Life Unscripted - Stories of Mental Health and Addiction

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Animals can be so emotionally healing. Therapeutic dogs visit people in long term care homes and more and more we see people with a service dog that provides emotional support. We’re also learning about the healing affect of horses on people experiencing post traumatic stress. 

Horse Sense for Kids in Niagara is a non-profit helping at risk kids who are struggling to to cope with life. The program has partnered with children’s organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Pathstone Mental Health and Family and Children Service’s Niagara.

Brenda and Rob Langedoon talk about Horse Sense for Kids at their horse stable in Niagara and the annual fundraiser Wild West Days on Saturday, June 10th at their stable.

For more information go to hsfk.ca.

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We seem to be seeing more unspeakable violence. It's so hard to understand how someone could perpetrate a mass shooting, a random killing or the murder of a loved one. All too often the go-to explanation is mental illness.  In reality, few violent crimes are perpetrated by someone who is mentally ill. 

Janice and Jennifer Fisk talk about the relationship of mental illness and violence.

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Every year March 31st marks the International Transgender Day of Visibility.  It's a day to raise awareness of the discrimination transgender men and women face. It's a day to respect a trans person's human rights.

For Ally Phillips this is just one day of 365 days a year that  all of us should show our understanding and compassion, and embrace trans men and women who add so much to the life of every community.  Ally talks about his decision to transition, what its means to his mental health and the disovery of his faith.

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Niagara’s Assertive Street Outreach (NASO) Team actively engages individuals, across Niagara, experiencing unsheltered homelessness to promote, connect, and coordinate access to the range of supports available across Niagara’s Homeless-Serving System, including emergency shelter, housing and support services.

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For the past three years I’ve been following the monthly Mental Health Index - which surveys people in the workforce about the state of their mental health.  

Paula Allen Senior Vice President of Research and Total Wellness at Telus Health, formerly Life Works, says while anxiety is still high on people’s radar inflation and isolation are the biggest stressors. 

She says it’s paramount to get rid of stigma in the workplace and create an atmosphere where fellow employees can help by looking out for each other and where leaders are be able to recognize someone who is under stress and have plans in place to offer assistance. 

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For Black women hair is intrictly woven into their family and their culture from an early age. In this show you'll hear from an extraordinary 10 year old, Normani Hamilton, who has written a book My Beautiful Hair.

Also, Kerry Goring, a hairdresser,  talks about the deep cultural connection and meaning of hair and how it is empowering Black women.

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Many of us think about magic mushrooms when we hear the word  psilocyben.  It is the psychedelic in "shrooms" that creates the high or "trip", says Dr. Ishrat Husain at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Husain and his team are researching the effectiveness of psilocyben to treat people with depression who have not responded to other medication.  

Dr. Husain took part in a world-wide study just published in The New England Journal of Medicine that found that psilocyben may be a viable answser.

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Several years ago street photograper Diane Conn was out and about and by chance took a photo of a couple holding hands.  She became fascinated by the sense of wellbeing she felt from exerpiencing two people holding hands and continued to take photos of people when she was out with her camera. She took all the photos from behind which allows you to use your imagination about the two people and find answers to questions - Why do we hold hands?  Why do we love watching people hold hands? How does the simple act of holding hands heal us? 

Diane had shot 8,000 photos when her husband, also a photographer, suggested she put them in a book - Holding Hands. Visit theyareholdinghands.com  to experience some of her photos. The book is on Amazon and will soon be at Chapters and Indigo online.

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Intimacy is a challenge that most couples face at some point in their relationship. It's not always about sex. It can be lack of touch or emotional connection. But often people struggling with depression, anxiety and many other mental health issues feel numb and unable to connect at any level.

Sensuality coach Kerry Goring has some tips about how to get intimacy back into any  relationships.

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I have been honoured to have so many people share their personal stories of mental health and addiction with me on Life Unscripted. Over the past 20 years I've talked openly about my struggles with bipolar 1 disorder. So I was really surprised how nervous I was when I sat on the other side of the mic at 610CKTB to talk to afternoon  host Walter Sendzik.