The Voice - Rural Mental Health Project with Katrina Breau

Join us as Katrina talks about the supports needed to live with positive mental health and specifically the Rural Mental Health Project in Alberta.

Transcript

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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.