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Is your loved one navigating a mental illness? Not sure who you can talk to? Join Caring Connections.

Mar 4, 2024

Is your loved one navigating a mental illness? Not sure who you can talk to? Join Caring Connections.

Caring Connections is a closed peer support group for Nova Scotians over the age of 16 who are experiencing the complex challenges associated with providing emotional and/or practical support to a loved one living with a mental illness or substance use disorder.

Who should register for this group: Caring Connections is appropriate for Nova Scotians over the age of 16 who are providing emotional and/or practical support to a loved one living with a mental illness or substance use disorder. This includes, but is not restricted to parents, siblings, partners and children.

Details: The group meets on Zoom every Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Zoom beginning April 2.** The Zoom link will be sent to you upon registration. Each meeting is 2 hours in length and offers participants a safe place to share their experiences in a guided discussion while learning tools and resources to support their mental health.

About this group: Individuals who live with a mental illness or substance use disorder with a strong support network that includes family, friends and significant others are more successful in their recovery and can build better resilience.

But providing ongoing emotional and/or practical support to an individual living with a mental illness or substance use disorder can take an emotional toll on the person providing the support.

Research shows that these individuals often feel isolated and report high instances of anxiety, stress, frustration, guilt, and in some cases, depression.

Guidance and education to help them understand mental illness and how it can impact the individual, can make it easier to support their loved one. It is important for these individuals to know that they are not alone and that there are others that are going through similar struggles, which is why support groups like this one can be helpful.

Outline: Caring Connections is a peer-led and non-clinical. This means it is facilitated by a CMHA NS employee and a community member with lived experience providing emotional and practical support to a loved one living with a mental illness.

Discussion topics include self-care, boundaries, conflict resolution, communication styles, active listening, the WIN formula, the mental health continuum and values.

Questions? Contact Tracy Hiltz, Caring Connections Family Peer Support Group Facilitator at [email protected]

Donate to CMHA NS

Caring Connections Family Peer Support Group is generously supported by a grant from The Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.

As a not-for-profit charitable organization, we rely on the generosity of those who give what they can to keep our programs running and remain accessible.

Donations and grants allow CMHA NS to offer peer support programs completely free of charge. If you would like to support CMHA NS with a donation you can do so here.

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