Vermilion RMH Connection: Recent Episodes
Derek Collins
The Rural Mental Health Project supports the Canadian Mental Health Association's vision of "mentally healthy people in a healthy society". The aim of our work is to support the activities that reflect the assets, values, and priorities of the Vermilion and area community.
My name is Derek Collins and I have the role of an Animator. I am working to support community dialogue and action planning around mental health and wellness. In this podcast, I would like to facilitate discussion to identify strengths, concerns and opportunities around us.
The tags I hope you will see, and even begin to use as your thoughts engaged by these conversations:
"I need help Vermilion"
"I can help Vermilion"
Together we can build our capacity.
This week I feature a chat I had with Cora. She is the photographer of Little Inuk Photography. She has set out to capture and feature the art and beauty of Inuit tattoos. The Inuit population is another group with a rich history, and we are very fortunate to have such talent in our community. Her work has been featured in museums around the world and Chatelaine magazine.
Meet Rikki, who is the Indigenous Director for Lakeland College. We discuss her position and the work in Truth and Reconciliation. We go beyond that to her story and experiences growing up in the area. We talk about stereotypes. The variety of experiences around us continues to astound me as we explore and learn from each other.
David Graves is a teacher who has worked with Braided Journeys with Edmonton Catholic Schools. I reached out to him as a friend who has helped guide me through several topics over the years. He has learned the power of Story, and he is willing to share his insight with someone who is looking to learn more about the Indigenous story in our area. You will hear about place names, the two-row wampum and David's struggle with knots.
I have been working on learning more and hearing more Indigenous stories over the past few months. The episodes that are coming are conversations I have had with people who are willing to share their own experiences. Some of these are local and powerful stories. I set out to learn as a part of Truth and Reconciliation. I hope you will join me on this journey.
I am excited to share the chat I had with Charlotte. We talk about how Chatworth farm helped out during the pandemic by connecting people with animals. I also ask her about her experiences in 4-H and even living in a community far from Canada.
The Primary Care Network has two Navigators that are helping clients find the appropriate service for their needs. Jaclyn is serving Vegreville and Vermilion and Donna is serving the Hardisty and Killam area. To reach Jaclyn call 587-441-3535 and Donna can be reached at 780-632-2091.
This week I am excited that I got to catch up with Jamie Knight. She has worked in various areas and interests, as you will hear. I worked with her in the school setting. Now she is working with her business Good Life Collective.
Caroline has lived in Vermilion for several years now. She is a dietician by trade but also an entrepreneur, community advocate, mom, grandmother, wife and several other roles. One of her current roles is Mayor of the Town of Vermilion. It was great hearing about her stories and views on wellness and supporting each other.
Gary Walsh shares several stories that have impacted who he is and gives him an outlook on life. A chat with Gary is always fun and interesting and his positive attitude is infectious. He is a committed volunteer in our community and never stops learning.
Christy Hunt lives near Paradise Valley and works out of Lloydminster. She is a psychologist who works in our area supporting families. Christy has built a team to provide services. We chat about how to support each other, ourselves and the importance of connection.
The Upper Level Pottery and Art Gallery is a new addition to Vermilion. Heather Millan established this wonderful place to feature local artists who work in several different mediums. It is a quiet place to sit and relax. I ask her about this new endeavour and how it builds wellness and connection in our community.
Toland is a busy businessman in our community. He has renovated Craig's building and the Vermilion Standard building starting a new sports store. Building a strong community is an important ingredient in a mentally healthy community. He shares his insight into the strengths and opportunities for Vermilion and area.
Steve Booth is the home care supervisor with Alberta Health Services in Vermilion. He is a social worker by training and has worked through the Mental Health supports office and he has his own practice. He shares his insights into mental health issues in Vermilion and the area.
Shirley Scott has been an active volunteer in the Vermilion area. One role she has is with the Walking Through Grief Society. This week we discuss the stigma around grief and loss. Shirley shares how she is supporting youth during the pandemic as well as the program for children whose parents are separating or divorcing. Shirley shares her ideas of opportunities for Vermilion and her own strategies for managing self-care.
https://wtgrief.wixsite.com/walkingthroughgrief
This episode features Lynette Adamson, the Nurse Practitioner with the Kalyna Country Primary Care Network. The PCN has several programs. We talk specifically about the program that helps youth with mental health questions and issues.
This week my guest is Joanne Stewart who works as a Community Health Promotion Facilitator with Alberta Health Services. I got to know Joanne as we worked together on the Reducing the Impact of Financial Strain project. We talk about that project as well as views on wellness.
This episode comes out on May 4th and it is Mental Health Week. VIBE has been active in Vermilion and area schools and the community. The annual art gala will look different this year. I wanted to connect with Pat as mental health and wellness awareness is a focus of VIBE.
https://vibewellnessprogram.wordpress.com/
In this episode, I connect with Jodi and Kerri who are working to help people who are struggling to care for their well-being. Their practice, based on positive psychology, is very accessible as they offer several sessions. They also work with companies, schools, and communities. These two are amazing connectors and a great resource.
The Nest Project can be found at https://thenestproject.ca/
They are also on Instagram and FaceBook
Cornerstone Coop operates in several communities in our area. Early this year they raised money for Communities in Mind. Heather was involved in some meetings in our area about how mental wellness could be supported in the Vermilion area.
https://www.cornerstoneco-op.crs/sites/cornerstone/local/detail/2021---communities-in-mind-
Carol has worked for Vermilion Family Community Support Services for over 30 years. She is very well connected with various agencies. She is also very knowledgeable about mental wellness. She shares how FCSS works to build connections. She also provides some of her own wellness practices.
David Irving - Resources and Book
The Vermilion Rural Mental Health Project has a podcast. Look for upcoming conversations with people in the Alberta community of Vermilion and area to share their ideas and thoughts around connection, mental wellness and helping one another.
We are on Facebook at Vermilion Rural Mental Health Project and Instagram at Vermilion_RMH.