For some young people, a combination of mental health concerns, lack of protective factors, and the absence of family-based resiliency can lead to higher rates of delinquency, violence, and crime-related activities.  We are aiming to break this cycle by providing authentic, resiliency-focused interventions in schools and community groups, for youth and parents, specifically designed [...] The post Build Mental Health Literacy: NEW Mental Health Resource Guide for Parents and Caregivers! appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Skills for Being There We are excited to announce that we have expanded our EQUIPPED program with a third course offering called “Skills for Being There.”  Check out EQUIPPED!   If you haven't heard of EQUIPPED, it is an online mental health education platform that offers free, self-directed courses for young adults. When [...] The post NEW EQUIPPED COURSE: Skills for Being There appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Introducing...KidSMART! We are extremely excited to introduce KidSMART to our community! KidSMART is a continuation of CMHA Calgary’s youth-focused, mental health programming. View KidSMART! Specifically targeting a middle school population for students Grades 4 - 6, KidSMART exists as a free downloadable mental health toolkit to be utilized by teachers and community leaders. [...] The post Introducing… KidSMART! appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

There are many different types of mental illnesses and they affect everyone in different ways. With each type of mental illness, people may have unique experiences and challenges. Health professionals divide mental illnesses into groups based on the emotions, thoughts, and behaviours a person is experiencing. Some groups of mental illness include: Anxiety Disorders Anxiety [...] The post Identifying Different Types of Mental Illnesses appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Phillip Thomas was a special student at the University of Calgary. Intelligent and athletic, he had an incredible ability to make everyone laugh. As a member of the UofC Calgary Dinos tennis team, and a master’s student in Math and Computer Science, Phillip had a bright future. However, Phillip passed away in 2019 at the [...] The post Introducing EQUIPPED: a new online mental health resource for young adults appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Have you ever heard someone say, “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes?” This phrase is often related to empathy. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Practicing empathy and being an empathetic person can create stronger bonds with colleagues, classmates, and family members. Putting yourself in someone [...] The post Expressing Empathy appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Body image is a person's feelings and perception of the look of their own body. A person's view of their body image can change from day-to-day, but the only true thing that changes is how you think about your body. Our emotional well-being, mental health, and environment can all contribute to and influence how we [...] The post Mental Health and Body Image appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

Being a positive person is not a bad thing, however, responding to other people's negative emotions and feelings with responses such as, 'Look at the bright side,' 'Everything happens for a reason,' or 'Just be positive,' can make someone feel dismissed about how they're feeling and make yourself look less empathic. When you're part [...] The post What is Toxic Positivity? appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

The Origin of Pink Shirt Day On his first day of 9th grade, a Canadian male student wore a pink shirt to school causing some of his fellow classmates to bully and harass him for his clothing choice. This situation sparked two young men to organize a high school protest that involved the distribution of [...] The post Lift Each Other Up on Pink Shirt Day! appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more

It may feel as though there is very little you can do about stress. Whether it’s balancing personal priorities, dealing with relationships, working around deadlines, or straining under the pressure of life’s ever growing list of responsibilities–stress will often find its way into our lives, and can certainly become overwhelming. Luckily, we actually have much [...] The post Stress Management: Taking Control of Your Stress appeared first on YouthSMART ..read more