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Welcome to My New Mental Health Blog

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    Children, play and mental health…

    September 20, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley In follow-up to last week’s guest blog about perinatal mental health, I thought I’d provide some tips that I found on children’s mental health, involving play. This is from the Canadian Public Health Association (cpha.ca): 5 Key… Read more

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    Perinatal Mental Health During COVID Times…

    September 13, 2021 by

    GUEST BLOG by Nancy McLaren Kennedy BIO: Firstly, Nancy is my friend and colleague at The Royal. She is also a Peer Specialist/Mental Health Worker in Women’s Mental Health at the Royal. Nancy has a Master’s in Social Work and… Read more

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    Mental Health in the Workplace

    September 6, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley In honour of Labour Day, I thought I’d quote some statistics. – Just 50% of Canadians would tell friends or co-workers that they have a family member with a mental illness, compared to 72% who would discuss… Read more

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    Things my father taught me…

    August 30, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley In follow-up to last week’s blog about “Things my mother taught me…”, I’d be remiss if I did not list all the things my dad taught me. In January of 1995, when I was 4 months pregnant… Read more

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    Things my mother taught me…

    August 23, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley In December 2013, at the age of 87, my mom passed away from cancer. I was 48 years old. I miss her dearly and often wish I could pick up the phone to share some exciting news.… Read more

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    It’s the little things…

    August 9, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Not too long ago, my friend and I were out on a walk and she mentioned to me that she always listens to John Tesh (www.tesh.com), and heard him say that “if you want to maintain a… Read more

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    The Olympics and Mental Health

    August 3, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Who’s watching the Olympics? What an absolute thrill to see so many Canadians winning medals– and I cannot help but mention that 99% of them are women! What incredible heroes– all of the competitors, not just those… Read more

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    A dose of hope…

    June 28, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley I’m tired and stressed out about many things, including taking the elevators in my building. I really dislike being “that person” who says “sorry, no, you cannot get on the elevator.” (Public Health rules state: “one person… Read more

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    Who Knew?

    June 14, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Recently, I had a dentist appointment. I love my dentist, Dr. Chris Granger, and my dental hygienist, Holly. On this visit, I learned some very interesting and important things about oral hygiene. Did you know that by… Read more

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    Delusional Disorder

    June 8, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley This is a difficult topic for me to write about, as it is very personal and will reveal many details of my symptoms and beliefs when I was mentally unwell for about 10 years (a gradually worsening… Read more

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    The road to happiness…

    May 31, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Denmark was marked as second on the list of the world’s happiest countries in 2020 and has been in there for the past few years. Did you know that there is actually a Happiness Research Institute in… Read more

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    This too shall pass…

    May 24, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley How many times have you been in a really dark place, feeling like the pain will never end? Unbearable pain, unacceptable anguish, intolerable emotions. I’ve been there too! Although, with both age and experience on my side,… Read more

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    Naming Emotions

    May 10, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Do you remember the last time you sobbed uncontrollably? How about when waiting for medical results and you felt incredibly anxious? Or the last time you laughed out loud? These are just a few examples of some… Read more

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    “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…”

    May 3, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Hi folks, I’ve been absent for a few weeks now, trying to manage my anxiety around some important issues that are beyond my control. I don’t know about you, but I’m really not good at this. My… Read more

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    Coping Strategies

    March 29, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley I think we all need a little extra help these days– strategizing on how to cope. Here are some very helpful tips from The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC): Strategies to help you cope: 1. Accept… Read more

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    You are Enough!

    March 8, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Happy International Women’s Day– March 8, 2021 You are enough! Right now, in this moment. You do not need to wait for a partner, a job, a promotion, a wage increase, a child, a pet, a house,… Read more

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    Finances

    March 1, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Finances– it’s an issue that causes a lot of stress and anxiety for many people. Especially when there never seems as though there is enough money to go around. During this pandemic, many people are sadly stretched… Read more

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    Resiliency

    February 22, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley How do you become resilient? Certainly, resiliency is an attribute many people aspire to have, especially during all the struggles with COVID. Dr. Raj Bhatla, Psychiatrist in Chief & Chief of Staff at The Royal, tells us… Read more

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    Managing Stress and Anxiety During COVID-19

    February 15, 2021 by

    Guest Blog by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre “It’s OK to feel stressed and anxious, especially right now. While many of us are finding solace in another NETFLIX marathon, there are lots of other safe activities we can do… Read more

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    Redefining Success

    February 8, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley If you’d asked me a week ago if I thought I was successful, I would have laughed out loud. Of course I’m not successful: I don’t have a career, a salary, a title. (My career was derailed… Read more

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    HOPE

    February 1, 2021 by

    GUEST BLOG by Glenda O’Hara Glenda is a friend, a peer and fellow volunteer in the Women’s Mental Health program at The Royal. She facilitates a WRAP group for women, where HOPE is a key concept. Glenda is also the… Read more

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    Moving Forward After a Loss

    January 25, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley Sadly, many of us have experienced loss in our lifetime. Perhaps it was the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving away and losing a friendship, the death of a parent, a spouse or the tragic and untimely… Read more

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    The Many Benefits of Volunteering

    January 11, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley For me, volunteering is a family value. My Mom volunteered several hours a week at our church and at a home for the disabled, while I was in high school. She was committed to volunteering and helping… Read more

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    Reflections on 2020…

    January 4, 2021 by

    By Anita Manley 2020 started out with extreme hope and optimism for me. A year ago, I received a surprise phone call, just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, from my estranged daughter Nicola. Oh, how delighted I was to… Read more

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    Always have a Plan B!

    December 7, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley I’m not sure if it’s due to my background in sales or just the way I was raised, but I have learned to ALWAYS have a back-up plan and not to be too disappointed if Plan A… Read more

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    Dealing with BIG emotions!

    November 30, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley Everyone has been there–had BIG feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, or even joy! It is how we deal with these feelings that really matters. Today’s blog outlines some coping techniques. Move it out: As Silken Laumann, Olympic… Read more

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    Doctor’s Orders!

    November 16, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley I’m sure many of you are spending several hours a day, or more, attached to your computer screen; attending Zoom meetings, responding to emails, etc. It is so important, now during this pandemic–more than ever–to keep active… Read more

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    Coping techniques during tough times

    November 2, 2020 by

    This week I came across a great Youtube video featuring Dr. Laurie Santos, a Professor at Yale University. You can watch the complete video here. I strongly urge you to watch the complete video, but I will summarize here. Dr.… Read more

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    I’ve got to be ME!

    September 28, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley “Never let anyone else define who you are.” That is what my loyal friend and Lead of Women’s Mental Health at The Royal said to me, on a walk not that long ago. Recently, I was asked… Read more

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    Comparison is the thief of JOY

    September 7, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley I have noticed a commonality among friends, family and acquaintances. Those who compare themselves to others are less joyful, or even miserable as a result. In fact, comparing ourselves to others is something we all tend to… Read more

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    Saying “Yes” more often!

    August 31, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley Just as important as having the ability to say “no”, is the ability to say “yes” more often– to things that feel good and right. These two responses in life are like the ancient chinese philosophy of… Read more

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    Learning to say “NO”

    August 17, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley Setting boundaries and sticking to them is a very important part of mental wellness and recovery. Many of us have been raised to follow orders–do whatever Mom and Dad tell you to do, listen to the boss,… Read more

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    Decluttering for peace of mind.

    July 6, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley   During the first few weeks of COVID-19, while cooped up in our small one-bedroom apartment, it was clear we had one BIG problem. CLUTTER. Clutter had accumulated EVERYWHERE. On my desk in the bedroom, on the… Read more

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    It’s OK to not be OK

    June 27, 2020 by

    by Anita Manley Well folks, after a much needed hiatus, I’m back! I’ve missed you all. Since the beginning of May, I’ve been struggling with all the rules, regulations, isolation, distancing from friends and family (mostly the no-hugs rule) and… Read more

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    Guest Blog – by Pheing Ngo

    June 22, 2020 by

    Pheing started looking into health and mobility at the age of 13. Ever since, he has been constantly increasing his skills and knowledge pertaining to healthcare. He is naturally drawn to how the body and mind can maintain normal function… Read more

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    Keep Moving!

    May 4, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley It has long been known that exercise improves your mental health.* Exercise causes your body to release chemicals called endorphins, which make you feel good. The feeling is commonly known as a “runners high”. Regular exercise has… Read more

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    Communication during COVID-19

    April 13, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley I am married to a wonderful man, who happens to be over the age of 70, putting him at a higher risk of not recovering if he were to get COVID-19. Therefore, we have been self-isolating (me… Read more

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    Knitting as a Wellness Tool

    April 6, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley For those who know me well, you know that I am an avid knitter. In fact, this year, all my family received knitted items for Christmas. I enjoy knitting immensely and find that it helps to calm… Read more

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    A Journey Towards Forgiveness

    March 31, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley I have learned a great deal about forgiveness over the years. Having struggled with a severe and persistent mental illness for most of my adult life, I have learned how to forgive and how to ask for… Read more

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    Mental Health and COVID- 19

    March 16, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley The times are changing quickly, and we know now to self-isolate and only go out when absolutely necessary, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, don’t touch your face (especially nose, mouth and eyes), cough or… Read more

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    How Winterlude helps beat Winter Blues

    February 10, 2020 by

    By Anita Manley Every year in Ottawa, ever since I can remember (I lived here as early as 1986), there has been an urban winter celebration in Canada’s Capital Region. It is called Winterlude. This year, people from far and… Read more

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