June/July 2013 - Community Connections

Community Connections
328 Grande Cote
St. Eustache, Que.
J7P 1E7
By Jennifer Works
What is mental health?
Why should a child come to
C.E.S.A.M.E?
Being different is not always easy.
Accepting that your child has difficulties
can also be hard. The heavy
weight that parents have to bear is
not that their child is different or the
fact that they need help, but it is
how others see their child and how
these people can be judgmental. Because
of this, some may be hesitant
to come and consult us at the Centre
pour l’enfance en SANTÉ MEN-
TALE.
The best way to let go of these
prejudices is to find out what exactly
it is you are dealing with, instead
of holding on to your first impressions.
Mental health is most often
associated with mental illness
and both of these terms are not at all
the same thing. The Public Health
Agency of Canada gives the following
definition of mental health:
"The capacity of each and all of us to
feel, think, act in ways that enhance
LIFE CYCLES
By: Lisa Agombar
June has arrived and
with it the CYCLE of
summer begins!!!
Whether it is vacations,
fun in the sun, or simply
relaxing on these
warm nights, this is a
time to unwind and
perhaps reflect on CYCLES gone by
and think about those around the
corner. And don’t forget, a well deserved
pat or two on the shoulder
Page18
our ability to enjoy life and deal
with the challenges we face. It is a
positive sense of emotional and
spiritual well-being that respects the
importance of culture, equity, social
justice, interconnections and personal
dignity. "
Being in good mental health is:
· to be able to love your life;
· to put your skills to good
use and to attain objectives;
· to establish and maintain
satisfying relationships with
others;
· to have enough confidence
to adapt to a situation which
you cannot change or to
work on finding the best
solution possible;
· to learn to manage stress
effectively;
· to cope with changes that
affect you ;
· to be able to ask for help
from those that are close to
you or from a specialized
wouldn’t hurt for all you’ve done so
far!
At PANDA, we also take a break
from our monthly conferences and
activities and go through our own
CYCLE of reflection and planning.
Over the last year, PANDA has
worked hard putting together 10
conferences, specialized workshops,
parenting skills classes and Reading
Detectives to name a few and I’m
happy to report we’ve ended on a
high note once again!
What’s not always visible on the
surface though and can be difficult
June/July 2013
organization in difficult
times;
· to find activities that you
enjoy and sticking with
them;
· to find a good balance from
all aspects of life: physical,
psychological, economical,
spiritual and social.
Now you can understand that
C.E.S.A.M.E. is not a centre that
takes care of children with mental
illness. It is an organization that
holds at its core the wellbeing of
children and that makes sure that
they have a healthy and balanced
mental state!
Our stimulation workshops are for
children between the ages of 3 and 5
with developmental difficulties
(language, behaviour, motor skills,
anxiety, etc.). They do not need to
have a diagnosis to receive our services.
If your child could benefit,
please do not hesitate to call us at
450-623-5677.
to report on is what happens when
individuals begin the journey of
gathering information and understanding
ADHD.
Even today, with the wealth of information
available, people feel
ashamed or embarrassed if they or
someone they know show symptoms
of ADHD. Rather than discussing
ADHD like any other life
event, it’s kept hidden in fear of the
unspoken words, behind closed
door judgments or the immediate
look of disapproval.
Cont’d on p 19