Hello everyone!

The virtual family caregiver psychoeducational sessions are beginning again in September. The posters for the upcoming Fall and Winter sessions of 2021 are listed below. You can reserve your place for each session you are interested in attending. Email me the names of everyone attending virtually with you, the session title(s) and your date(s) of choice to tmaxwell@cmhastarttalking.ca

I will reply with a confirmation email and further details for joining online. Reminders are sent out one week before each sessions. Links to join virtually are sent two days before the session. There is a new session offered in September titled "Disenfranchised Grief & Ambiguous Loss." I have received several requests to offer the "Setting Limits & Healthy Boundaries" session again; This session is offered in October. The November and December sessions will focus on coping during the holiday season and establishing healthy habits and routines to support your self-care plan.

You can reserve your place in one of the monthly family caregiver virtual support groups that I facilitate. Posters with dates are listed below. Email me to attend at tmaxwell@cmhastarttalking.ca

There are family support services available through CMHA Simcoe County. A weekly virtual group meeting for those family caregivers who are supporting a loved one through addictions and the one-on-one family-based peer support. How to connect for further information its provided below.

FMHI's Facebook page helps keep us connected.

You can also find FMHI on Twitter and Instagram

 In this Issue:

• Virtual Family Caregiver Psycho-Education - Reserve your place now

• Virtual Family Caregiver Support Groups

• Supporting Your Loved One Through Addictions Group

• Family-Based Peer Support at CMHA Simcoe County

• Crisis Services

Take care, 

Tara Maxwell

Virtual Psycho-Educational Sessions

These sessions are offered via Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN).

Virtual Family Caregiver Support Groups

The 2nd Tuesday & 3rd Monday of every month via Zoom.

Supporting a Loved One Through Addiction at CMHA Simcoe County

Supporting a loved one through addiction can be a long, difficult and often lonely journey. This group offers a safe and non-judgmental space for open conversation to discuss, learn and cope with the struggles one might face when supporting their loved ones through addiction.

Topics include but are not limited to: supporting vs enabling, setting boundaries and goals, recognizing codependency, managing expectations, how being focused on “fixing” our loved one can result in years of self-neglect and the importance of self-care, emotions and frustration when relapse occurs and recognizing how relapse is often a part of the overall recovery process.

Email peersupport@cmhastarttalking.ca to sign up.

Facilitated by Peer Supporters Jadine & Suzanne

Family-Based Peer Support

at CMHA Simcoe County

This service is available for family members who have been directly impacted by a loved one’s mental health challenge, illness and/or substance use.

Peer support is created through a trusting, equal and empowering recovery-oriented relationship between two individuals who share a similar experience. You will be connected with a trained Peer Supporter who can relate from a human to human perspective as can be related from a place of lived experience.

Find out more about Peer Support Services

To seek support, please connect directly with peersupport@cmhastarttalking.ca

Crisis Service

Crisis Services offers 24hr telephone support to assist individuals, community agencies, emergency services and family or friends, to work through resolution of identified issues and challenges. The team is comprised of mental health and addiction professionals, who are trained in suicide intervention, and can help stabilize pre and post-crisis, developing coping strategies and plans for ongoing mental health and addiction support and follow up.

Family Mental Health Initiative of Simcoe County

90 Mulcaster St.

Barrie ON L4M 3M5

705-725-0363 / 1-800-324-3252

fmhi.ca