Smoky River Family and Community Support Services staff recognize the need in the region to focus on mental wellness, and is introducing a new Mindful Moments weekly challenge to help people focus on tasks that will benefit their mental health.
“Mindful Moments is meant to encourage mental wellness across a varied group of people,” says community program coordinator Anita Portsmouth.
“The friend challenges are meant to encourage friends, neighbours, and family to connect with one another. Individual challenges serve as a reminder for people to take a moment for self-care,” she adds.
FCSS has so far prompted participants to meet someone new, play a board game with a friend, moisturize hands with favourite scent, watch fireworks with a friend, take a bath or shower with your favourite scent, and other like initiatives.
“This part of the initiative is only on our Facebook page as the challenges are weekly and this was the simplest means of communicating our challenges,” explains Portsmouth, who adds the team’s Facebook page is Smoky River FCSS.
“Mindful Moments is meant to remind people to take a moment to connect with one another and to take a moment for themselves.”
Smoky River FCSS received a grant from Northwestern Alberta Foundation to support the program.
“The grant will also serve to help start another initiative within Mindful Moments to work with some of our local businesses and organizations to encourage mental well-being within the workplace and community,” Portsmouth adds.
“Current Canadian statistics show an alarming increase in mental health crisis in rural communities. Stigma, lack of support and other challenges point to a need for supports with a rural understanding.”
Portsmouth adds Mindful Moments challenges encourage community members to connect with one another and help build support before issues become critical.
Each challenge lasts for a full week and has been planned to run for a calendar year, but Portsmouth says this could change.
“Mindful Moments creates opportunities for people to connect with one another and reminds them to take a moment to recharge themselves,” she says.
“This, in turn, benefits the community, as people are healthier mentally and physically this creates a healthier community.”
Portsmouth urges everyone to participate in the challenges because there is something for everyone. She adds there are also prize draws every month for gift cards. To enter, comment on the post on Facebook or email Anita at anita@srfcss.com to let her know you participated.
“I became a community animator through Rural Mental Health Network and attended the Rural Mental Health Provincial Exchange in October,” concludes Portsmouth.
“After learning about the mental health statistics, I wanted to start something that would be simple and free or low cost for people to participate in that reminded them to connect with one another and recharge themselves.”
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter