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Health awareness campaigns

March - Women's Mental Health

This March UFV highlights the awareness of Women’s Mental Health. Though many mental illnesses seem to be gender neutral, women often have different signs and symptoms, requiring different treatments and services. Homewood Health has provided some enlightening facts about women’s mental health. 

Did you know:

  • 47% of women were considered at high risk of developing mental health disorders, compared to 36% of men.
  • 25.7% of young women have self-harmed – more than twice the rate of young men.
  • Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression.
  • Women who have experienced childhood trauma such as sexual abuse and physical violence are 3 to 4 times more likely to encounter depression as adults.
  • Women tend to experience more concurrent mental health disorders. Depression might be accompanied by anxiety, agoraphobia (feeling unsafe), panic disorders, somatoform disorders (symptoms of physical illness or pain that cannot be fully diagnosed), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Women have significantly higher rates of developing PTSD following exposure to traumatic events – at least double that of men.
  • An alarming 80% of individuals with eating disorders are women, which has the highest overall mortality rate of any mental illness.

To read further on this article please continue to this link.

If you are struggling with mental health, please know help is available. We are all in this together.

  • If there is immediate risk, call 911
  • If you are experiencing a personal crisis, contact the crisis line at 604-951-8855or toll free 1-877-820-7444. This service is available 24 hours a day, every day.
  • All UFV employees have access to free short term counselling by contacting Homewood Health at Toll-free: 1-800-663-1142, services are available 24hrs/day, every day.
  • For additional resources from Homewood, please sign up/log in to your Homeweb account.
  • Wellness Together Canada is also a free online platform launched by the Federal Government for all Canadians of all ages to access mental health and substance use support.
Featured workshops

Women's Mental Health

This one-hour virtual session will provide participants with a high-level understanding of the societal causes for gender differences in mental health with a focus on women’s mental health. The implications of the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to women’s mental health will be addressed, including issues related to parenting and childcare; types and value of women’s work; traditional gender roles in the home and domestic violence. A review of mental health supports will be provided, as well as an opportunity for questions and discussion.

Women’s Mental Health will be hosted by Emma Rickard & Julie Martin (English), and Gabrielle Provencher (French).  Please note that this webinar will be recorded and posted to Homewood’s website one week following the final session.

Date: Tuesday March 7th, Wednesday, March 8th and Thursday, March 9th, please register below for your preferred session:

Register here for Tuesday, March 7 @ 4:00 pm PST

Register here for Wednesday, March 8 @ 7:00 pm EST

Register here for Thursday, March 9 @ 7:00 pm EST (French)

Resources and education materials

Free app – MindShift™ CBT uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety. Get the tools to tackle worry, panic, perfectionism, social anxiety, phobias. Click here to learn more.

Homewood Health

Homewood's Plan Smart Lifestyle and Specialty Counselling Servies: catalogue of service descriptions for employees

  • 12 Weeks to Wellness - Ready to take your health and well-being to the next level? Homewood’s 12 Weeks to Wellness Program may be what you are looking for. Homewood’s program uses a comprehensive, self-directed approach to support behaviour change. You will have access to life coaching, nutritional counselling, and health risk assessment over a 12-week period. One call to Homewood at 1-800-663-1142 is all it takes to get started. Plan Smart empowers you with the information and support you need to take a comprehensive approach to behaviour change. Homewood makes it simple to get started and guide you step-by-step.

Wellness Together Canada - online platform launched by the Federal Government for all Canadians of all ages to access mental health and substance use support. Click here to access.

 

Health and well-being awareness monthly campaigns

 

  January   Mental Health 
  February   Healthy Heart
  March   Women's Mental Health
  April   Financial Wellness
  May   Cancer Prevention
  June   EDI Awareness
  July   Respect in the workplace and harassment prevention
  August   Trauma informed care
  September   Work-life balance
  October   Breast cancer awareness
  November   Men's health
  December   Self-care

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