Monthly Wellness Themes

• Mental Health Stigma

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • The BounceBack program is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • HeretoHelp BC provides mental health and substance use information you can trust heretohelp.bc.ca
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia
  • OpenMind BC provides information and resources for parents of youth who are struggling with their mental health.
  • For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life-threatening situations: Crisis Services Canada or Crisis Centre BC

  Articles about Stigma and Mental Health:

  • How the Stigma of Mental Health Is Spread by Mass Media by Naveed Saleh, MD, MS
  • Oil, Heartbreak, And Manhood: Behind The Mental Health Crisis Of Alberta’s Oil Workers by Omar Mouallem
  • Documentary explores mental health of oil and gas industry’s commuter workforce by Laura Beamish
  • 9 Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma by Luna Greenstein
  • Understanding (and Getting Past) the Mental Health Stigma from the Cleveland Clinic
  • Mental health — Construction’s Silent Epidemic by John Bleasby
  • Suicide a growing concern in the construction industry  by Maia Foulis

  Mental health assessments and tools:

  • Canadian Mental Health Association’s quick online assessment to measure your mental health.
  • Psychology Today offers a free online assessment which can be used as a starting point to identify if you show symptoms of specific mental health conditions. If you are concerned about your results or believe you are struggling with your mental health, please see a mental health professional.
  • Here to Help BC offers information on mental wellness including aself-assessment on your current mental wellbeing

   

  Videos about Stigma: 

  Stigma – Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

  Breaking the Stigma and Shame of Mental Illness

   

   

• Respectful Workplaces

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Worksafe BC’s resource Toward a Respectful Workplace: A Handbook on Preventing and Addressing Workplace Bullying and Harassment
  • If you have access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program like LifeWorks through your benefits plan, please utilize this if you are experiencing bullying or harassment, or feel like you are struggling with a disrespectful workplace.
  • Working with a Bully – Canada Safety Council

  Articles about Respectful Workplaces:

  • Workplace Bullying: NOT part of the job by Loraleigh Keashly, PhD
  • Where Has It Gone?A workplace trainer provides some thoughts on healthy interpersonal interactions, self-care and the elimination of bullying in the workplace by Lucette Wesley
  • What To Do If You Are Being Bullied and Harassed at Work: A legal perspective by Tamara Ramusovic
  • When Is Enough Enough? When verbal abuse becomes the new normal by HeretoHelp BC (language warning)
  • 5 Ways to Heal From Workplace Bullying (US based article) by Sherri Gordon

  Respectful Workplace assessments and tools:

  • Builders Code Cool or Tool? app – scenario-based game for crew members aimed at creating better, safer, and more inclusive worksites.
  • Checklist: Do You Have a Respectful Workplace? by Construction Owners Association of Alberta
  • Worker Checklist: Workplace Bullying and Harassment by Worksafe BC

   

  Why being respectful to your coworkers is good for business – Ted Talk by Christine Porath

   

  Workplace bullying – Reachout.com Australia

   

  How I survived workplace bullying – TedX Talk by Sherry Benson-Podolchuk

   

• Physical Health

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • The BounceBack program is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • Sleep On It Canada is a public health campaign and resource with plenty of useful information about sleep
  • Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology 24-Hour Movement Guidelines offer clear direction on what a healthy 24 hours looks like for all ages
  • HealthlinkBC’s guide on Food and Nutrition includes useful information about a range of nutrition topics including hydration and reading food labels

   

  Articles about Physical Health:

  • 2021 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults
  • Nutrition Tips for Shift Workers by UnlockFood.ca
  • How to Exercise When You Work in Manual Labor by Sara Lindberg
  • How to stay hydrated by Government of Canada
  • Proper sleep integral to construction worker productivity by Peter Caulfield
  • How to Lower the Risk of Work Injuries with These 6 Exercises by Duane Craig

   

  Physical Health assessments and tools:

  • Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine’s Coping Better with Night Work interactive web tutorial, which was made for everybody who has to work nights, either occasionally or full-time.
  • HealthLinkBC’s What Is Your Target Heart Rate for Exercise?

   

  Videos about Physical Health: 

  Canada’s struggle to get enough sleep – CBC News

   

  How the food you eat affects your brain – Ted Ed by Mia Nacamulli

   

• Pain Avoidance and Addiction

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • National Overdose Response Service – No Judgement. Just Love. 1-888-688-NORS(6677)
  • British Columbia’s directory of Mental Health & Substance Use Supports in BC (search by location, type of use, and/or audience).
  • Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. 
  • BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services provides specialized treatment, education, health promotion and more for British Columbians.
  • Government of Canada: Get help with substance use. 
  • Stop Overdose – The Ministry Of Mental Health and Addictions.

   

  Articles about Pain Avoidance and Addiction:

  • Language matters: speaking about substance use.
  • CAMH: Talking About and Spotting Substance Abuse. 
  • Canucks Alumni talk about stigma. 
  • Where Can I Get a Naloxone Kit?
  • Why addressing stigma around substance use matters by Jessica Werb (UBC)
  • Stigma around drug use – Government of Canada.

   

  Pain Avoidance and Addiction self-assessments and tools:

  • The Brave app – Virtual overdose prevention in your pocket, so you don’t have to use alone.
  • Here to Help‘s online screening for mental well-being, depression, anxiety, and substance use.
  • The Next Step Toolkit – designed for people who are concerned about their loved one’s substance use.
  • Mobile apps/virtual treatment for mental health and substance use.
    
    

  Geroy Simon from the BC Lions explains how to respond to an overdose.

   

  Canucks Alumni Chris Higgins Talks About the Stigma Around Addiction.

   

  Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong Ted Talk by Johann Hari

   

• Mental Health: Suicide Prevention

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Crisis Services Canadais a confidential place to talk or text in your own way. They can help understand thoughts and feelings, and connect with local support resources. 
  • Indigenous crisis supports crisis lines
  • Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention:
    • I’m Having Thoughts of Suicide
    • I’m Concerned About Someone 
    • How to Support a Suicide Attempt Survivor
  • HereToHelpis a group of seven leading mental health and substance use non-profit agencies that have been working together to help people live well and better prevent and manage mental health and substance use problems.
  • Suicide Attempt Follow-up, Education & Research (S.A.F.E.R.). 

  Articles about Suicide Prevention:

  • Everyone Has a Story by Brene Brown.
  • You Can Help With Suicide Prevention. 
  • Vocabulary: how to talk about suicide.
  • An editorial Men and Suicideby the Centre of Suicide Prevention.
  • What does successful recovery look like?
  • Promoting Hope and Resiliency is Central to Suicide Prevention.
  • Oil, Heartbreak, And Manhood: Behind The Mental Health Crisis Of Alberta’s Oil Workers by Omar Mouallem

  Suicide prevention self-assessments and tools:

  • Heads Up Guys Mental Health Self Check
  • Here to Help‘sonline screening for mental well-being, depression, anxiety, and substance use.
  • Canadian Mental Health Association’s quick online assessment to measure your mental health.

   

  Suicide, It’s Time to Talk About “IT” | Barb Smith | TEDxTraverseCity

   

  What I learned from my husband’s suicide TEDx Talk by Lori Prichard

   

  How Do You Stop Men Taking Their Own Lives? TEDx Talk by Ben Akers

   

• Diversity and Inclusion

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Canadian Center for Diversity and Inclusion is a social organization helping Canadian employers move from diversity to inclusion.
  • AMSSA (the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC)is BC’s province- wide umbrella association with over 70 member organizations who build culturally inclusive communities.
  • Canadian Center for Gender + Sexual Diversityaspires to support communities in a shared vision of a discrimination-free gender and sexually diverse world.
  • Government of Canada: Discover the significance of multiculturalism in Canada— ensuring that all citizens keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging. 
  • McKinsey’s Diversity and Inclusion insight centre

  Articles about Diversity and Inclusion:

  • The Dangers Of Mistaking Diversity For Inclusion In The Workplaceby Dana Brownlee.
  • Closing the Diversity Gapby ReNew Canada
  • Building diversity: the value of inclusivity in the construction industryby Andrea Lee and Kaleigh DuVernet
  • The value of diversity and inclusion in the Canadian construction industry: A business caseby the Canadian Construction Association
  • Embracing diversity in the workplace: A good business decisionfrom Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

  Diversity and Inclusion self-assessments and tools:

  • Harvard’s Project Implicit assessmentswhich are designed to help you understand attitudes, stereotypes, and other hidden biases that can influence our perception, judgment, and action.
  • Diversity and Inclusion Toolkitsfrom the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
  • The Diversity Toolkit, created for the US Utilities sector but useful to trades employers in Canada as well

   

  What Diversity & Inclusion is REALLY About by Simon Sinek

   

  Do These People Have More In Common Than You Think? | Reverse Assumptions

   

  All That We Share by TV2 Denmark

   

• Mental Health: Anxiety and Depression

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Anxiety Canada offers great resources and support to help you understand and manage anxiety, and includes a list of local professionals who can help.
  • The BounceBack program is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia
  • Man Therapy is a US based site which offers self-assessments, resources and strategies specifically for men on things like anger and rage, substance abuse, depression and anxiety
  • For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life threatening situations: Crisis Services Canada or Crisis Centre BC 

  Articles about Depression and Anxiety:

  • When Depression and Anxiety Occur Together By Sheryl Ankrom, MS, LCPC
  • Canadians reporting more anxiety and depression than ever before, poll finds by Ryan Flanagan
  • Canadian Mental Health Association: Mental Health Resources for the Construction Industry by Erin Stephenson
  • Mental health — Construction’s silent epidemic by John Bleasby
  • Mental Ill-Health Risk Factors in the Construction Industry: Systematic Review by Albert P. C. Chan, Janet M. Nwaogu, John A. Naslund, Ph.D.

  Anxiety and Depression self-assessments and tools:

  • Depression Hurts (by the Mood Disorders Society of Canada) has a depression symptoms checklist which you can complete, and then take to your doctor to discuss.
  • Man Therapy has a scientifically validated 20 point head inspection, which gives you a run down of how you excel and where you can improve your mental health
  • Here to Help BC offers information on mental wellness including self-assessments on anxiety and depression

   

  Anxiety and Depression: What’s the Difference?

   

  This could be why you’re depressed or anxious– TedX Talk by Johann Hari

   

  A new plan for anxious feelings: escape the custard! – Tedx Talk by Neil Hughes

   

• Emotional Intelligence

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • The BounceBack program is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • Canadian Mental Health Association 
  • HeretoHelp BC provides mental health and substance use information you can trust
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia
  • OpenMind BC provides information and resources for parents of youth who are struggling with their mental health
  • For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life-threatening situations: Crisis Services Canada or Crisis Centre BC

  Articles about Emotional Intelligence:

  • The importance of emotional intelligence in construction by Jill Pennington
  • How Emotional Intelligence Can Transform Construction’s Hypermasculine Culture by Brent Darnell
  • Emotional intelligence is bettering the construction industry by Bryan Dixon
  • 12 Signs of Low Emotional Intelligence — Plus Tips for Building It by Crystal Raypole
  • Emotional intelligence: 6 tips to apply it in everyday conversation by Stephanie Overby

  Emotional Intelligence self-assessments and tools:

  • MindTools’ How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? Assessment
  • UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine’s Emotional Intelligence quiz to determine how well you are able to read facial expressions, a key sign of emotion
  • Verywellmind’s How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? Quiz
  • The Other Kind of Smart – Emotional Intelligence quiz 

   

  9 Things Emotionally Intelligent People Avoid Doing – Psych2Go

   

  The People Currency: Practicing Emotional Intelligence – TedX Talk by Jason Bridges

   

  Emotional Mastery: The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings – TedX Talk by Dr Joan Rosenberg

   

• Psychological Safety

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Your Employee and Family Assistance Program if you have access to one. Employees on an eligible ICBA benefits plan have access to Lifeworks either through their website or through their 24/7 toll-free helpline on 1-877-207-8833
  • Canada Life’s Workplace Strategies for Mental Health website has a fantastic set of resources for employees (and people leaders) which include a lot of information on psychological safety, bullying and harassment
  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • HeretoHelp BC provides mental health information you can trust
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia
  • For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life threatening situations: Crisis Services Canada or Crisis Centre BC
    

  Articles about Psychological Safety:

  • What is psychological health and safety and why is it important? by Guarding Minds at Work
  • Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace Strategy by Safe Work Manitoba (while this article does contain Manitoba-specific references, the statistics and stories are very valuable for all)
  • True psychological safety in the workplace depends on employees knowing what it is by Bill Howatt
  • Does Your Airplane Have Psychological Safety? By Romeo Vitelli (this article, while not directly tied to construction, applies the concept of psychological safety to aviation, to show the potentially catastrophic consequences that a lack of psychological safety can have)
  • The Value of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace by Allison Abrams

  Psychological Safety self-assessments and tools:

  • HRInsider’s Anti-Harassment & Bullying Quiz
  • Does Your Team Have Psychological Safety, the Most Important Quality for Success? Just 5 Questions Will Tell You

   

  National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard) – Mental Health Commission of Canada

   

  The Psychologically Safe Workplace – Workplace Stories – Canadian Mental Health Association BC

   

  Psychological health – Is the work safe? Do I feel safe? By Worksafe Victoria (Australia)

   

• Cancer Awareness

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • BC Cancer’s Services and Support page provides a list of both their own resources and resources available in the community
  • The Canadian Cancer Society’s Resources page includes a range of helpful information through cancer information videos, publications, recipes and webinars
  • The Canadian Cancer Society has another helpful pagewhich lists support services available including providers of wigs and prosthetics, and transport to treatment, as well as a community where you can connect with people who have cancer, have survived cancer and caregivers
  • Inspire Healthoffers free programs and classes to support the complete wellbeing of anyone with a cancer diagnosis and their support people, both in person in BC and online.
  • Receiving a cancer diagnosis, or having a loved one diagnosed with cancer can have a significant impact on our mental health. For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life threatening situations, visit https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/or https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/

  Articles about Cancer:

  • Reduce your risk by the Canadian Cancer Society
  • Work-related skin cancer among construction workers set to double by 2060 by Grant Cameron
  • How you can support a friend through cancer by Suleika Jaouad
  • Lung Cancer Myths and Facts by Lung Cancer Canada
  • For Patients and Caregivers:Coping and Emotional Support by Lung Cancer Canada
  • What kind of changes in my body should I report to my doctor? by the Canadian Cancer Society
  • Listen First: And 9 other ways to support someone with cancer by Canadian Cancer Society

  Cancer self-assessments and tools:

  • It’s my life!  Interactive tool to learn how you can reduce your personal risk of cancer.
  • My CancerIQ by Cancer Care Ontario offers a series of assessments to determine your risk factor for 6 common cancers.
  • Teva Canada’s Caregiver Self-Assessment to help you identify whether you are experiencing burnout while caring for a loved one who may be going through cancer treatment.

   

  How many cancer cases can we prevent in Canada by 2042? by the Canadian Cancer Society

   

  How to help a friend with cancer - TedX talk by Christopher Gorelik

   

  Cancer Prevention and Healthy Living by cancer.net

   

• Resilience

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Resilience Institute
  • Cornell Health’s Building Resilience
  • Canadian Mental Health AssociationHeretoHelp BC provides mental health information you can trust
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia

  Articles about Resilience:

  • Resilience: Build skills to endure hardship by the Mayo Clinic
  • The Secret to Building Resilience  by Harvard Business Review
  • What is Resilience, and Why Is It Important to Bounce Back
  • How Resilience Helps You Cope With Life’s Challenges by VerywellMind

  Resilience self-assessments and tools:

  • Resilience Institute’s Guide to Measuring Resilience
  • The Brief Resilience Scale: A Simple Way to Measure Resilience

   

  What Is Resilience: Top 5 Tips To Improve Your Resilience

   

  The three secrets of resilient people | Lucy Hone | TEDxChristchurch

   

  Resilience: A Mindset for Everyday Life | Joana Baquero | TEDxUTulsa

   

• Financial Fitness

  Support centres and additional resources:

  • Credit Counselling Society  is a free service which provides financial advice for people who are struggling with debt and/or making ends meet
  • Planswell  is a Canadian tech company offering free financial plans through their app to support anyone to be financially better off
  • The BounceBack program  is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • Financial stress can have a significant impact on our mental health. For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life threatening situations, visit https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/or https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/

  Articles about financial fitness:

  • What the pandemic taught us about our money by Credit Counselling Society
  • 25 ways to stay on top of your budget by Elyce Mankewich
  • How Working On Your Mental Health Can Help Fix Your Finances by Richard Eisenberg
  • 7 Bankruptcy Myths, Misconceptions & Facts in Canada by Julie Jaggernath
  • 3 tips to get family finances back on track by Sophie Nicholls Jones
  • Money the biggest source of stress for Canadians: FP Canada by Advisor’s Edge
  • Financial Stress: How to Cope By Elizabeth Scott, PhD

  Financial fitness assessments and tools:

  • Government of Canada’s Budget Planner is a great online budgeting tool which helps you create a budget in a clear way that is easy to refer back to
  • Government of Canada’s Financial Goal Calculator, which is a helpful tool to plan your saving goals or create a pathway to get out of debt.
  • The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada has a financial literacy self-assessment quiz to find out how your financial literacy skills and knowledge measure up compared to other Canadians.

   

  3 psychological tricks to help you save money – Ted

   

  You’re Spending Too Much! – Tedx talk by Jordon Cox

   

  How to manage credit and save money by CBC News: The National

   

• Reflection

  Support Centres and Additional Resources

  If, after reflecting, you feel like you could use some support with your mental health, here are some support centres and additional resources to help:

  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • The BounceBack program is a free service to help you improve your mental health and includes materials and resources that can all be customized to fit your needs
  • HeretoHelp BC provides mental health and substance use information you can trust.
  • Credit Counselling Society is a free service which provides financial advice for people who are struggling with debt and/or making ends meet.
  • Mental health support services from the Government of British Columbia
  • For information on suicide prevention and support in non-life threatening situations:
    https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/
    https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/

   

  Articles About Reflection

  • What Is Self-Reflection and Why It Matters For Wellness by Tchiki Davis, Ph.D.
  • Here’s How Self-Reflection Can Strengthen Your Emotional Intelligence by Juli Fraga
  • How to practise self-reflection by Calmer
  • How Self-Reflection Gives You a Happier and More Successful Life by Tracy Kennedy

   

  Reflection Assessments and Tools:

  • reflection.app guided annual review to help you reflect on the year that was, to set goals for a better 2022
  • The Power of Self-Reflection: 10 Questions You Should Ask Yourselfby Michael Woronko
  • Goal Setting Tool from The Reality Slap by Dr Russ Harris

   

  The Value of Self-Reflection by James Schmidt

  Why Introspection Matters by The School of Life

  Simon Sinek on How Reflection Informs Personal Growth