It takes a community

It takes a community

by | Feb 23, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Compassion

Photo left to right standing: Ben Wallace, Pam Turcotte, Tara Burley, Deb Eaton, Adrienne Oldham,
Sara Gray, Mackenzie Seagram, Chair of the Board – Shawn Hiscott
Photo left to right on floor: Dr. Petra Woehrle, Mark Larkin, Julian Young, Dr. Belinda Seagram, Dan Mowatt-Rose

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to move mountains.

We see it within our group programs, as Landing Strong members come together to support one another through good days and bad.

We also witness it through the actions of our Board of Directors, who work tirelessly to ensure Landing Strong is the best it can be. We remain committed to providing programs to anyone in need regardless of their funding status; the commitment of our Board allows us to acheive this.

Why would someone volunteer to be on a Board of Directors? The answer is simple; on some level, we all hold on to the same thing…Hope.

Hope is about not giving up, even when you feel beaten down.

It’s about extending a hand to someone who needs it.

Hope is about advocating for change and ensuring no one is left behind.

On a snowy Saturday afternoon, we recently gathered with our Board of Directors to envision our future; dreaming up strategies to ensure Landing Strong and the community we serve continues to thrive.

Many members of our Board have lived experience. We are grateful for their passion, insights, and dedication.

Together we remain strong.

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

We have your back

We have your back

by | Feb 16, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Community, Compassion, Courage, Grief

This week, the residents of Kansas City struggled to come to terms with the horrific outcome of what was supposed to be a joyous event. One person was killed and more than 20 wounded following a shooting during the Super Bowl parade. This was the 48th mass shooting in the United States since the beginning of the year. That’s more than one a day. What used to be an outlier event has now become alarmingly normal.

While we might get used to hearing about such events on the news, it is never normal for those who are called to respond. Our hearts naturally go to the victims and their families. What is often overlooked is the devastating impact it has on the first responder community. We rush to treat those who are physically wounded, not always recognizing the psychological devastation left behind by these incidents. Often, they are hidden or take time to surface.

Seeing this event, I am reminded of how many Nova Scotians may be living with invisible injuries. We remain committed to ensuring that we have your back; that no-one who is injured is left standing alone.

We are immensely grateful for the work our first responders do.

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Finding beauty in unexpected places

Finding beauty in unexpected places

by | Feb 9, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Resilience, Self-Awareness

Late this past Saturday afternoon, as Nova Scotians were swept in a swirl of snow, Torontonians were bathed in unexpected sunshine.

Moderate temperatures and clear blue skies had coaxed even the most hesitant outdoors.

I was leaving the hospital after a good visit with my father and came upon an unexpected sight; on the slope of a large hill sat dozens of families and couples enjoying picnics. Behind them stood a large crowd of onlookers all gazing across the park below. I wondered if a concert was about to begin and thought maybe it had already started since many people had their cameras out, all pointed in the same direction. I could hear nothing, nor see anyone performing in the natural amphitheater below.

Then I realized what everyone was gazing at: a glorious sunset spreading its last rays over the skyline of the city. Like animals waking from deep hibernation, people had stumbled outdoors, dazed by the beauty of the mid-winter sun.

Even in the greyest of winters, we can find windows of warmth and light.

I hope that now you have dug yourselves out from under, you too are able to pause and catch glimpses of the unexpected beauty that surrounds us.

Warm thoughts in a wintery week,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

by | Dec 30, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Friday's Inspiration, joy, Our Program, Recovery, Self-Awareness

Happy New Year!

Over the holidays I had the chance to spend time with family and friends. One young fellow, Ewan, captured my heart.

No matter what we did, Ewan was filled with excitement, fully enjoying the wonder of each moment as it unfolded.

“This was the best day EVER!” he exclaimed after jumping from the wood-fired sauna into the ice-cold lake.

“I can’t believe I got to chop down my first tree!” he shouted gleefully as the tree hit the ground.

Even when collecting rocks, he did not complain under the burden of the large, heavy bag he was carrying. His only utterance was “It’s so much better with you helping me carry the load.”

At the tender age of ten, Ewan understands that there are some burdens too big to shoulder alone. This is a truth that we somehow often lose sight of once we hit adulthood.

Having more people does indeed lighten the load. Our group programs exist for this very reason, to make sure no one walks alone. When we’re in good company the load we carry inevitably becomes easier to shoulder.

What better way can there be to start the new year than to join a community of people that understand.

If you have not yet signed up for our January program, Emotions Management, there are still a few spots available. If you’ve already completed it, we look forward to seeing you at our monthly Maintaining Health program on January 18th.

Happy New Year!

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Put down the Possum and nobody gets hurt

Put down the Possum and nobody gets hurt

by | Dec 22, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Friday's Inspiration

Just put down the possum and nobody gets hurt

Last week, while Christmas shopping, I spied something special in the pet aisle. A cute stuffed possum.

I hadn’t decided which dog would get it, but snuck it upstairs once I got home, hiding it carefully in a bag in the corner of my bedroom, just as I would when hiding gifts for children.

Two days later, I spied the possum downstairs on the kitchen counter.

“What is this?” I wondered picking it up. The fur was matted and hard, a sign it had been heavily slobbered on and well enjoyed.

“Did you give the dogs the toy?” I asked Joe.

“No,” he replied shaking his head, “I thought you must have.”

The four canines stared at me, blinking innocently. I hid the possum behind my back and slowly edged my way out of the kitchen. The dogs tracked my every move, their bodies twitching with anticipation.

It was then that I spotted the chewed-up packaging for the toy, hidden under the table. I placed the possum down momentarily and was suddenly overwhelmed by a tangle of dogs fighting over the coveted critter.

My four children have grown up and left the home, only to be replaced by four others.

How are your pets behaving this season? Naughty or nice?

I’m half tempted to give mine lumps of coal.

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

by | Dec 15, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, joy

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

The snow falls in heavy wet patches on my windshield as I strain to see through the slush that is accumulating.

I grumble under my breath as I feel the wheels of my car swerve on the greasy roads.

“Winter is here” I sigh grumpily in a resigned manner. Arriving home, I trudge up the porch and lug my groceries onto the counter.

I’ve only been inside a few minutes when squeals of delight and shrieks of laughter prompt me to stick my head back outside.

What greets me is a sight for sore eyes. On the soccer pitch in front of our house are thirty Mexican students, their first year in Canada, rolling around gleefully in the fluffy white snow. They dive tackle and hurl snowballs at one another, breathing in the excitement and electric thrill of their first ever snowfall.

What was initially cause for dismay, the first big dump of snow, has suddenly been transformed into something magical. Something as simple as being reminded of the beauty of the season’s first snowfall has served to change my perspective.

Alone, I am the Grinch. Through connection with others, I find my inner Cindy Lou Who.

Group can do that. Alone with our thoughts, it can be hard at times to view things through an alternate lens. With input from others, our world transforms.

We are currently enrolling for our January Emotions management program. If you have not yet taken it, please contact us soon to avoid disappointment.

Stay warm and young at heart,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong