DCO Discourse...

Episode 179: On Body Image, Self Esteem, and Mental Health

June 27th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  11 mins 46 secs

body image, mental health, self esteem

On the podcast this week, we are share information on body image, self esteem, and mental health, especially important as we enter the hot summer months when pressures to have a “beach body” are present in so many forms.

Episode 178: 2SLGBTQIA+ Resources Podcast

June 20th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  11 mins 9 secs

2slgbtqia+

This episode provides further information on mental health challenges and concerns faced by many 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, as well as providing resources for anyone who needs support for themselves or someone else.

Episode 177: On Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation – Part 2

June 13th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  24 mins 47 secs

2slgbtqia+, on gender identity, part 2, sexual orientation

Last week, for Pride month, we shared part one of a panel interview we did with a university student group that promotes Sexual and Gender Diversity. This week, we share part two and hope that the panelists journeys teach you as much as they did us.

Episode 176: On Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation – Part 1

June 6th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  29 mins 48 secs

2slgbtqia+, gender identity, part 1, sexual orientation

June is Pride Month in Canada, and as such, we have decided to dedicate the next two episodes of DCO Discourse to sharing a panel interview we did with a university student group that promotes Sexual and Gender Diversity. The stories that this trio of young adults shared with our organization about discovering their individual identities and the journeys they’ve walked are very powerful and we hope that you are as moved by their journeys as we are.

Episode 175: On Mental Health, with a 6th Grader

May 30th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  12 mins 8 secs

6th grader, on mental health

This week Caitlin and her daughter, a 6th grader, sit down to talk about mental health, how they talk about it school, and how parents can have conversations with their kids about mental health.

Episode 174: On The Challenges of Parenting

May 21st, 2022  |  Season 2  |  11 mins 31 secs

challenges of parenting

This week, Caitlin explores the topic of parenting, specifically explaining why parenting can be so challenging in our modern, Western society. While hoping that this episode helps parents feel less alone, she also shares some potential resources for support.

Episode 173: On Caregiver Needs

May 16th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  12 mins

caregiver needs, ontario caregiver organization

This week’s episode includes more information about the current struggles caregivers in Ontario are facing, as well as providing more concrete examples of how we all can help. Much of this week’s information comes from the Ontario Caregiver Organization, which can be found at www.ontariocaregiver.org.

Episode 172: On Supporting Caregivers

May 9th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  24 mins 52 secs

laura mcgregor, supporting caregivers

Laura McGregor, a mom, instructor, and researcher in Waterloo, ON, speaks with Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at DCO, about her journey of being a caregiver to a child with complex care needs. She also shares some advice on how we can all better support the caregivers in our lives.

Episode 171: On Self Compassion

May 2nd, 2022  |  Season 2  |  12 mins 10 secs

dr jim perretta, self compassion

Self-compassion, as defined by Kristin Neff, is the practice of extending compassion to one's self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering. This week, our student health promotion intern, Harisaa Selvanayagam, speaks with her professor, Dr Jim Perretta, about the importance of self-compassion and how to begin practicing it in our lives.

Episode 170: On the Importance of Sleep

April 25th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  11 mins 34 secs

mental health, sleep

This week’s episode of DCO Discourse… On the Importance of Sleep provides information on why sleep is important to our mental health, how we can try to improve our sleep quality, and includes some resources to learn more.

Episode 169: On Muslim Feminism with Yasmine Mohamed

April 18th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  40 mins 37 secs

feminism, muslim, muslim feminism, yasmine mohamed

This week’s guest, Yasmine Mohamed, is a relationship and spiritual counsellor who has been sharing about her Muslim faith to help unravel some common misconceptions and ideas surrounding Islam. Today’s conversation covers gender roles, marriage, family planning, the hijab, and largely evolved into a conversation about feminism as it occurs in the Muslim faith.

Episode 168: On Ambiguous Loss, Death, and Grief

April 11th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  15 mins 55 secs

ambiguous loss, dr pauline boss, grief, loss related to death, the myth of closure

Information on ambiguous loss, loss related to death, grief, and the myth of closure. Much of what is covered comes from a recent workshop run with Dr Pauline Boss, based on work published in her latest book, “The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change”.

Episode 167: On Ramadan with Yasmine Mohamed

April 4th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  38 mins 14 secs

ramadan, yasmine mohamed

This week, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, is joined by Yasmine Mohamed to talk about all things Ramadan. Yasmine will be joining the podcast for the entire month of April to explore questions related to the Muslim faith, relationships, parenting, cultural intelligence, and more. As a part of this ongoing conversation with Yasmine, we would love to hear any questions you may have! If you’ve ever had a question about Islam or the Muslim way of life, we would love to have the opportunity to answer it for you. If you would like to submit a question for Yasmine, you can do so here: https://forms.gle/CMMz9vX4VJJNTZa17. This week, Yasmine mentioned The Yaqeen Institute, if you would like to learn more about them you can do so here: https://yaqeeninstitute.ca/.

Episode 166: Thresholds Homes and Supports

March 28th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  39 mins 25 secs

thresholds homes and supports

On the podcast this week, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at Distress and Crisis Ontario, speaks with Ian Stratton and Stephen Gross from Thresholds Homes and Supports who serve Waterloo and Wellington regions. They shared with her some information about the services they offer, how the pandemic has impacted the communities they support, and offer some words of encouragement and hope for all. If you would like to learn more about them, you can do so here: https://www.thresholdssupports.ca. If you are in need of support from ONTX or our Member centres, please visit https://www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member or to use the ONTX chat feature. You can also access ONTX by texting "SUPPORT" to 258258. ONTX is available daily from 2PM - 2AM EST. Thank you for listening, and we hope you join us again next week.

Episode 165: Ryan - Men's Mental Health

March 21st, 2022  |  Season 2  |  14 mins 55 secs

men's mental health, ryan

This week, Caitlin Plant, Program Manager at DCO is joined by Ryan to talk about his mental health journey and hopefully help shed some light on some of the challenges men, specifically, face when it comes to their mental health and the stigma surrounding asking for help. If you are in need of support, please do not hesitate to reach out. One of our Member centres or ONTX would be more than happy to listen. You can find your nearest centre by visiting www.dcontario.org/locations and ONTX is available from any page of our website or by texting SUPPORT to 258258 between the hours of 2PM – 2AM EST, daily. Thank you for listening, we hope you will join us again next week.

Episode 164: Black History Month Reflection - Harisaa

March 14th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  10 mins 57 secs

This week on the podcast, Distress and Crisis Ontario’s Health Promotion student intern, Harisaa, shares her reflections and insights surrounding Black History Month. Although Black History Month has ended with the coming of March, it is important that the celebrations of Black Canadian’s achievements and intentions of the month of awareness continue throughout the rest of the year. The Canadian theme this year was “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day”, which is a goal that should be important to all. If today’s episode, or anything else going on in our life, has you feeling the need for support, our Member centres and/or ONTX are here for you. You can find your nearest centre at www.dcontario.org/locations and can access ONTX’s chat function from any page of our website as well. ONTX is available from 2PM – 2AM EST daily and can also be reached via text by sending SUPPORT to 258258. Thank you for listening, and we hope you’ll join us again next week!