Mental Health Support for Families, Caregivers in Canada
Help is available to Canadian families and caregivers who are trying to help a youth navigate mental health issues. Often, the same therapist who’s working with an adolescent or older child can recommend resources for other family members. But there are also other sources of information, and those are the focus of this article.
Below is Menderist’s list of well-known Canadian mental health organizations that provide support to parents and caregivers of adolescents, teens, or young adults struggling with mental health. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals frequently recommend these organizations.
Note: American resources – including podcasts, videos, articles – may also help families and caregivers in Canada. Also: a separate article addresses 12 Step and alternative programs.
Canadian Psychological Association
The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) is a professional organization that describes its mission as advancing ” research, knowledge and the application of psychology in the service of society through advocacy, support and collaboration.”
While the CPA doesn’t host parent and other family support groups, the organization’s website contains a range of helpful information:
Fact sheets – The association offers fact sheets on a variety of issues, and some list sources of more information and support. Topics include Caregiver Stress; Depression; Anxiety Related to Food Allergy in Children. Here’s the link to Fact Sheets.
Psychologist lookup – Here is some information and tips from the CPA about finding a psychologist.
Canadian Psychiatric Association
The CPA is a professional organization for psychiatrists: as such, there are few resources for families/caregivers on the Association’s website. The association’s website outlines how to find a psychiatrist in Canada.
Canadian Mental Health Association
The CMHA is a community mental health organization that’s more than 100 years old and has more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers.
There are over 300 CMHA locations across Canada, and many offer resources and courses for families and caregivers: you can search for your area at the association’s website.
Some regions, such as the Calgary office, offer a separate section on their website about Individual & Family Support, where they list available resources such as drop-in meetings and getting counselling.
Examples of CMHA Information:
Eating Disorders
For families or caregivers helping a youth dealing with an eating disorder, the Ontario CMHA chapter provides a guide to understanding and finding help with eating disorders, which provides many sources of more help (including some U.S. resources).
Free Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
The CMHA offers a free Cognitive Behavioural Therapy program, called BounceBack, that is a skill-building program “designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry.” This free program is accessible to youths 15 to 18, and to adults (including parents and caregivers).
Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC)
The Mood Disorders Society is a mental health, non-governmental organization that aims to improve “quality of life for Canadians affected by mood disorders”.
Canadians can find their local MDSC chapter at the society’s website (see Provincial Organizations).
The same page offers Support Links for family – for example, see ‘Related Links for Young People.’
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, CAMH – not to be confused with the CMHA, described above – is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and a renowned international research centre.
The centre offers information about family support, courses (such as a free course called Empowering Families Affected by Substance Use Problems) and publications, some of which also suggest other organizations and groups.
HELP DURING A CRISIS
Crisis lines provide immediate help to anyone – adults or youths – in serious distress:
988 is the number to call or text in Canada and the U.S. Those living in the U.S. can also chat via 988lifeline.org.
Canadian youth under 20 – in Canada, Kids Help Phone offers 24-hour, confidential help. Text 686868; or call 1-800-668-6868; or chat via the Kids Help website.
