In this Issue:
- Supporting Stress Management in the Health Care Workplace
- BounceBack Webinar: Back-to-the-Office Guide and Tips to Manage Stress and Anxiety
- Returning to a Shared Workplace Toolkit for Transitioning to a New Normal
- Other Supports for Health Care Workers
- Featured Team Initiative
- Upcoming Events
Supporting Stress Management in the Health Care Workplace
Content below developed by Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
Stress and stress management in the workplace have long been topics of interest for both employers and employees. We often hear that stress is unavoidable and expected when it comes to employment, but for health care professionals the degree of chronic stress endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is an issue that deserves concentrated attention and thoughtful response.
As a Health Care Worker- what can I do to support my own mental health?
An effective strategy to manage stress on the spot is to first recognize and acknowledge stress. It is beneficial to recognize what one’s stress response might look or feel like, and subsequently identify the stressor or trigger that is causing the stress response. This level of self-awareness will enable individuals to recognize stressors and utilize coping mechanisms in future exposures.
By acknowledging the stress experience, individuals can switch from the reactive part of their brain to the conscious logical part of the brain. This makes it easier to calm down and problem solve. Reframing, reorganizing, and using positive psychology are other tools to help manage stressful situations at work. By effectively taking care of one’s mental health at work, individuals can build better resilience and adaptability, increase mental well-being, and respond better to future stressors.
One of the many resources available for workplace mental health support is Your Health Space (YHS), a free workplace mental health program developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario. YHS offers psychoeducation opportunities to professionals working in health care organizations. From Leaders to Health Care Workers, as well as Support Staff, YHS’ evidence-based program seeks to provide participants with practical tools that they can start using to support well-being in the workplace.
Trainers who lead YHS’ interactive workshops each have a background in health care and are skilled at delivering training workshops in person, virtually or via eLearning modules. Through creating safe spaces for learning, practical application, and connection, YHS is here to support you and your organization with challenges such as workplace stress. Health care organizations can find out more information and register on the Your Health Space website.
For the full article, click here.
BounceBack Webinar: Back-to-the-Office Guide and Tips to Manage Stress and Anxiety
This webinar in June covered new coping strategies to help you better manage life’s stresses. You can watch the recording here.
Timestamps:
- 07:24 How to change your thought process
- 36:00 Practice self-compassion
- 38:55 Basic coping strategies
- 42:20 Additional tips to reduce anxiety, stress, and worry
- 47:28 A quick overview of the BounceBack program
To help you remember the benefits of the BounceBack program, we have digital handouts like the general client factsheet. As well as handouts for yourself or anyone you know who is a: new parent, youth 15-17, caregiver, experiencing chronic pain or chronic conditions.
Returning to a Shared Workplace: A Psychological Toolkit for Transitioning to a New Normal
CMHA Ontario has revised its toolkit to reflect the changing needs of Ontarians and has been revised and informed by diverse perspectives, including clinical leaders from the mental health and addictions community across Ontario. The toolkit provides guidance on how to support the mental health of individuals as they plan safe transitions back to shared workspaces and to help employers as they develop policies and procedures for supporting staff returning to the work environment. See here for the toolkit.
Other Supports for Health Care Workers
Digital Toolkit of Mental Wellness Supports for Health Care Workers from Ontario Health
Ontario Health has communications materials to help raise awareness about supports available for health care workers whose mental health has been impacted due to the pandemic. The toolkit with posters, one-pagers, key messages, newsletter content, and social posts can be viewed here.
Self-Referral for Psychotherapy and Psychiatric Services from CAMH
The Ministry of Health and Ontario Health partnered with five hospitals to provide mental health services to frontline health care workers. If you are a health care worker in Ontario and require mental health and/or addictions support, you can self-refer for psychotherapy and psychiatric services here.
Mental Health and Wellness Resources from the Ontario College of Family Physicians
If you are looking for mental health and wellness resources and peer support for patients and physicians, click here.
ECHO Coping with COVID-19 Online Sessions
These virtual sessions take place two times a month on Friday afternoons from 2-3 pm and are designed for health care providers and health professions students responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to register.
Please see AFHTO’s Mental Health and Wellness webpage for additional resources.
Featured Team Initiative
Mental Health and Addictions Community Response Working Group
Hills of Headwaters Ontario Health Team brought together a working group to respond to the need to support the community’s mental health, especially that of frontline workers. The initiatives they supported include an online portal for frontline/essential workers to access timely counselling support, workshop webinars on managing empathic strain, a virtual remembrance/memorial event, sponsoring memberships to an online psychological PPE resource and developing posters with mental health tips and contact information. See here for more information.
Click here for a listing of AFHTO member mental health and addiction initiatives.
Email improve@afhto.ca if you have a program or initiative that we can share with our teams.
Upcoming Events
COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians
July 8 from 8:00-9:15 am
The 47th session in the series “Changing the way we work” will focus on where we are with COVID-19 and what we might expect come the fall. We will discuss the available evidence on the COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 5 years old and reflect on the steps we can take to support an equitable COVID-19 recovery, particularly for our Indigenous population. Register here.
CMHA Your Health Space Information Session
July 12 from 2:00-3:00 pm or July 14 from 10:00-11:00 am
Join us for an information session on CMHA Ontario’s new program, Your Health Space. We also invite organizational leaders (including HR Managers, Wellness Coordinators, Presidents, and CEOs) interested in registering for Your Health Space to participate in a Q&A discussion following the presentation. Register for July 12 or July 14.
ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Applications
Project ECHO at CAMH and U of T aims to strengthen primary care and allied health capacity in key priority areas for mental health and addictions through weekly videoconferencing sessions and a case-based learning model. Sessions are engaging, interactive, practical and evidence based. The application for ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Programming is open and can be accessed here. For more information, please visit the website.
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Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
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