Changing Minds

Changing Minds is an innovative, multi-use mental illness education program. It was created in order to address a community need for mental health education, stigma reduction and to promote a better understanding of mental health and mental illness. This powerful and engaging program will change your mind regarding people with mental illness, delivered by a certified Canadian Mental Health Association of New Brunswick Facilitator.

WHY IS THIS PROGRAM SO EFFECTIVE?

In understanding an individual who has a mental illness we must first understand the illness, the impact of the illness on the individual, their family and their “fit” within their communities. Mental Illness is more challenging to understand than other kinds of illness. It’s easier to understand the mental illness when we get to know the individual with the illness and the effect it has on their lives.

Model Outline:

1. Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness
   Goal – To introduce the concepts of mental health and mental illness and explore our response to mental illness.
2. Living with a Diagnosis
   Goal – To increase our ability to understand and relate to a person who has been diagnosed with a mental illness.
3. Understanding Depression
   Goal – To understand major depression and barriers to sensitive communication.
4. Understanding Anxiety
   Goal – To recognize the effect of fear and anxiety in mental illness and develop the ability to respond to people’s needs for safety.
5. Understanding Psychosis
   Goal – To learn to relate to someone who is temporarily experiencing a different reality.
6. Understanding Mania and Mood Swings
   Goal – To understand the impact of mood swings on a person’s relationships and interactions.
7. Understanding Complex Mental Health Problems
   Goal – To understand how people develop extreme coping mechanisms to express their needs.
8. Understanding Addictions & Using Our Skills
   Goal – To understand addictions and the process of developing an addiction & to review and practice what we have learned.

Layout: Two full days, 15 hours total. This two-day training can be offered in-person or virtually in 4 half-day Zoom sessions.

Languages: English & French

Cost: Changing Minds is offered at a cost of $200/person + tax. A subsidy through the Department of Health to reduce the cost to $60/person + tax is available.

Booking: for more information: info@cmhanb.ca or 506-455-5231. Booking is based on staff availability. Minimum 12 participants, maximum 25 participants.