January 30, 2019 is Bell Let’s Talk Day!! If you don’t know what this initiative is, make sure to visit their website at: https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/bell-lets-talk-day.
As a therapist and counsellor, I hear it often: “I don’t know if I need counselling. I’m not crazy”. Language is a powerful thing. And the first thing I try to do is NORMALIZE. I remind them that our mental health is the same as our physical health: just as we all have vital organs that keep us alive, we all have emotions that naturally respond to the environment or situation surrounding us. When we have aches and pains, we sometimes postpone our visits to the doctor or forget to take our medication. We may skip our daily jog or indulge in a double burger with bacon and cheese. And, sometimes, we have difficulties managing our emotions or taking care of ourselves mentally by engaging in regular self-care or seeking professional help.
Our emotions are vital to our existence and all serve an important function – even the unpleasant ones. They tell us that we either like or dislike what is going around us, they tell us to take extra caution if we feel that we are at risk of being physically, socially, or emotionally harmed. When we try to deny our emotions or minimize them, we introduce another emotion – GUILT. And this feeling can make whatever we are experiencing seem a million times worse.
The Campaign
I know it’s just one day. But it’s an important day. It is the day that Bell raises money to help foster this important dialogue – to normalize mental health issues and increase our comfort in seeking help or simply acknowledge how we are feeling. If we cannot own our feelings, we cannot work through them.
The money raised provides necessary funding to make mental health services accessible – either online or face-to-face. The funds are redirected to mental health initiatives serving individuals and families across the lifespan. More importantly, Bell Let’s Talk gives us all the permission that we should always give ourselves to talk about mental health – in a way that is non-judgmental, shameful, minimized or discouraged.
You can support this campaign but doing a few simple things:
– Use the #bellletstalk hashtag when using Twitter
– Use the #bellletstalk photo frame when using Facebook
– Use the #bellletstalk filter on SnapChat
– Watch and post the official #bellletstalk videos on all social media platforms
– If you are on the Bell service, text message and call people
Bell will give 5 cents for every one of these actions.
Please take the time tomorrow to engage in a very important and necessary cause!
Cindy Nash Counselling 