Ted Talks
Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.
By Mental Health First Aid USA on July 22, 2025
“Doomscroll.” “Brainrot.” These terms, and more like them, refer to the amount of time we spend absorbing negativity from our phone’s news and social media feeds. And they’ve quickly become part of our everyday vocabularies. Read More
In her TED Talk, Kasley Killam argues that social health—the quality of our relationships—is just as vital as physical and mental health. She tells the story of “Maya,” a woman with a healthy lifestyle who still felt unwell due to a lack of connection. Killam reveals that loneliness affects 1 in 4 people globally and increases health risks as much as smoking or obesity.
She introduces the 5-3-1 rule: connect with 5 people weekly, nurture 3 close relationships, and spend 1 hour a day in meaningful connection. Through stories and science, Killam makes a compelling case that investing in our social lives is essential to happiness, resilience, and longevity.
Her vision? A world where social health is taught, prioritized, and practiced—like fitness for the soul.
Toxic shame is not just the feeling that we’ve done something wrong—it’s the belief that we are something wrong. It often takes root early in life, especially in environments where a child’s emotions, needs, or mistakes were met not with guidance or reassurance, but with humiliation, criticism, or neglect. Over time, instead of thinking “I made a mistake,” the person begins to feel, “I am a mistake.”
Unlike healthy shame, which can act like a moral compass—helping us recognize when we’ve hurt someone or stepped outside our values—toxic shame lingers and spreads. It becomes a lens through which a person sees themselves, often without realizing it. It whispers things like “You’re not good enough,” “You don’t belong,” or “If people really knew you, they’d leave.”
People living with toxic shame often try to protect themselves from being seen too closely. They might avoid relationships, strive for perfection, numb themselves with substances or overachievement, or keep their emotional world tightly locked down. At the core, they fear being exposed, not because they’ve done something wrong, but because they believe that they themselves are wrong.
Healing from toxic shame begins with connection—with being seen and accepted by another person in a way that contradicts the old story. In therapy, this often involves gently untangling the shame from the person’s identity, helping them recognize that these painful beliefs are not who they are, but rather, what they learned to believe in order to survive. Through compassion, regulation, and attuned presence, the story of toxic shame can slowly be rewritten—replacing the message of defectiveness with one of dignity, worthiness, and belonging.
EMDR
ORONTO — The Canadian Mental Health Association says living with a mental health or substance use challenge is already hard but masking it can be even harder.
It’s no secret in the construction industry masking is commonplace, with many too afraid to speak up for fear of being ridiculed, judged or called not “tough enough” to deal with one’s “issues.”
This May 5 to 11, during Mental Health Week, people across Canada are being encouraged to look beyond the surface and see the whole person. See More Here
In summer 2025, Peterborough launched a dedicated Men’s Mental Health Clinic located at 466 George Street North—home of the CMHA HKPR walk‑in clinic. This new service offers a welcoming, judgment-free space tailored for men facing stress, anxiety, or depression, recognizing that mental health challenges don’t take a vacation in warm weather.
The clinic is open weekdays (Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., with a lunch break), and operates on a walk-in basis—no appointment needed cmhahkpr.ca. Local mental health professionals applauded the initiative for its proactive timing and focus, aiming to reduce stigma and offer easier access to support during the summer .
By blending accessibility with a male-focused approach, this clinic encourages men in Peterborough to seek help whenever they need it, reinforcing that mental wellness matters year-round.
Despite growing awareness around mental health, many people continue to mask their struggles due to fear of judgment, discrimination, or social exclusion. In fact, 60% of people with a mental health problem or illness won’t seek help for fear of being labelled.[1] This Mental Health Week (May 5-11, 2025), the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is unmasking mental health, so more people get the support they need, when they need it. Read More Here
🌐 988 – National Suicide Crisis Helpline
Dial or text 9‑8‑8, available in English and French, anytime, day or night.
Connects you directly to trained responders in the local CMHA HKPR centre
📞 Telecare Distress Centre of Peterborough
Local 24/7 line: 705‑745‑2273.
Offers volunteer listening, emotional support, and referrals
🚓 Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT)
A partnership between Peterborough Police and CMHA.
Responds daily, 7 a.m.–midnight (Mon–Sat) for mental health crises.
Contact: 705‑876‑1122 x297, or email mcit@peterborough.ca (not monitored 24/7)
Once opened, the expanded mental health crisis unit will include:
As a next step, the ministry is working with Peterborough Regional Health Centre to complete early planning and design for this project. Once further planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded, a construction schedule will be confirmed.
“Our government is making record investments to connect more people to the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they live,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By expanding the mental health crisis unit at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, our government is ensuring people and families in Peterborough and across Eastern Ontario have faster access to mental health and addictions support services, for years to come.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is expanding and modernizing Ontario’s hospitals, making it faster and easier for people of all ages to connect to the high-quality care they need, where and when they need it. In 2020, the province introduced the Roadmap to Wellness, a plan to build a modern, world-class mental health and addictions care system. The government continues to introduce and expand on innovative new programs to ensure access to connected and convenient care to support the health and well-being of all Ontarians.
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