DCO Discourse...

This week Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, is speaking with Elma, an intake coordinator at a busy counselling centre in Waterloo and Sharon Lalor, a life coach with Vita Catalyst. With the government of Ontario’s announcement that many COVID-19 safety measure and restrictions will be lifted as of March 1st, Elma and Sharon joined us to discuss how people can unpack th...

This week on the podcast, we are re-sharing an episode from October 2020 in which Brenda, a then student-intern at DCO, interviewed Selam Debs about racism, anti-racism, and mental health. Selam identifies as a Black Ethiopian queer antiracism educator, an anti-oppression coach, a social justice advocate, a student in dismantling anti-Black racism, an accomplice in dismantling anti-Indigenous raci...

This week, to celebrate Black History Month in Canada, we are sharing a list of resources that can be used to explore conversations around concepts like decolonization, intersectional feminism, and the impact of race on social and economic justice. If you need to talk to someone about any struggles you are facing related to the issues covered in this podcast, or anything else, please reach out to...

This week on the podcast, Caitlin, Program Manager for Distress and Crisis Ontario, shares some information on grief and loss related to COVID-19 as written by our new student intern, health promoter Harisaa. If you are struggling with loss, relating to COVID or otherwise, or if you just need to talk to someone, please do reach out for help. You can find your nearest centre at www.dcontario.org/lo...

This week on the podcast, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, is joined by Emily Huynh, a community engagement facilitator with the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). Please be aware that this episode does discuss some of the impact that eating disorders can have and may be triggering for some listeners. If you would like to learn more about NEDIC you c...

This week on the podcast, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, and her daughter sit down to talk about what it’s like living in a “broken” family. If something you hear in today’s episode has you feeling like you need support and would like to talk to someone, or if there is anything that you would like to explore, please do reach out for help. No issue is too big or too...

With the news that schools in Ontario have once again moved to remote learning, hopefully for the short-term, we thought it would be helpful to share some tips for parents and caregivers who are supporting children in the process of learning from home. This includes some tips for parents to prioritize their own needs and self-care. Please remember that our Member centres and ONTX are also availabl...

This week on the podcast we’ll be exploring a feeling that many of us may be struggling with right now – something often summed up as the post-holiday blues. When the holidays pass, you might feel a wave of sadness taking over, but it can be reassuring to know that you are not alone in feeling this way and that there are ways to cope. Please remember that ONTX and our Member centres are always hap...

This week on the podcast we are exploring the importance of asking for, and offering, help. There are many reasons to ask for help, many benefits to doing so, and many ways that we can compassionately check-in with those who are important to us. We have also included some tips on how to ask for help as we know it can be challenging task sometimes. Please remember that our Member centres and ONTX a...

On today’s episode Caitlin interviews Andrea Gunraj from the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF) to talk about gender equality, gender-based violence, and the Signal for Help as developed by the CWF at the beginning of the pandemic. If you would like to access the Signal for Help Responder Guide you can visit the following link: https://action.canadianwomen.org/signal-responder or text SIGNAL to 540...

On today’s episode of the podcast, Caitlin is joined by her 6th grade daughter to discuss COVID and the impact the pandemic has had on her experiences with school, friendships, and life in general. If you are struggling with the ongoing effects of the pandemic and would like to speak to someone, please visit our website at www.dcontario.org/locations to find your closest centre or to access ONTX....

Loneliness can be especially challenging during the holiday season, so we’ve put together some information on how to recognize why you may be feeling lonely, and how to prevent it. If you are in need of support, or would just like someone to talk to, please reach out. You can find your closest Member centre at www.dcontario.org/locations , or you can access ONTX between the hours of 2PM - 2AM dail...

On the podcast this week, Caitlin is joined by Christina Hennelly, the Intimate Partner Violence Specialist and Peer Support Coordinator at the Brain Injury Association of Waterloo-Wellington. During the conversation, Christina shares some information on what the Brain Injury Association does, why it is so important to discuss brain injury in relation to intimate partner violence, and she provides...

As adults, many of us hold multiple roles in our lives: parent, child, sibling, friend, employee/er, student, activist, athlete, crafter, gamer, etc., etc., the list can go on. This week, Caitlin sits down with Rhys to discuss how he personally balances (or doesn’t always balance) his life as a husband, father to 5 children, pastor, CrossFit coach, and more. If you are struggling to find your own...

As we continue to approach the winter holidays it is important to take the time to plan ahead, manage expectations, and prepare mentally for what is often a stressful time. This week, Caitlin shares some additional tips for how to manage our own thoughts and emotions, how to manage stress that may come with having children around, and how to cope with holiday grief related to loss of a loved one....

Joining Caitlin on the podcast this week is John Dinner, a Master of Arts - Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy candidate, father, grandfather, and jack-of-many-trades, to discuss budgeting and the importance of maintaining financial health through the holidays. The conversation includes some tips on how to navigate conversations around money and how to set yourself up for success in a society that s...

On this week’s episode, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, interviews Lauren on the topic of slow, sustainable living and how choosing to live a sustainable, mindful lifestyle can lead to wellness in more areas than one. Please remember, if you are in need of support, for any reason at all, you are welcome to reach out. Visit www.dcontario.org to find a list of our Memb...

As the number of Ontarians seeking mental health supports continues to rise, we have decided to use this week as a chance to share a reminder of the services DCO, our Members, and ONTX have to offer. If you are in need of support, please do not hesitate to reach out. Visit www.dcontario.org to find a list of our Member centres, additional resources, and to access ONTX between the hours of 2PM to 2...

This week we are exploring the topic of Seasonal Affective Disorder and how to maintain your mental health during the fall and winter months with Sabrina, a mental health advocate and Counselling Psychology Masters student. Please remember that if you are in distress, crisis, or otherwise need support, you can reach out to your closest distress centre for support. To find your closest centre, visi...

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Distress and Crisis Ontario! This week the podcast explores the Indigenous perspective of Thanksgiving by sharing an article written by a member of the Wasauksing First Nation. If you would like to explore further resources for reconciliation, reconciliationcanada.ca is a good place to start. If you are in distress, crisis, or otherwise need support, please vis...

Caitlin continues the conversation on addictions in her interview with Dr. Rick Csieknik, Professor at King’s University College. In this episode Dr. Rick shares how to assist someone with an addiction, how to take care of yourself while supporting someone else with an addiction, steps to minimize substance abuse, community support for people supporting someone with an addiction and other insights...

Episode Notes This week we welcome returning guest Brad Wilton to the podcast to discuss relationship stress, boundaries, and the holidays. Brad is a registered psychotherapist who focuses on growth through relationship and he provides some excellent advice on how to navigate those tricky conversations that sometimes occur when the whole family gets together and how to set and maintain boundaries....

Episode Notes This week, with Thanksgiving approaching, we are exploring the topics of gratitude and holiday stress. There are tips for how to cultivate gratitude, tips for managing stress, and some personal insights from some of the team here at DCO. As always, if you are in need of support, or are even just looking for someone to talk with about what you are grateful for, please don’t hesitate t...

Episode Notes This week on the podcast we are joined by J, a teacher and father of 3, to discuss what back-to-school has been like this year amidst the ever-changing COVID-19 climate. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please do not hesitate to reach out to our ONTX program or any of our Member centres to talk with someone. Visit our website at  www.dcontario.org  to chat...

Episode Notes On Friday September 10th, we held a Facebook Live event to honour World Suicide Prevention Day and, as a part of the evening, we shared a portion of a webinar hosted for our Member centre volunteer responders back in August. While some of the language used is specific to the context of training crisis line responders, the knowledge shared is applicable to anyone who is struggling wit...