Blue Monday

You may have heard of Blue Monday, often described as “the saddest day of the year.” While this idea is sometimes used as a marketing message, it does highlight something important, the Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

During the winter months, many people notice changes in their mood and energy. Symptoms of SAD can include:

• Lower energy
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Sleep difficulties
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Feeling very sad or tearful
• Wanting to withdraw from others

To help bring awareness to the Winter Blues, here are a few simple workplace activities to create connection and open the door for conversation about how we are really doing.

Blue Monday Activities

1. Blueberry Muffins – Serve blueberry muffins during coffee or lunch breaks using the printable tags created by the SPARK Committee.
2. Glimmer Station – Set up a table with blue sticky notes or paper and invite staff to write down a “glimmer” — something good, kind, or positive they noticed during their day.
3. Affirmation Cards – Print and cut small affirmation cards for staff to take with them.
4. Wear Blue Day – Invite everyone to wear blue — socks, scarves, shirts, scrubs, or accessories.
5. Gratitude Graffiti Wall – Create a gratitude wall using a large roll of paper and markers where staff can leave messages of appreciation for one another.
6. A Warm Hug in a Mug – Set up a hot beverage station with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate so staff can enjoy a warm drink and share one with a co-worker.

Taking time to check in with one another, enjoy a snack or warm drink, and notice the good in our day can help support our mental wellness and reduce the effects of the Winter Blues.

If you feel you would like to connect with someone for additional support through Prairie Mountain Health you can call:

OVER THE AGE OF 18
NORTH of Riding Mountain National Park: 1-866-332-3030
SOUTH of Riding Mountain National Park: 1-888-379-7699

UNDER THE AGE OF 18
NORTH of Riding Mountain National Park: 1-866-332-3030
ALL AREAS: 1-866-403-5459

More information and resources can be found on the Mental Health page at www.prairiemountainhealth.ca.

Kelly Lewis
HOPE Community Coordinator

For Community, by Community: Introducing HOPE: Healing, Outreach, Promotion, Education

When it comes to suicide prevention and life promotion, our community has a powerful resource: HOPE. More than a word, Hope is a collaborative initiative led by a steering committee of local leaders and supported by a Community Coordinator. Guided by the proven Roots of Hope framework, this initiative is working to foster resilience, connection, and life-affirming change in our region.

HOPE stands for:

• Healing – supporting those with lived experience.
• Outreach – guiding our services and resources supporting individuals currently navigating thoughts of suicide.
• Promotion – honouring the life-affirming perspectives held by Indigenous communities.
• Education – offering continued learning and awareness across the Prairie Mountain Health region.

Together, these pillars create a strong, community-led movement. Guided by the Roots of Hope framework, the Hope initiative works to reduce stigma, build resilience, and support life at every stage.

Roots of Hope is a community-led suicide prevention and life promotion model being used across Canada. Developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), it provides a flexible, evidence-informed framework for communities to build local suicide prevention strategies.

The goal of Roots of Hope is to reduce the impact of suicide by addressing stigma, increasing awareness about mental illness, and promoting connected, supportive communities.

This made-in-Canada model was informed by global research and expert consultation and is adaptable to any community setting. It is structured around five pillars of action and thirteen guiding principles:

Five Pillars of Action

• Specialized Supports
• Training and Networks
• Means Safety
• Public Awareness
• Research and Evaluation

Thirteen Guiding Principles

• Comprehensive
• Collaboration and Coordination
• Culturally Appropriate
• Recovery-Oriented
• Evidence-Informed
• Measurement and Evaluation
• Lived Experience
• Flexible
• Strengths-Based
• Spanning the Continuum
• Community-Centred
• Sustainable
• Innovative

In 2024, the Province of Manitoba adopted the Roots of Hope framework, providing funding to each health authority to support implementation. Prairie Mountain Health created a steering committee, community assessments were initiated, and Kelly Lewis joined as Community Coordinator to lead this work in January 2025.

We are now working to embed the Roots of Hope model within existing networks and committees, as well as guide future goals in suicide prevention and life promotion throughout the region.

Current Groups Involved

• SPIN (Suicide Prevention Implementation Network) – Regional
• Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee – Regional
• Westman Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Association – Local

If you’re interested in being involved in the HOPE initiative and adopting the Roots of Hope model in your community, want to learn more, or would like to connect with others involved in suicide prevention and life promotion, please reach out to:

Kelly Lewis
Hope Community Coordinator
[email protected]

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue the rollout of HOPE across the Prairie Mountain Health region.

September is World Suicide Prevention Month. In recognition of this important month, the regional groups SPIN and MWSPC will be hosting events and activities on Wednesday, September 10th across the region. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

World Suicide Prevention Day | September 10

SPIN (Suicide Prevention Implementation Network) Honours World Suicide Prevention Day

Each year on September 10th, people in more than 80 countries around the world unite to recognize World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), an initiative led by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). This global day of awareness is dedicated to reducing stigma, raising understanding, and inspiring action to prevent suicide.

The theme for WSPD 2024–2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” This theme highlights the urgent need to shift from silence and stigma, toward openness, understanding, and support. Changing the narrative requires systemic change—and together, communities can foster hope, connection, and safety for all.

“Suicide is a complex global health issue, but it is preventable,” says Sean Krausert, Executive Director of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP). “Every year, more than 700,000 people die by suicide worldwide, and countless others are deeply affected. By changing the narrative, we can create a culture where conversations about suicide and mental health are safe, supported, and lifesaving.”

Local Events in Brandon, Manitoba

In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, SPIN invites the community to join several events:

• Free safeTALK Training – Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 | 6:00–9:00 PM
  Location: Brandon University- Health Studies Building- North Entrance@ 18^th & Princess Ave. Pre-registration required by email: [email protected].
  safeTALK is a suicide alertness training program that teaches participants to recognize signs of suicide and how to connect individuals to life-saving resources.

• Community Recognition – Wednesday, September 10th, 2025 | 11:30 AM–1:00 PM Location: A.R. McDiarmid Civic Complex, Cultural Room – 638 Princess Ave.
  Join us as we recognize individuals who are making our community suicide-safer. A light lunch and community resources will be available.

• Ribbon Tying Ceremony & Vigil – Wednesday, September 10th, 2025 | 7:00 PM
  Starting at Errol Black Park & 1st Street Bridge.
  This ceremony honours those lost to suicide and offers a space for healing. The evening will include hot chocolate, therapy dogs, support, and resources for attendees.

• To close the day, both national and local participants are invited to join a global tradition: placing a lit candle in a window at 8:00 PM in their time zone to “Light a Flame of Hope” in remembrance of lives lost and in solidarity with those struggling.

• CASP National Virtual Event: September 10, 2025 – 1:00-2:30 CST (Register online at World Suicide Prevention Day – Canadian Association For Suicide Prevention)

Local Events in Dauphin, Manitoba

• Community Awareness Walk – September 10 at noon (12-1pm). Vermillion Park (214 2nd Ave. NW) Dauphin. Free Hot Dogs for attendees. Join the Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee for a community walk to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Information and materials to engage in personal awareness activities will be provided.
• Chalk The Walk – Use chalk to help us beautify our community with images & messages of hope, resilience, suicide awareness & prevention. Decorate your walkway to inspire others. Look at the images with someone. Chat about Mental Wellness. FREE chalk available at Dauphin Community Health Office, Dauphin Library and Primary Care Outreach Clinic (PCOC).

Local Events in Swan River, Manitoba

• Community Awareness Walk – September 10 at noon (12-1pm). Co-op Grocery Store Parking Lot (811 Main Street) Swan River. Join the Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee for a community walk to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Information and materials to engage in personal awareness activities will be provided.

The World Health Organization emphasizes that suicide is preventable with timely, evidence-based, and often low-cost interventions. Strengthening support networks, reducing stigma, and fostering open conversations about mental health are key to saving lives.

If you are struggling or concerned about someone else’s suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to reach out for help.

Contact the Manitoba Suicide Prevention and Support Line at 1-877-435-7170, Or Simply dial or text 988- a crisis line available 24 hours per day. A trained crisis worker will listen to you and direct you to needed resources.

PMH Resources- Contact Westman Crisis Services at 204-725-4411 or 1-888-379-7699 in the Brandon Area or 1-866-332-3030 for PMH-North- Call 911 or contact a local hospital or health office.

Prairie Mountain Health- North Mental Wellness and Crisis Resources

• Prairie Mountain Health- Mental health: child, adult, and senior’s mental health
• Prairie Mountain Health- workshops, training, and clinics
• Canadian Mental Health Association- CMHA Swan Valley – Mental Health for All
• Hope for Wellness Helpline- Crisis support available for Indigenous people
• Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba- programming, peer support, and resources
• Peer Connections Manitoba- Peer Connections Manitoba – Your Connection to Wellness (peerconnectionsmb.ca)
• Kids help phone- youth crisis support and skill building resource

PROVINCIAL CRISIS RESOURCES

International Overdose Awareness Day – IOAD

This International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), we come together as one big family to take action on overdose.

IOAD is observed on August 31 each year, with events taking place throughout the week in more than 40 countries.

The overdose crisis doesn’t just shatter our families, it fractures our communities. 

The losses go deeper than one person, one family or one neighborhood. They ripple out into classrooms, workplaces and the spaces we all share. They cross borders between cities, states and nations. 

But in a time when people are searching for connection and safety, overdose also reminds us that our lives are deeply intertwined. 

We often instinctively protect our own – our children, our parents, our siblings. We believe in second chances for our loved ones but struggle to extend that same compassion to others. But what if we saw each other as one big family, bound not just by blood, but by shared experiences, responsibility and commitment to each other? 

This International Overdose Awareness Day let’s imagine a new meaning of what family can be. A family driven by hope, love and action. We are one big family – not just because we share in the pain of loss, but because we share in the power to change what comes next. 

This August 31, we move beyond awareness. We organize, we show up, and we take action. Because no one should carry this grief alone. Every story shared, every voice raised and every step we take brings us closer to a future free from overdose. 

“International Overdose Awareness Day is a chance to come together with other people in the community who understand what it means to lose someone to overdose.”

“But it’s also about pushing for change, locally and globally. We invite everyone in the community to attend our events to help our campaign for a world without overdose.”

Overdose Awareness Walk followed by an afternoon of fund and education. 
When: Sunday, Aug. 31, 1-3
Where: Princess Park, Brandon, MB. 

Vigil to Honour Those Gone Too Soon.
Bring their picture, song or poem
When: Sunday, Aug. 31^st, 6-7pm
Where: Dinsdale Park

Sweat Lodge Ceremony
When: Monday, August 25 at 11:00 AM
Where: WSFN Sweat Lodge Site located North West of Novra (North of Swan River)

See overdoseday.com for a full list of IOAD events and to learn more about overdose prevention.

Join our family this IOAD. 

#OneBigFamily #DrivenByHope #IOAD2025 #EndOverdose  

Article adapted from www.overdoseday.com

Events around the region

Mental Health Week May 6-12, 2024

Canadian Mental Health Association recognizes May 6 to 12th, 2024, as Mental Health Week. We all can be compassionate and know that doing so can make an enormous difference. This year’s Mental Health Week is centred on the healing power of compassion. In a world plagued by suffering, we emphasize that kindness is equally intrinsic to our humanity. Compassion goes beyond acknowledging pain; it’s about embracing our shared humanity and actively caring for ourselves and those around us. Unlike empathy, compassion is more than understanding – it’s rooted in action, a resounding call to practice kindness.

The Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee will be promoting amazing Mental Health Week activities planned by partner organizations in several ways:

• A regional campaign to schools was created and shared broadly with the invitation to participate in Mindful Moments. These brief messages and information with option exercises or quotes can be shared in a classroom setting, general assembly, or morning announcements. Though they only take a few minutes, they can foster a greater understanding of personal mental health and compassion.  
• Creative Reflections, a Mental Wellness Suicide Prevention project, was created to work on reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and illness by creating an invitation for individuals to share their stories. We put forward an expression of interest form in 2023 and are now beginning to work with interested artisans to gather their pieces. This project was open to all: artwork, sculptures, photography, poetry, music, and short stories, all eligible to be part of the Creative Expressions Exhibit in the Fall. Stay tuned for more details to come!
  • As part of this project, we offer two in-person creation workshops during Mental Health Week. One will take place in Dauphin on May 6 and the other in Ste. Rose on May 8. Individuals will be introduced to the idea of expressing themselves via art and invited to engage in creating their self-portraits in a creative way. Engaging in art activities has been shown to reduce stress, lower anxiety levels, and improve mood.
• The Dauphin HERO club will be celebrating their 30^th Anniversary this year! A celebration event is planned during Mental Health Week on Wednesday, May 8, from
  11 am to 2 pm. Born out of a desire for a healthy community for people recovering from mental health struggles, the HERO club – which stands for Helping Everyone Reach Out – has demonstrated how empathy and compassion can create a healthy and safe space where people can flourish.
• Keep an eye out for posters from The Canadian Mental Health Association. Titled “A Call to be Kind,” these posters present the challenge to connect with others through compassion and will direct you to CMHA Manitoba’s website for further resources and information. CMHA will also hold a free online presentation on “Radical Acceptance and Self-Compassion” at noon on Friday, May 10. E-mail [email protected] to receive the Zoom link for this presentation.

Whether it’s lending a listening ear, offering a helping hand, or simply being there for someone in need, every act of kindness matters. In a world where kindness sometimes takes a backseat to busyness, it’s important to remember the impact that even small acts of kindness can have. By spreading kindness, we make a positive difference in the lives of others and also nourish our souls.

As we celebrate Mental Health Week, honour the HERO club’s legacy, and anticipate the Creative Reflections exhibit, let’s recommit ourselves to spreading kindness wherever we go. Together, let’s create a world where compassion and creativity flourish and everyone feels valued and supported on their journey toward healing and wholeness.

Blue Monday

Have you heard of “Blue Monday” but are not entirely sure what it is or means? Blue Monday is a term applied to the third Monday of January (January 15 this year!) and has been labeled “the most depressing day of the year.” Its origins, however, had little to do with mental health. A travel company in the UK initially conceived the idea in the early 2000s. A psychologist was commissioned to generate a formula to promote this day as the most depressing time of the year. Obviously, the travel company’s goal was to sell more vacation travel packages to warm and sunny destinations. The formula looked at factors such as shortened daylight hours, Christmas bills coming due, gloomy winter weather, and the point on the calendar where most people tend to give up on their New Year’s resolutions. Though there’s little scientific evidence to claim that it is the most depressing day of the year, in the years following, many mental health organizations jumped on the idea to promote awareness about seasonal depression and the need for support and other self-help strategies to beat the winter blues.

Manitoba’s winters are long, dark, and cold. People must take care of their mental health this time of year. Research suggests that up to 35 percent of the general population experience the “winter blues,” which can include changes in appetite and increased lethargy as the daylight hours grow shorter. The winter blues differs from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which affects about three to five percent of the population and is a serious form of depression. Symptoms of SAD include feeling significantly depressed most days, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, and disrupted sleep patterns.

People experiencing the winter blues or SAD can benefit from:

• Maximizing exposure to sunlight. Spend more time outdoors during the day and arrange indoor environments to receive maximum sunlight. The use of therapy lamps has proven benefits as well.
• Exercise. Exercise relieves stress, builds energy, and increases mental and physical well-being. Make a habit of taking a daily noon-hour walk. The activity and increased exposure to natural light can raise spirits.
• Social support and connection. Strong social networks reduce isolation, a key risk factor for depression.
• Stress reduction. Make changes in your life to help manage and reduce stress. Too much stress exacerbates depression and puts you at risk for future depression. Take the aspects of your life that stress you out, such as work overload or unsupportive relationships, and find ways to minimize their impact.

While it may not be scientifically accurate to designate the third Monday in January, or any day of the year for that matter, as the most depressing day of the year, it does offer the opportunity to engage in healthy conversations about mental wellness, especially at this time of year. Talking openly about seasonal depression and the support that is available for those who struggle helps reduce the stigma around mental illness and opens pathways for support and recovery. This year, several special events have been planned in the region to highlight the effects of seasonal depression and the support available. Check out the list below to see what’s happening on January 15 in your area:

Dauphin: The Dauphin HERO Club will spread cheer with uplifting inspirational quotes and blueberry muffins in the community. If interested in helping, contact Lori at 204-638-7104 or e-mail [email protected]

Swan River: The Canadian Mental Health Association will set up a display from 9:00-4:00 at the community booth in the Swan Valley Co-op food store. Drop by to pick up information on mental health and chat with a CMHA representative.

Roblin: The Roblin HERO club will be sharing blue treats in their community

Ste Rose:  Spiritual Care & Health Promotion – We will share a “sweet“ blue treat, to brighten people’s day.  Encouraging everyone to take extra care of themselves by connecting with others, doing something special for someone else to help brighten these winter days. If interested in helping out contact Susan Denhard at 204-447-4360 or email –  [email protected]