still, you know, give each other a little warm fuzzies and and smiles, and hear that.
00:10:16 Katrina
Little little, you know, connection that we.
00:10:19 Katrina
Need to have.
00:10:20 Katrina
And in utilizing ways to connect with other, you know and choose to see new visions and and positive perspectives in your life.
00:10:27 Katrina
If we only.
00:10:28 Katrina
Focus on the negative.
00:10:29 Katrina
It continues to weigh us down and swirl that drain of depression and we need to become something as physically active.
00:10:35 Katrina
You don't need to be an athlete tomorrow, but you could take a small walk and choose it.
00:10:40 Katrina
To get out of bed, get that fresh air and just do something as basic.
00:10:44 Katrina
Take a walk and for me this was very important.
00:10:46 Katrina
One of the things I loved to embrace was the power of vitamin N, and that's nature and really getting out and taking in the the amazing, uplifting experience of just putting yourself in nature.
00:10:58 Katrina
It doesn't matter what season you're in, or you know how embraced you need to be.
00:11:02 Katrina
You don't need to necessarily be at the top of the mountain.
00:11:04 Katrina
It can just be the park next to you and just being there to really embrace the healing powers of being out in nature.
00:11:11 Katrina
And you know, I love to also look at the ways of volunteering and how we can all aid each other by taking volunteer opportunities which also lifts our own.
00:11:20 Katrina
Mood and you know getting enough sleep and making our sleep area encouraging.
00:11:25 Katrina
Because even when we try to sleep, if your bedroom is packed with electronics and all kinds of different things that are continually beeping at you and or you, you don't have comfort in your bed or or all these different things.
00:11:38 Katrina
Or you know the lights not.
00:11:40 Katrina
Good for you.
00:11:41 Katrina
You need to make sure that these things.
00:11:42 Katrina
Are also taken.
00:11:43 Katrina
Care of and you know, all of these, contribute to ways that we can develop new coping skills for dealing with our mental health journey.
00:11:51 Katrina
And and health is so much more than the absence of disease.
00:11:55 Katrina
But you know, ways we can bring clarity to aspirations of new desires to make a change, because we can either choose to embrace our our labeling and be that victim mentality and say, well, I guess this is me, I'm just.
00:12:10 Katrina
Going to be this level of disability or challenge or what?
00:12:13 Katrina
Have you or really?
00:12:14 Katrina
Take a positive health focus and really enable looking at things from a different perspective, not only looking at our health and how enable.
00:12:23 Katrina
Social, economic, personal development with all levels of contributing towards our well being and all of these areas either chip away or lift and we can encourage each part of that.
00:12:36 Katrina
You know we have many we have abilities to increase.
00:12:40 Katrina
Control over all creative positive improvements along our health journey and the only person who can make those changes is you.
00:12:49 Katrina
And you know you can say, well, you know woulda could a shooter or at somebody else is responsibility.
00:12:54 Katrina
Or you know I got a divorce.
00:12:56 Katrina
So really all these issues are my husband's problem or it's my parents problem because they did this to me when I was a kid. But when the rubber hits the road, we as individuals are the one who chooses to make.
00:13:09 Katrina
Those pivots and that can be as simple as getting out of bed in the.
00:13:12 Katrina
Morning it's our.
00:13:14 Katrina
Choice to make these little pivots and the things you know these things.
00:13:18 Katrina
Can you know, be all kinds of things around us that you know.
00:13:24 Katrina
It can be things that we find peace and security and safe housing, you know, choosing to become physically active.
00:13:31 Katrina
Like I said, one important thing that I'm really strong advocate for is neurological nutrition and the choices of our food and how that impacts our biochemistry and our brain health overall.
00:13:44 Katrina
And this is one of the areas that I have in my own business of really bringing that area for free.
00:13:49 Katrina
Forward, because even when I look at, you know all the different times in my life where our family were going through divorces or financial challenges and what have you.
00:13:57 Katrina
Those changes also impacted the quality of food that we had or didn't have.
00:14:02 Katrina
Whether you're on age or not, on age, or whether you're going through all different traumas of these types of things in your life, money does impact.
00:14:09 Katrina
The quality of the food and nutrition.
00:14:12 Katrina
If you had, you know, great meals and now you're living on ichibe and noodles.
00:14:16 Katrina
That's not necessarily going to give you the nutrients that you need to be mentally focused as well.
00:14:21 Katrina
And and really choosing to embrace these positive options for yourself.
00:14:26 Katrina
And it's not well, well, Katrina, I don't have enough money to have all these different things.
00:14:29 Katrina
Well, we all actually do.
00:14:31 Katrina
If we step back and look at what's available within our communities and even in our small communities, we have community gardens that can assist.
00:14:39 Katrina
We have community soup kitchens.
00:14:41 Katrina
We have all.
00:14:42 Katrina
Different areas where we can choose to become involved.
00:14:45 Katrina
You know, here in the Edmonton and surrounding areas we have the all different areas are for the food for good program where you think about something like a farmers market where you know Katrina, picture carrot to sell.
00:14:57 Katrina
If it doesn't sell, you can't go put it back in the ground so you have to look at other ways that we can take some of these things and bring it forward where people can come and get high quality food.
00:15:07 Katrina
On pennies on the dollar and this is available in our communities and you just have to tap in to see what is available to really assist in these areas.
00:15:14 Katrina
And when it comes to mental health, it's made up of so many factors that all contribute towards transformational changes.
00:15:22 Katrina
Even each little small little pivot works towards a long term goal and really seeing that you know physical well, being economic well being social well being.
00:15:31 Katrina
Developmental foundations and activities.
00:15:34 Katrina
When you were a kid.
00:15:35 Katrina
If those weren't in place, that all contributes to our mental health.
00:15:38 Katrina
You know, emotional well being, psychological billing, and overall life satisfaction.
00:15:43 Katrina
Engaging contribution in in your personal and your work life and really taking a look at you know what types of things you want to do to lift your own.
00:15:52 Katrina
Both journey and what's what I love to do in my hobbies and activities is not necessarily yours, but it's finding those unique things that really bring that warm fuzzy feeling to you.
00:16:03 Katrina
And you know, and and those are some great things I love.
00:16:06 Katrina
To do, how about you Teresa?
00:16:08 Teresa
That was amazing.
00:16:11 Teresa
Yeah, I I agree.
00:16:13 Teresa
Completely when it comes to self care, I was just thinking that I really liked your aunt analogy about being at the top of the mountain.
00:16:20 Teresa
That's a really good way to look at the negative thought process and how it's such a small.
00:16:27 Teresa
Percentage of what's actually happening?
00:16:31 Katrina
And it is important to see those types of things.
00:16:34 Teresa
Yeah it is, and it's it's a a a different way of looking at a good perspective builder.
00:16:39 Katrina
And you know, even some small little things that we can all do to help ourselves is something as simple as drinking water.
00:16:46 Katrina
The importance of drinking water really impacts our mental health as well.
00:16:51 Katrina
2% of dehydration will impact your mental cognitive ability.
00:16:56 Katrina
And when you think about that like there's people like.
00:16:59 Katrina
I mean, even when I think about my husband where he'll be busy at work all day and not take time to to drink some water anytime on this day.
00:17:07 Katrina
And then you know then even you know, mood becomes impacted.
00:17:11 Katrina
Energy level, you know snap more often that little.
00:17:14 Katrina
Things and and these sets and.
00:17:14 Teresa
Yeah, that that stress headache.
00:17:16 Katrina
Things can all be aided just by having that glass of water on your desk and choosing to use it.
00:17:22 Teresa
That's awesome, thank you for sharing all that about your journey.
00:17:26 Teresa
Uhm, we touched on the rural mental health project.
00:17:30 Teresa
Can you explain more about that to our listeners?
00:17:33 Katrina
Absolutely so with the rural mental health projects of Alberta, it's an amazing program to remain community based on the individual needs of the unique areas within.
00:17:45 Katrina
For our whole province of Alberta.
00:17:48 Katrina
'cause for example, if you're in a small farming community, you have unique challenges that are very different to another area.
00:17:55 Katrina
That is, you know the oil impacted community and and and each of these different Community areas have their own stresses as well as supports that are needed and different things that happen within the Community.
00:18:07 Katrina
When you think about.
00:18:08 Katrina
The fires that happened in different communities are different floods or are unique experiences that that community actually embraces and need support from.
00:18:17 Katrina
That's not a textbook type of thing, and that's where we need to bring it.
00:18:20 Katrina
Right to the Community level.
00:18:22 Katrina
And really aid in the use of Community assets and experiences, as well as collaborating all the tools that we have within the Community to lift that up and come together collectively with all of the pieces and.
00:18:35 Katrina
And to be bringing forward not only the needs but the importance of the whole community to lift that mental well being.
00:18:42 Katrina
And the temperature of the whole community and developing supports that line up with all of these specific needs.
00:18:50 Katrina
And you know throughout Alberta we have Members that are advocates like myself.
00:18:56 Katrina
I am the mental health, rural mental health advocate for the city of Saint Alba.
00:19:00 Katrina
And they're all over our province that are here to listen and really shine the light on the needs as well as find and discover solutions that are are going to line up with our unique issues in our communities and the rural mental health project has training available to help people walk alongside.
00:19:20 Katrina
You to really contribute to those changes as well, and you can go look that up online.
00:19:25 Katrina
For the Alberta Rural Mental Health Project and you will see a map there where you can touch your own community and you'll see the person that has been the advocate for that area and just.
00:19:36 Katrina
Reach out and.
00:19:36 Katrina
Yet have a virtual team with them and see ways that you yourself can can look at finding help that you might need and the options that are available and also looking at ways to contribute, but at the same time, when you're in very small communities like I myself have lived in, you know small communities where there's like, you know.
00:19:56 Katrina
Three blocks and five bars kind of thing. And really tiny little communities where there wasn't much there and everybody knew everybody's business. And and sometimes you don't want to necessarily reach out to that specific.
00:20:07 Katrina
You know downtown core areas and what's great about the rural mental health project.
00:20:12 Katrina
Is it also connects our whole province?
00:20:14 Katrina
So when there are specific things we can all help each other when it comes to mental health and really shine the light on.
00:20:20 Katrina
Whether there's something that's not available in your community, how to tap into other communities, and really collaboratively share.
00:20:27 Katrina
Just as as Teresa and I am right now, was sharing with putting messages out via zoom and and and different technologies.
00:20:35 Katrina
We can do the same thing now with mental health areas where we're sharing tools that we have that small little communities might not have but can utilize, even with ways like this.
00:20:48 Teresa
I love that it's a way to discover solutions and share collaborations that way.
00:20:54 Teresa
It really, really sounds like a great way to help people in the different areas can connect.
00:21:01 Katrina
Yeah, and it's very different from the regular sort of health system.
00:21:06 Katrina
You know, psychiatrists kind of get your appointment or you've been diagnosed by such with such and such by your doctor and you've got an appointment to see a specialist.
00:21:16 Katrina
But in the meantime, if you're one hour waiting one year.
00:21:20 Katrina
Waiting list or multiple year waiting lists?
00:21:23 Katrina
What do you do in the mean?
00:21:24 Katrina
In time, and you feel that sort of swirling drain of now wet and and so many times, even when we're dealing with the diversity of having disabilities or challenges within the home and the whole population of your family where their mental health you know really goes up and down at roller coasters, but not all at the same time.
00:21:45 Katrina
Either and and how to be there for for each other in those areas and.
00:21:49 Katrina
And sometimes that's not just about getting professional appointments, and even though that is available to us sometimes it's just reaching out even when you look at where you live right now and the home or apartment that you're in.
00:22:00 Katrina
When I think back to when I was.
00:22:02 Katrina
As a kid you know.
00:22:03 Katrina
I mean, I'm in my 50s now in my mid 50s, but I mean back then I knew everybody on my block.
00:22:09 Katrina
We were all running around and playing outside and what have you?
00:22:11 Katrina
Nowadays people can live in in in a community and not know a single person on their on their community on in their little cul-de-sac or what have you because we're not reaching out to really check on people and.
00:22:22 Katrina
You know, being a person who's worked in geriatric and palliative care areas as well and and we really need to take a look at ways that we can touch base with all areas of our community.
00:22:32 Katrina
When you think about the senior that's on your your name.
00:22:35 Katrina
Neighborhood or the person that's living with other disabilities that are more.
00:22:39 Katrina
I I I want to say heavier than the the challenges that you're having reach out and just see how they're doing.
00:22:47 Katrina
You know, check in on them every once in a while.
00:22:49 Katrina
Make sure they're OK.
00:22:50 Katrina
I know with a a gentleman that lived on our community and I used to check on him even daily 'cause his family was out in Toronto area, not in our local air.
00:22:58 Katrina
Yeah, and you know and and I would have to, you know, check on him and and see that he's not OK and you know my husband and I would go over and discover that he fell down the stairs and he was, you know, injured but alone laying on the floor because there was nobody there for support and that's why so many times we just need somebody to check on us and make that connection.
00:23:19 Katrina
OK, and you know even when I think of my own condition of living with epilepsy and and the challenges that I have, my husband, you know regularly has a lot of fear around this because he's up north in the oil field and I'm a home by myself and he checks on me regularly to make sure that I'm not that I, you know, haven't fallen down the stairs myself due to a.
00:23:39 Katrina
Act of a seizure activity.
00:23:41 Katrina
Or, you know that I am OK with whatever is going on in in our life because when we are working away from home, this is something we also need to look at.
00:23:50 Katrina
And my husband and I had these issues.
00:23:52 Katrina
You know, over the we've been married for over 33 years and and even we were in the military.
00:23:57 Katrina
And you know when we're separated because of the issues of work environment and really still wanting to know that mental health connection and and when we're when we are separate from each other to still make those you know, warm fuzzy moments to connect.
00:24:12 Teresa
That's fantastic.
00:24:13 Teresa
Like this makes me think of like peer support when we.
00:24:17 Teresa
Were kids is that kind of you saying?
00:24:18 Katrina
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:24:21 Katrina
And we really need to look at it from that perspective in everyday when you're looking at whether you're in your job and you're going to speak to somebody new today to be that you know warm experience that they have today, that you can make that difference, or whether that be something as simple as standing in the line at the grocery store.
00:24:38 Katrina
You know it doesn't matter where it is or where it takes place.
00:24:41 Katrina
We can all be that smile that somebody needs today.
00:24:44 Teresa
How come you said that the rural mental health project is across Alberta?
00:24:49 Teresa
How big of a network do they have?
00:24:52 Katrina
Oh, it is like every community within the province has supports there.
00:24:58 Katrina
And and this is also when you think of like your FCS reaching out.
00:25:03 Katrina
It has the same type of thing all in areas, but this is where it's not.
00:25:07 Katrina
Just about the government who has put nonprofit sectors together with the rural mental health.
00:25:12 Katrina
Project we are really collaborating together on a Community level to bring members of the Community together with all of the nonprofit sectors and government supports and really bringing out the reflection and that could be something.
00:25:27 Katrina
Simple as the homelessness in your community and people having to you know couch, surfing or or you know having their rents go up where they're on us on a regular income that doesn't increase and and and now what? You know I only get $1000 a month but my rent is 970.
00:25:48 Katrina
Well, you know now what?
00:25:49 Katrina
How do I survive?
00:25:51 Katrina
And and those types of things like this that we really need to take a look at, and in ways that we all can can assist each other, because sometimes it's just reaching out.
00:26:01 Katrina
And even when you are in the depths of swirling, the drain of depression and feeling those little tugs to the negative end for yourself and and knowing that you don't even want to reach.
00:26:12 Katrina
Child, but it's giving yourself the permission to say you know what.
00:26:17 Katrina
It's not that you're going to be judged, but sometimes you just need somebody to say, you know, I just need somebody to talk to today.
00:26:25 Katrina
And and we all need those special people. And it's not that you look on your Facebook and you see. Well, I have 5000 friends.
00:26:32 Katrina
Well, that's great, but when it comes to real when the rubber hits the road, you need a few people that you can actually call and be there for you, whether that be you've received a new diagnosis or a more serious diagnosis, and you need someone who understands when we're living, you know, in societies like today, we need to be able to reach out.
00:26:53 Katrina
And that's what I really love about the voice of Albertans with disab.
00:26:56 Katrina
Realities is how we're there to really connect the whole community.
00:27:01 Katrina
All the different nonprofit sectors, all the people living with all levels of challenges.
00:27:06 Katrina
We're not here to say, you know, this one is more important than that one.
00:27:09 Katrina
We're here to bring everyone together when it comes to the voice of Albertans with disabilities to say it doesn't matter what your challenges.
00:27:17 Katrina
Our we're here to support you.
00:27:19 Katrina
We're here to be that community connection and and really, when you think of all of the different options that so many times when you receive these different diagnosis and challenges, you're like.
00:27:31 Katrina
Well, now what?
00:27:32 Katrina
How do I find out information?
00:27:33 Katrina
Well, if you get into an appointment with a specialist, you know.
00:27:36 Katrina
Here's your 20 minutes and you've got a list of all kinds of things you want to bring forward, and they say, well, I'm sorry we can.
00:27:41 Katrina
We talk about one thing.
00:27:42 Katrina
Today you know it took a year to get into this appointment.
00:27:46 Katrina
Got 7 things on my list.
00:27:47 Katrina
So I gotta take another seven years to get my answers.
00:27:49 Katrina
Well, no, it's you know, come together.
00:27:51 Katrina
Reach out to communities like ours.
00:27:53 Katrina
Where we can collaboratively come together and bring you some answers so you feel that comfort and connection and that you're not alone along this journey.
00:28:04 Teresa
That's wonderful.
00:28:06 Teresa
I just love how all this sounds so.
00:28:09 Teresa
Interconnected and supportive and justice sounds like a great project.
00:28:16 Katrina
It really is.
00:28:17 Katrina
It really is.
00:28:18 Teresa
Anyone become a support person through the project?
00:28:22 Katrina
Absolutely anyone you you don't have to have any special degree or talent.
00:28:28 Katrina
You just need to be somebody who's willing to make a difference.
00:28:33 Katrina
And and and and then the Alberta Mental Health Association will put you through a course and program to really understand not only your own mental health and the reflections of your own mental health journey, but also ways that you can be there for others and to see the the overall Wellness within your community.
00:28:53 Katrina
When you step back and look at things.
00:28:55 Katrina
That are going on.
00:28:56 Katrina
You know, even when I think of in my community, there was different times where we've had, you know, homeless people that are living on the streets and and really taking time to, you know, I.
00:29:06 Katrina
I would regularly, you know, buy a coffee and go and sit with a gentleman.
00:29:10 Katrina
That would be you.
00:29:11 Katrina
Know out on the streets and and we would sit together because both of us had such an amazing bond.
00:29:17 Katrina
Because we both lived with that plan.
00:29:19 Katrina
See, but it's just that with his challenges between not only his mental health challenges and his neurological challenges, he leaned towards alcoholism and ended up living on the streets.
00:29:30 Katrina
But really, we were both living with the same types of diagnosis.
00:29:35 Katrina
It's just that we didn't always have the supports needed to go in the right directions.
00:29:39 Katrina
And sometimes it was just the importance for him and how much he loved for me to just be able to sit there and have a conversation with him.
00:29:47 Katrina
An honest conversation about living with these types of challenges and and it's important to be there for each other and that's what we are.
00:29:54
Right?
00:29:55 Katrina
And that's what I love about our rural mental health project.
00:29:57 Katrina
Is you don't.
00:29:58 Katrina
Need to have you know you know 5 degrees in an office and all this stuff to be down there.
00:30:04 Katrina
It's about being here for each other and and giving and being willing to give some warm fuzzy that will just lift somebody up and and being able to bring forward.
00:30:15 Katrina
The truth of what you are seeing in the community when I think about you, know the government.
00:30:22 Katrina
Uh, positions that are out there.
00:30:24 Katrina
Sometimes people are living and working in these positions, but they don't necessarily understand the truth of the journey of the people they are caring for and and that's what's so important about when when you think about the nonprofit sector, it's not, but just about choosing to work in that field.
00:30:41 Katrina
It's about bringing people into that environment that are actually living the journey that are further along the journey that can really say, you know, I've lived this.
00:30:50 Katrina
I understand this and I have some unique challenges where I hit the broad the wall 10 times before I learn to walk around it and and how to, you know, prevent the same thing for us.
00:31:00 Teresa
Is there any funding that is offered for the grant program?
00:31:05 Katrina
So the rural mental health project offers grants to different communities to really come together and look at the needs within your Community and the ways that you can come up with ideas and and unique options to really.
00:31:21 Katrina
Support those.
00:31:23 Katrina
Opportunities to reach out and touch the community in in ways that really lift mental health and this could be of so many different types of things like.
00:31:33 Katrina
Even when you think about, you know when you're out in these small communities and they've got like little bulletin boards where you can put things up on about you know what's available.
00:31:42 Katrina
For mental health and a lot of people, they don't know where to go or to reach out, whether they're new to the community or they're new to the experience of mental.
00:31:51 Katrina
Health and just feel that they're.
00:31:53 Katrina
They don't find the answers or many times they you know.
00:31:56 Katrina
Pick up a phone book they call a a specialist in something for for mental health and then they they realize that oh, there's a waiting list for however many months before I can get an appointment.
00:32:07 Katrina
Well, what do I do in the meantime?
00:32:10 Katrina
You know.
00:32:10 Katrina
And then you think about calling into.
00:32:11 Katrina
Some of the emergency numbers to get support, but there again, sometimes it doesn't necessarily give you that real need.
00:32:19 Katrina
Hands on need that you that you need to experience.
00:32:22 Katrina
Where the rural mental health project brings that right to your neighborhood.
00:32:28 Katrina
And in your neighborhood, how to really lift and understand the issues?
00:32:33 Katrina
You know when you think about, you know with Fort McMurray and the fires and everyone lost their homes etc.
00:32:40 Katrina
And and there's no way that any person could come in and say, you know, well I took this in my course somewhere to be able to give you information.
00:32:48 Katrina
And you know these are my qualifications and this is what you need to do. Step one to step 195.
00:32:54 Katrina
Well, we don't always need these types of things.
00:32:57 Katrina
We need some some real emotional support and understanding and community that can come together and say, even though we've had our houses, all you know dissolved and taken away from us.
00:33:09 Katrina
That doesn't mean our community needs to fail.
00:33:12 Katrina
We can still come together.
00:33:14 Katrina
Whether that be in churches or community groups to really be there and support each other and and just say you know what we can grow from this and grow together and each community with their own unique needs.
00:33:28 Katrina
You know it is there as well.
00:33:30 Katrina
You know when you look at, you know the oil prices are going up right now, but they've also been going down in the past before too and and caused issues and and really taking a look at those unique needs and there is grants available for each community to be able to to find different things that they would like to.
00:33:48 Katrina
To do to utilize together and that could be, you know.
00:33:52 Katrina
Whether you're putting up some messages in your Community support area or you're going to do a different educational opportunity for the community, or you know, bringing in a speaker of some kind, there's just so much different options that are available that you know those types of opportunities are.
00:34:12 Katrina
Are there for us to really ping pong ideas together with those community of population that are there to really say what's our biggest need here right now in our little town, even though we've only.
00:34:24 Katrina
But you know, 150 in our population to the you know, 2000 in our population or whatever.
00:34:31 Katrina
The issue is what is our real need and and each one is different and what works in my community may not be working for you.
00:34:39 Katrina
So you need to be able to really be open to see what's actually happening.
00:34:45 Katrina
In your queue.
00:34:46 Katrina
And bringing that forward to the Alberta Mental Health Organization to say our community really needs this.
00:34:54 Katrina
Because of this and we are willing to to make those solutions.
00:34:59 Katrina
Would you be behind us in creating some funding for us to be able to do that?
00:35:04 Katrina
And they are, and that's what's wonderful.
00:35:06 Katrina
And also to to look at collaborating with other nonprofits in the area that can assist as well as if you're.
00:35:12 Katrina
A really small community.
00:35:13 Katrina
Collaborate with some other communities and do a project that you can come together as four or five communities that are small to really support each other as well.
00:35:21 Teresa
And do the individuals like yourself share resources?
00:35:25 Teresa
Amongst each other.
00:35:26 Katrina
Absolutely, and we all have amazing tool boxes and and knowledge, and you know, because of not only our experiences along the mental health journey but also the different fields we work in and and the.
00:35:41 Katrina
Community connections that we all have and and you know, I might know somebody that you need and and you might know somebody that I'm.
00:35:49 Katrina
Need and and and to be able to bring those factors forward is is important the same way when you think of any type of networking, it's really networking to to transition emotional support at all levels for all ages and all needs in the community and especially when it comes to diversity in.
00:36:10 Katrina
And when you are living with any types of disabilities and challenges, so many times you feel that stigma of that.
00:36:20 Katrina
Isolation from the diversity of being in part of the community, but we need to look at ways to be willing to not only become involved, but also see the ways that we can eliminate challenges and bring forward diversity.
00:36:35 Katrina
Inclusion for.
00:36:36 Katrina
All of us.
00:36:37 Teresa
Where can people find information about the program online?
00:36:41 Katrina
You just go to their rural mental health project for Alberta and you'll be able to see that there, and so it's you can look it up online. It's rural mentalhealth.ca.
00:36:55 Teresa
Perfect.
00:36:56 Teresa
I really appreciate.
00:36:57 Teresa
Your ability to support and advocate in the Community and share your information with everybody.
00:37:02 Teresa
Can you give us some final thoughts on how mental health effects the disability community, and what you would like to see put in place to support those concerns?
00:37:11 Katrina
Absolutely, and this is really near and dear to my heart, especially because so many of us in the disability world are living a reality that many within the society or even decision makers don't truly have clarity.
00:37:31 Katrina
And understanding on and the only way that we're going to be able to bring that clarity forward is to be able to speak up about the truth of our situations.
00:37:43 Katrina
And you know, we can sit and put our heads in the sand and stay in isolation and hope that something changes.
00:37:50 Katrina
Or we can come together and say, you know what?
00:37:52 Katrina
This really is a challenge for us and we need someone to step up and be willing to hear and and also link together with our provincial advocates that are there to represent us to make changes for us.
00:38:10 Katrina
And and even when you think of important days, like today when they're bringing the budget forward and things like that in Alberta is, you know, where do we fit in?
00:38:19 Katrina
And it's not that we don't fit in.
00:38:20 Katrina
It's that deciding that we all have value and those values are important and and we need to be able to shine a light on that.
00:38:30 Katrina
And together we can.
00:38:32 Teresa
OK, thank you for your time and energy today, Katrina.
00:38:36 Teresa
Your understanding of the community is of value to everyone.
00:38:40 Teresa
Katrina can be contacted by email at K.
00:38:43 Teresa
Trina at healthybrain.ca or by phone. It's 7806867949 or through her website at healthybrain.ca.
00:38:55 Teresa
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. If you need emotional support.
00:39:03 Teresa
Help is available through the Alberta Mental Health Services toll free at 1877303264.
00:39:12 Teresa
Two, the mental health line, is a 24 hour, seven day a week confidential service that provides support, information and referrals to Albertans experiencing mental health concerns. Is there anything else you want to?
00:39:25 Teresa
Say to us today, Katrina.
00:39:28 Katrina
I just, you know, I ask that you everyone reaches out to to really touch base with someone else and and you never know that today might be the day that they really needed that special warm fuzzy moment that you're going.
00:39:45 Katrina
To choose to offer.
00:39:47 Katrina
And you never know where they are on that emotional rollercoaster, and you can make a difference.
00:39:52 Katrina
Even something as simple as a smile and letting them know that you're here for them.
00:39:56 Teresa
Thank you again, Katrina and thank you everyone for joining today's podcast voice of Albertans with Disabilities across disability nonprofit organization.
00:40:06 Teresa
Even for people with disabilities.
00:40:08 Teresa
We are guided by principles of accessibility, equity and inclusion. Learn about Vad on our website at vadsociety.ca or call 780-488-9088 For more information.
00:40:21 Teresa
If you have a topic you would like to hear more about on a podcast, please email teresa@vadvadsociety.ca.
00:40:28 Teresa
Topic, ideas, speaker suggestions or your feedback?
00:40:32 Teresa
Thank you for today signing off together, we hold the power.