As part of Mental Health Awareness Month in February, the focus during the week of the 17th will be on the importance of work life balance. Fittingly, the week will start with Family Day, a day to take a break from work and spend time with family and loved ones. This additional public holiday reminds every one of the importance of balancing home and family life as an important strategy in mental wellness.
To assist with developing personal strategies to keep things in balance, York’s Mental Health Steering Committee is sponsoring wellness workshops that week for staff and faculty members.
All employees are invited to attend a free workshop offered by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Shepell·fgi, titled Wellness: Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, that will explore the impact of mental illness on employees; the importance of support from within the workplace; and strategies for helping individuals who are suffering from mental illness.
Attendees can choose between two lunch hour sessions: Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 12 to 1pm, in 280A York Lanes or Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 1 to 2pm, in 284 York Lanes, Keele campus. Anyone interested in registering for one of these workshops, should visit the York Employee Learning Calendar website. For more information, contact 416-736-2100 ext. 44635 or hrlearn@yorku.ca.
The York University Psychology Clinic (YUPC) offers a workshop on Building Personal Resiliency that focuses on understanding resiliency to be an essential quality for everyone to have to maintain good physical and mental health. The next workshop on Feb. 20 is already at capacity, but for more information on future workshops and services the clinic provides to help individuals, couples and families maintain good mental health, contact YUPC at yupc@yorku.ca or visit York University Psychology Clinic website.
If you notice a colleague who is struggling or having a bad day, be a good listener and remind them professional help is available through EAP. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, EAP is a confidential service that can help with a number of problems and challenges in life. The University receives no personal information regarding who accesses the program. Log on through the Shepell·fgi Work Health Life website to access online resources or call 1-800-268-5211. TTY Service is available at 1-800-363-6270.
All employees are encouraged to take the week of Feb. 17 to be aware of how they can maintain balance and promote wellness. For more information on resources and wellness tips, visit York’s Mental Health and Wellness website.