DCO Discourse...

Moving Forward Through Partnerships

About the show

Discussions on topics related to mental health, addictions, and life in Ontario, Canada. We aim to provide our listeners with tools and resources that will help them to improve their own mental health and wellness, as well as tools to help them support their family members, loved ones, and their communities at large. If you would like to provide feedback and/or request future topics, please use the following link: https://forms.gle/MhSNiyMm2c2xsiv8A.

We regret to announce that the ONTX text and chat program will cease operations on November 30th, 2023. Text and chat services will remain available until that date, however, they will no longer be accessible starting December 1st, 2023. If you are seeking support alternatives, we encourage you to visit our website at www.dcontario.org/locations to locate your nearest Member centre, some of which provide their own text and/or chat support services.

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Episodes

  • Episode 40: From the Ashes

    August 22nd, 2019  |  Season 1  |  28 mins 59 secs
    addictions, from the ashes, jesse thistle

    Jesse Thistle is Cree-Metis on his mother’s side and Scottish and Algonquin on his father’s side. Jesse is a P. E. Trudeau and Vanier Scholar, as well as a Governor General Silver Medalist. He is a Ph.D. Candidate in History and is an Assistant Professor,

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    Episode 39: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

    August 20th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  26 mins 22 secs
    post traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

    Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event - either experiencing it or witnessing it. It can be an extremely debilitating condition that can occur after exposure to an event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. This is not a rare condition. PTSD can affect anyone who has had a traumatic experience and is among the most common mental health problems. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 1 in 10 people will suffer from PTSD and the number can be higher among specific groups of workers.

  • Episode 38: Communicating with Youth Experiencing Depression or Suicidality

    August 17th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  21 mins 18 secs
    communicating with youth experiencing depression or suicidality

    Despite the increasing awareness around mental illness, it continues to be the single most disabling group of disorders. According to the World Health Organization, it affects youth, and specifically teen females, particularly hard. It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness and approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth have experienced a major depressive episode. This indicates that over 3 million teens in Canada today, between the ages of 12 and 19, are at risk of developing depression.

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    Episode 37: Understanding Homelessness

    August 9th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  20 mins 29 secs
    understanding homelessness

    Housing is one of the most important factors for a healthy life. A good home is important for individuals and for overall population health. There is a growing number of Canadians who are precariously housed or homeless. Changes in the economy and in the housing market are adding to homelessness. The supply of affordable housing has not kept pace with the needs of the population. There has also been a decline in the amount of affordable rental housing in many cities. Combine that with declining incomes and a widespread reduction in social benefits for low-income Canadians, and you get a population that has to spend a greater percentage of its income on housing.

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    Episode 36: First Nations or Aboriginal Cultural Sensitivity

    August 1st, 2019  |  Season 1  |  19 mins 47 secs
    aboriginal perspectives, first nations or aboriginal cultural sensitivity, native cultural sensitivity

    As help line call responders, you are asked with every contact, to provide care and sensitivity to the needs and conditions of the caller. That sensitivity involves being open and accepting of the person’s background, values and experiences and being awar

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    Episode 35: Collecting or Hoarding

    July 25th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  18 mins 42 secs
    collecting or hoarding

    Hoarding is a complex behaviour that has been recognized as a distinct mental health disorder in the influential Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). People who hoard accumulate extreme, disorganized clutter in their homes and su

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    Episode 34: Mental Health First Aid

    July 18th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  17 mins 37 secs
    mental health first aid

    Good mental health involves feeling good both physically and mentally; possessing the ability to enjoy life, and coping effectively with everyday challenges. ‘Easy enough’, you may say, but for many, this can seem like a lofty goal.

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    Episode 33: A Focus on Anxiety

    July 12th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  33 mins 39 secs
    anxiety

    We all feel nervous, tense or worried at certain times and in certain situations. This anxiety is normal and can be a helpful feeling when it motivates us or warns us of danger. Anxiety is commonly experienced in high pressure situations, for example, pri

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    Episode 32: DCO Conference 2019 Talk - Loneliness

    July 5th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  44 mins 6 secs
    loneliness

    DCO Conference 2019 Talk - Loneliness

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    Episode 31: The Seeds of Self-Care

    July 3rd, 2019  |  Season 1  |  23 mins 58 secs
    self-care

    According to the 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey, 21.2% of males (2.8 million) and 23.4% of females (3.2 million) aged 15 or older reported that most days were quite a bit or extremely stressful. This is an alarming number of people who indicate str

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    Episode 30: DCO Conference 2019 keynote - Finding the passion in what you do with Nina Spencer

    June 25th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  58 mins 54 secs
    finding the passion in what you do with nina spencer

    Motivational speaker, Nina Spencer discusses how to find the passion in what you do.

  • Episode 29: Gambling is a Family Problem

    June 23rd, 2019  |  Season 1  |  21 mins 56 secs
    gambling, the family impact of gambling

    Our second part/episode on this topic looks at the family impact of problem Gambling. People gamble for a variety of reasons, and there are many vulnerability factors that can contribute to the development of a gambling problem. While most people do not e

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    Episode 28: Is Gambling really a problem?

    June 15th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  30 mins 33 secs
    gambling

    Most Canadian adults gamble—and do so without experiencing problems. Many young people gamble as well. In a 2006 survey of Ontario students aged 15 to 17 years, it was found that one in three youth (35%) reported gambling at least once in the past year.

  • Episode 27: Opiates Addiction and Providing Support - Part 2

    June 6th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  19 mins 50 secs
    opiates addiction, providing support

    People with drug dependence may be suffering in silence, missing opportunities for treatment and prolonging the process of recovery, as a result of the stigma and prejudice that society clings to regarding those with drug addictions.

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    Episode 26: Opiates Addiction and Harm Reduction Treatment

    June 5th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  18 mins 46 secs
    opiates addiction and harm reduction treatment

    Opiates refers to a group of drugs that includes heroin. Other opiate drugs include opium, morphine, pethidine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and buprenorphine. Opiates are classed as depressants. They slow down activity in the brain and central nervous s

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    Episode 25: Andrea's Journey

    June 4th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  35 mins 20 secs
    andrea's journey

    In this episode of the DCO podcast we talk to Andrea about her struggle with addiction.