ON-BPD News | 2016, Issue 7

Following are some news stories from us, as well as some bulletins we've received that may be of interest to you. If you have news that would be of interest to us or our members, please send it to webservices@on-bpd.ca.

ON-BPD Updates:

News from our partners:

Call for Volunteers

ON-BPD could use your help! If you are interested in helping us support our community, please let us know.

  • Membership Chair (to review the process of renewing/growing membership and fundraising)
  • Program Chair (to help develop and present new programs)
  • Family Advisory Committee Liaison (to attend meetings of the Family Advisory Committee and report back to the ON-BPD Board)
  • Social Media (to help share the news and resources that help our community)

If you are interested in helping support this growing organization, please contact our president, Michèle, at michele@on-bpd.ca.

Family Connections

ON-BPD is now accepting applications to participate in our winter session of Family Connections. Family Connections is a 12-week program designed to provide the adult family members and spouses of individuals with emotion dysregulation or borderline personality disorder with knowledge and skills for their own well-being and for better understanding their loved one.

The fall session will begin in January. Attendance at all twelve sessions is required.

To apply, please download and complete the application form, and send it by e-mail to info@on-bpd.ca.

Continuing Connections

ON-BPD recently held its second Continuing Connections session, on the topic of Radical Acceptance. This program is available exclusively for people who have graduated from our 12-week Family Connections program. Our next session will be as follows:

Relationship Mindfulness
Saturday, December 3, 2016
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Participation is by invitation only. If you have completed a Family Connections course, but have not received any of the previous e-mails about Continuing Connections, please contact us at webservices@on-bpd.ca.

Free Webinars

The Borderline Personality Disorder Patient and Family Education Initiative at McLean Hospital are offering two upcoming live webinars. To register and to view recordings of previous webinars, please visit the Mclean Hospital website: mcleanhospital.org/bpdinitiative

  • On Thursday, September 29th from 4-5 PM Dr. Christopher Palmer will lead “An Open Discussion on Borderline Personality Disorder and its Treatment.” This is a special follow-up webinar to his September 14th presentation “After all of this treatment, why isn’t he/she better?  Common causes of treatment resistance and some possible solutions.” Participants are strongly encouraged to view the recording of Dr. Palmer’s September 14th webinar, which can be accessed on our website.
  • On Thursday, October 13th from 4-5 PM Dr. Gillian Galen will discuss “Validation: Making Sense of the Emotional Turmoil in Borderline Personality Disorder.”

Save the date for future webinars! (details and registration links coming soon)

  •     Wednesday, November 9th, 5-6pm EST with Brandon Unruh, MD
  •     Wednesday, December 7th, 5-6pm EST with Rocco Iannucci, MD, “BPD and Substance Use Disorder”
  •     Thursday, January 12th, 4-5pm EST with Alan Fruzzetti, PhD, “Men and boys with BPD”

Research Articles Available for a Short Time

The Harvard Review of Psychiatry recently published a Special Issue on “Emerging Topics in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder.” Articles include an introduction by Dr. John Gunderson, a look at evidence-based treatment, and a look at early intervention.

All of the articles can be downloaded for FREE until October 7th at harvardreviewofpsychiatry.org

Ontario Disability Support Program Financial Limits

In Ontario, a person receiving benefits through the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) can not hold more than $5,000 in assets and can not receive more than $6,000 in voluntary gifts or payments in a 12-month period without losing their disability benefits.

Helen Ries, caregiver and community leader is building a coalition to lobby to increase the asset limit and the voluntary gifts or payments limits so that those who are receiving ODSP can save for their future.  

To learn more or join the coalition, visit the website: giftsassets.ca 

Mental Health in the Workplace

In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week, CMHA Ottawa presents:

“Mental Health in the Workplace: How did we forget the obvious?”
By Stéphane Grenier

In today’s modern workplace, mental health problems have become the leading cause of disability claims, accounting for 70% of workplace disability management costs in Canada. Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Stéphane Grenier knows the toll mental health problems can take on individuals and workplaces firsthand. Traditionally, mental health difficulties in the workplaces have been principally viewed through two lenses - the performance lens and the clinical one. Clinicians treat symptoms and leaders manage behaviours.

What: “Mental Health in the Workplace: How did we forget the obvious?” Bilingual presentation by Stéphane Grenier, including a light breakfast.

When: Mon. Oct: 3, 8:00-8:30 am, breakfast and registration. Presentation 8:30-10:00.

Where: R.A. Centre, Clark Room, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7

Cost: $10.00. Please register here: http://bit.ly/2ct68f3 (To apply for a subsidy, please call CMHA reception at 613-737-7791)

Stéphane Grenier is a Veteran of the Canadian Military who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel following 29 years of service and numerous overseas missions including Cambodia, Haiti, Lebanon, and Kuwait. Most notably, he spent 10 months in Rwanda in 1994/95 and six months in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2007. Faced with undiagnosed PTSD upon his return from Rwanda, he took a personal interest in the way the Canadian Forces was dealing with mental health issues, a mission he has now decided to broaden to the entire Canadian workforce through his work in developing non-clinical mental health interventions as a complement to traditional clinical care.

La santé mentale en milieu de travail

Pour souligner la Semaine de sensibilisation aux maladies mentales, l’ACSM d’Ottawa présente :

« La santé mentale en milieu de travail : comment avons-nous pu ignorer ce qui est si évident? »
Par Stéphane Grenier

Dans le contexte moderne du travail, les problèmes de santé mentale sont devenus la principale cause des demandes d’invalidité, représentant 70% des coûts de gestion d’invalidité en milieu de travail au Canada. Lieutenant-colonel (retraité) Stéphane Grenier connait directement l’effet néfaste que les problèmes de santé mentale peuvent avoir sur les individus et les milieux de travail de par sa propre expérience. Traditionnellement, les problèmes de santé mentale en milieu de travail ont principalement été vus à travers deux lentilles : la lentille de performance et la lentille clinique. Les cliniciens traitent les symptômes et les dirigeants gèrent les comportements.

Quoi : « La santé mentale en milieu de travail : comment avons-nous pu ignorer ce qui est si évident? » Présentation bilingue par Stéphane Grenier, petit déjeuner inclu

Date : Le lundi, 3 octobre 2016. Enregistrement et petit déjeuner de 8h00 à 8h30. Présentation de 8h30 à 10h:00. Lieu : Centre R.A., Salon Clark, 2451, promenade Riverside, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7

Coût : 10.00 $. Inscrivez-vous ici : http://bit.ly/2cD4s49 (Pour demander une subvention, svp contactez la réception de l’ACSM au 613-737-7791)

Stéphane Grenier est un ancien combattant des Forces canadiennes ayant pris sa retraite en tant que Lieutenant-colonel suite à un peu plus de 29 ans de service. Il a participé à plusieurs missions canadiennes à l’étranger, notamment neuf mois au Rwanda en 1994-1995 et six mois à Kandahar, Afghanistan en 2007, en plus de nombreux déploiements de plus courte durée au Cambodge, au Koweït, au golfe Persique, au Liban et en Haïti, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns. Souffrant d’un syndrome de stress post-traumatique (SSPT) non diagnostiqué à son retour du Rwanda, il développa un intérêt personnel pour la manière dont les Forces canadiennes géraient les problèmes de santé mentale.

Myths About Suicide

The following information is provided by Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute Inc.  ▪ www.ctrinstitute.com ▪ 1-877-353-3205

Myth: People who talk about suicide rarely actually do it. (This relates to the belief that people are just seeking attention or are bluffing.)
• People who die by suicide often give a clue or warning of their intentions. The majority of people who attempt suicide say or do something to express their intention before they act. Always treat even subtle threats seriously.

Myth: If you ask a person directly, "Do you feel like killing yourself?” this will lead to a suicide attempt.
• Usually, speaking to a person directly about suicidal intent will relieve the anxiety surrounding the feeling, and act as a deterrent to the suicidal behaviour. You don't create self-destructive feelings in another person simply by talking about suicide. If the thought was going to be there, it was there before you asked about it.

To download a file with more myths, click here.