Guest: Sabrina Moosa of Kerry’s Place Autism Services

We are all multi-dimensional as developmental services workers. We don’t want to bring our stress from work into our homelife, and we don’t want to bring stress from our homelife into our work! We bring our own communities with us to our work – and this week’s episode we have discussion about mental health, and how we are human in our work! Sabrina discusses her passion for bringing wellbeing skills to her community as a South Asian woman with family from Pakistan, as well as her work in developmental services. Sabrina shares some details about what aspects of mental health interest her. Sabrina also speaks as a front line worker about how much she appreciates the pandemic pay to help her get through the 12 hour pandemic group home shifts with no days off. We all hope that pay increase continues after the pandemic! Developmental staff are worth it!

About Sabrina Moosa

Sabrina is a direct service professional at Kerry’s Place Autism Services. She is a master's student in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University, and she did a post-grad certificate in addictions and mental health from Durham College. She also has a Bachelor of Science in mental health studies and health science from the University of Toronto. Sabrina has participated in research projects addressing indigenous mental health and homelessness at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Sabrina is into travelling that is either to the nearest waterfront or a far-off land. She's adventurous and isn't afraid to try new things like skydiving, horse riding and parasailing, to name a few. 

Guest: Adriana McVicker of Community Living Windsor

We know it’s a challenge helping staff get feet on the ground after working 12 hours shifts – day in day out. We also know the pandemic WILL shift and we will slowly regain more normalcy, and staff will be able to take some well deserved time off. In the meantime, how do we help our staff take a breath, feel valued. In this episode, we meet Adriana McVicker from Community Living Windsor. Adriana shares with us some of the ways she and her team have been supporting staff during the hard times of Covid. Adriana talks about the Conscious Care model, and the power of a song – how her organization shares links with uplifting songs from artists like Van Morrison. They are also offering Mindfulness sessions for staff online. We close the session out with a mindfulness meditation from Adriana. 

About Adriana

Adriana is a proud daughter, sister and auntie who lives in Windsor ON. For the last 13 years, has worked with a service provider in developmental services in various roles including direct support and in positions of management including support services, staff development and project management. With her education in counselling, developmental psychology, sociology and health sciences, Adriana deeply values using a comprehensive approach while providing quality supports for people and families. She is a true believer that all of us are interdependent and that we each carry a responsibility to help one another be the best we can. 

Episode Resource

Days Like This by Van Morrison 

An example of resources Adriana is offering to staff - free mental health counselling offered through Government of Ontario funding 

Conscious Care https://centreforconsciouscare.ca/

Guest: Joel Jamieson from Community Living Six Nations

Joel Jamieson shares his journey of growing up with his sister with Down syndrome, and learning to show her how to use the washer and dryer using colourful stickers, when he was 10 years old. Joel’s love for his sister comes through in his commitment to supporting people with disabilities in his career which has brought him to supervising community inclusion at Community Living on the Six Nations reserve. Joel teaches us some Oneida greetings, and shares examples of how connecting with culture has been so important for folks on the reserve. Joel loves golfing, so Sue closes with a guided meditation using the imagery of the greens one would see in the nature of a golf course.

About Joel

Joel Jamieson is a Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois native from Oneida of the Thames. He has worked 35 years with community living with 3 different agencies. Joel’s sister Gwen has Down syndrome, and calls Joel every single night at 7pm, just like clockwork. Joel’s life as a brother to Gwen has fueled his passion in developmental services, and has led him to a life with this work, including his current position as community inclusion supervisor at CLSN. 

Community Living Six Nations: http://communitylivingsixnations.ca/

Guests: Lisa Foster & Cindy Mazan

Supporting the voice of staff and honouring the realities faced by staff during the pandemic has been so important for agencies to convey support for the important work being done on the front lines. Community Living Thunder Bay Executive Director Lisa Foster spent many years on the front lines before working her way up to Executive Director. Lisa knows how important it is for leadership to be transparent, and share in the staff journey during the challenges of the pandemic. Knowing staff rights are important, Lisa brought Community Living Thunder Bay Union President Cindy Mazan along for the chat. Together, in solidarity, Lisa and Cindy have been working to support staff during these challenging times. Cindy speaks about an initiative to provide extra financial support to front line staff who needed some extra support, in the form of much needed groceries- no questions asked. Lisa talks about the impact of trauma on people, and the power of polyvagal theory. The episode closes off with a meditation practice using a straw to help our vagus nerve relax the body, giving us chance to soften and relax.

About Cindy and Lisa

Cindy Mazan started working at Community Living Thunder Bay in 1994 and is currently the President of Opseu local 740. Cindy is married with 2 boys and enjoys camping, fishing and working out.

Lisa Foster has worked in the sector since 1985. She has worked in a variety of direct support and management roles before moving to Thunder Bay to join Community Living Thunder Bay in 2013. Lisa enjoys painting, hiking and photography.

On the inaugural episode of Talking Wellness with Developmental Service Staff, mindfulness teacher and Social Worker, Sue Hutton, is joined by Dr. Yona Lunsky. In this episode, Yona talks about her personal and professional experience, reflecting on what drives her work and how mindfulness techniques can benefit developmental services - both staff and the people they support. Take a meditative journey through a wooded forest as Sue wraps up the episode with a guided meditation.

Dr. Yona Lunsky is a Clinical Psychologist, Director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and most importantly, a sister to someone with a developmental disability. This episode is part of the Talking Wellness with Developmental Service staff, a mini-podcast series to support the mental health and well-being of staff supporting adults with developmental disabilities. Learn more about this initiative at:

Resources shared:

Nirbhai Singh, 2008. https://www.academia.edu/436055/Mindful_staff_can_reduce_the_use_of_physical_restraints