In celebration of Bell Let’s Talk Day on Jan 26th, NavOn (a division of LFCC) and the London Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council is offering two education sessions:

Coping with COVID: Building Resilience in Challenging Times — Jan 26th 1 PM to 4 PM

Suicide Risk Assessment: The Art of Interviewing — Jan 27th 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Struggling with anxiety during this time of uncertainty? You’re not alone. Activities and coping strategies you relied on to get through stressful periods in the past year may not be working as well as they used to. Whether you are struggling with financial challenges, isolation from family and friends or are working on the frontlines, it’s more important than ever to stay informed about how to take care of your mental health. This half day session will provide practical strategies for coping with uncertainty and change. We can build our resiliency by learning new skills from the world of psychology that can make a meaningful difference to our ability to cope and navigate through challenging times.

Presented by Heather Fredin, B.A., D.A.T., M.Ed., Counselling Psychology, Registered Psychotherapist

Heather’s approach to counselling is intimately linked with feminism and a vision for a healthier community. Many of her clients have been challenged by homelessness, poverty, mental health issues, addictions, childhood sexual abuse, neglect, and isolation. Heather encourages service providers to practice from a trauma -informed perspective. She continues to develop her own practice by deepening her response to post-traumatic stress and complex post-traumatic stress. Compassionate and non-judgmental approaches best serve us to support vulnerable individuals and communities.

In addition to the systemic drivers of distress, colonialism, patriarchy, capitalism etc., it is important for therapists to not lose sight of the context of their client’s lives or risk contributing to the internalization of oppression. Heather believes that therapeutic goals must be client-centric, and help should come from a collaborative approach. It is always the ethical obligation of the helper to do no harm, practice within his or her competency, follow best practice and evidence- based approaches in aiding clients. Psychotherapists must also be committed to lifelong learning to offer clients the best possible responses to their challenges.

Heather represented LFCC in partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Child and Youth Mental Health in constructing a postvention community- based protocol. She is also the Chair of the London-Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council and has recently organized several professional development sessions in the area of youth postvention. She focuses her efforts on risk assessment, community/education and health collaborative partnerships, and care pathways for youth and families seeking mental health support.