Monday was a powerful day as volunteers from our Landing Strong community gathered at the Windsor Food Bank (Matthew 25) to help with Christmas hamper preparations.
In true veteran/first responder form, we worked like a smoothly oiled machine with maximum efficiency. 500 bags were packed in just under two hours! Ashley the director at the food bank, marveled at the speed and productivity of the group. We left with an incredible sense of satisfaction and pride in our ability to give back to the community.
Our local food bank is an incredibly valuable resource supporting up to 600 individuals in West Hants monthly. This number represents a 20% increase over last year. Led tirelessly by a passionate volunteer team with Ashley and Tina at the helm, the folks at the food bank are working long hours to ensure no one in our community goes without.
Our Landing Strong community expressed great satisfaction at being able to do this volunteer work. Many noted that they felt unable to go out into the community individually to volunteer, but with the safety and support of their peers Team Strong was created.
How might you help? Thereās a variety of ways. Feel free to contact Ashley or Tina through their Facebook page, or call 798-4313. You can also email matthew25windsor@gmail.com.
Weāre going back as a group again soon. Please reach out to Jen if youāre interested in joining Team Strong. We welcome suggestions and ideas for other volunteer opportunities as a team, reach out anytime.
Warmly,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Executive Director, Landing Strong
When I was little, my mother repeatedly tried to get me to eat Brussel sprouts.
āI canātā¦I donāt like them!ā Iād exclaim
āI didnāt give you manyā, sheād insist. āDonāt leave the table until youāve eaten them upā.
And with these simple words, the challenge was on. Belinda vs. Brussel sprouts.
Resting my chin on my hands, Iād stare down the offending cabbages. Determined not to weaken my resolve, I alternated my gaze between the congealing green lumps in front of me, and the painfully slow moving hands of the wall clock. Eventually, sheād give in, removing the plate and sending me upstairs to my room. Iād wonā¦or so I thought.
Iām reminded of the fact that sometimes if we really donāt want to do something, no-one can make us do it. Even if it may be good for us.
The funny thing is, I donāt actually mind Brussel sprouts now. Itās all a matter of how itās prepared.
Trying new things is hard, and stressful. Like making the decision to begin therapy, or sign up for a treatment group.
āBut I donāt do groups!ā you may exclaim.
Ah yesā¦remember, it all boils down to how itās done.
Weāre cooking up some great programs for you.
Starting May 24 and running five successive Fridays, Landing Strong is offering Stop faking good and start feeling good: A program for managing emotions. Iāll be co-leading with Psychologist Patricia MacDonald and Trauma Yoga Therapist Caelin Nadin. A powerhouse team who know how to have fun. Even if programs arenāt normally your thing, come out and give it a try…
Itāll be good for you š
Drop us a line at info@landingstrong.com or call to reserve your spot 902 472-2972. The program is already half full so book soon to avoid disappointment. We will work with your insurance providers to obtain authorization for you to attend.
Warm regards,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Founder, Landing Strong
Have you ever wanted to just get away from it all? Burst away from the demands and expectations of daily life? I have. This weekend Iām going to Toronto to meet with family. You know what I intend to do? Pay to be locked up with them. Thatās rightā¦have an escape room experience.
I know what youāre thinking:
āYou need to get out more Belinda. Paying to be locked up with family membersā¦really!!ā
Iāll let you know how it goes. Iāve never tried one before.
Soā¦the fun may be brief, or you may not see me again…if we canāt figure how to get out.
Honestly though, I think we all just need to escape from time to time. Do something fun and with people that we care about. I challenge you all to try something different. Step out of that comfort zone. If youād like to share stories/pictures of your escape, we can post on our Landing Strong Facebook site. Just send them to Mackenzie at mseagram@landingstrong.com. Oh by the way, she is part of this as well, so if social media messaging suddenly stops, youāll know weāre really trapped. š
Keep your posts as anonymous as you wish. Perhaps your ideas might inspire others. Iāll post something of our experience.
Warm regards,
Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych. Founder, Landing Strong
This weekend, while at the cottage, my son Kyle came into the kitchen munching a Jos Louis.
āWhere did you get that?ā I asked, surprised to see it.
āThe back of the cupboard,ā he grinned.
āFunny, I donāt remember buying them.” Needing to see this for myself, I rummaged through the back of the cupboard. I soon realized why I didnāt remember buying them… the expiry date was September 28, 2016.
āStopā¦ thatās two years old!ā I warned.
āAnd never tasted better!ā he responded laughing.
Funny, not many things in life are like that. Most things decline with age. There are of course exceptions: fine wines, good cheese, and Jos Louis are among them. Bread found in IMPās (military rations) are perhaps another. Iāll never quite understand how something can be deemed edible but non-degradable.
Doug Allen, former infantry Sergeant, Program Manager and Social Worker with the Landing Strong Team, is definitely someone who holds his own (and in fact keeps getting better) over time.
Doug spent 17 years in the Canadian Forces, stationed with the Patriciaās Canadian Light Infantry. He has conducted Peace support operations in Bosnia, combat operations in Afghanistan, and various domestic operations here in Canada. Since returning from Afghanistan in 2008, he has been working with ill and injured Canadian Force members helping them to overcome trauma and reclaim their lives.
Dougās approach to trauma recovery focuses on reducing the āchargeā of fight/flight or freeze, and helping to break out of survival mode. He believes that every person has the strength to become well, as long as they are in an environment that inspires and empowers change.
Youāll recognize Doug by the twinkle in his eye, his quick grin, and his cool tattoos. We welcome his leadership and inspired energy. Hmmm, now that I think about it, he doesnāt seem to ageā¦ I wonder Doug, do you by any chance eat Jos Louis?
One of the physical hazards of being a psychologist is that much of my working life consists of sitting.Ā Itās literally killing meā¦ hence part of my motivation to create a program that is engaging and physically active.Ā I want to move with you.
Have I mentioned that my family is hard core into fitness? Ā I just returned from a vacation out West where we participated in the Great Canadian Death Race, followed by a back country hiking trip through the Rockies. Itās the Seagram idea of fun. What is the Great Canadian Death Race you ask? Itās 125 km of mountainous terrain covered by a team of five people over a 24 hour period. No, I did not competeā¦ Iām not at that level. I was the support crew.
My daughter Mackenzie, the Landing Strong Director of Wellbeing and Community Engagement, played a vital role with the team, tackling a 38 km mountainous section. She killed it. A graduate from Acadia University with a psychology and nutrition double major, she practices what she preaches. She represented Acadiaās Cross Country Running team for four years, last year making it to Nationals. She has also competed at the Canada Games representing Nova Scotia in a Biathlon; and in her free time summited Mount Kilimanjaro twice. In her down time, she works on getting me to reach for hummus instead of cookies. Shall we say, itās a work in progress. Iām grateful that we have someone so uniquely qualified to help us get active and engaged! Mackenzie is setting the food plan for Landing Strong, coordinating community activities, and planning outdoor adventures for us. She is also generating much of the health promotion social media content that we are putting out over Facebook and Instagram. The quirky sense of humourā¦ thatās her. I hope you will join me in welcoming her to the Landing Strong Team.
Do I sound like a proud parent? Well I guess I am, but I am also incredibly proud of the huge talent we have assembled in the Landing Strong Team. Itās bursting with passion, expertise, enthusiasm, and commitment. Over the next few weeks, I will be introducing you to various members of the team, so that you have the opportunity to get to know each of us on a more personal level. Over time, perhaps you will share with us details about your journey, so that we might walk together.
[In the team pic attached L to R: Dale Block, Joe Seagram, Kaitlin Proksch, Kyle Seagram, andĀ Mackenzie Seagram.]
Connecting with Belinda
Executive Director Belinda Seagram, Ph.D. shares regular blog posts to inspire you during your journey.
