submitted by Jenny Read
North Grenville’s WAY (Wellness Access for Youth) Collaborative wants to spread the word that July 24 is International Self-Care Day, a day to recognize the importance of self-care for our mental and physical health.
“Self-care includes anything that we do to care for our physical, psychological, and emotional health,” said Dan MacKinnon, the Navigator for WAY, a collaborative made up of service providers who provide, refer, and support mental health and addictions services for children and youth aged 12 to 25 years of age in North Grenville.
“Self-care is about taking time to do things you enjoy or that make you feel better, especially when you feel stressed,” MacKinnon added, “like riding a bike, playing music, or connecting with friends.”
7/24 – the day chosen for International Self-care Day – reminds us that we experience the benefits of self-care 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
“Self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy,” said Lorena Crosbie, Executive Director of Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville, a founding WAY partner. “Self-care is linked to improved mental health, self-esteem, self-worth, and optimism.”
Crosbie noted that while summer brings warm weather and a long break from school, the lack of routine and daily interaction with friends can be stressful. For children and youth experiencing mental health challenges over the summer, help is only a phone call away. Calling 1-866-741-1WAY (1929) provides access to the services of all of the WAY partners.
WAY can help with mental health, substance use health, food insecurity, housing, employment, transportation to appointments, and more. WAY can also connect parents and caregivers to help through PLEO – Parents’ Lifelines of Eastern Ontario.
For more information about WAY, visit http://www.kdh.on.ca/WAY/
Find out more about how to de-stress with self-care at https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/gc-schools-self-care-infographic-pdf.pdf.
