Mental Health Day Event

Welcome, everyone, to State of Mind: A Look at Mental Health Issues in the Workplace.

I am glad to see that so many of you have chosen to take part in this event.

Today we are shining a spotlight on what is sometimes described as an “invisible” problem. It’s  one that society often prefers not to see. But it’s a matter of concern for every one of us.

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his own community.”

That clearly applies to our university community. Good mental health is the foundation that allows an individual to function at his or her best. It sustains coherent thinking and creativity. And it reinforces the confidence to take risks and to innovate.

All of us, at one time or another, experience challenges to our mental well-being — events, pressures, and problems that life sends our way. Usually these challenges are temporary.

But sometimes they prove to be more than we can handle. According to Health Canada, 20 per cent of Canadians will experience mental illness at some point in their lives.

In a community the size of this university, it’s quite likely that each of us will at some time know, or hear of, or interact with someone who is dealing with a mental health issue.

Mental health challenges weigh heavily both on the individual who is trying to cope, and on everyone he or she has dealings with — colleagues, students, friends, and family.

These challenges include debilitating stress, anxiety, burnout, and addiction, as well as more severe problems.

The cost to our health systems, our economy, and the productivity of our workplaces runs into the billions of dollars.

The personal cost, in terms of impact on people’s lives, is incalculable.

Clearly, mental health issues are a major concern for our country, and for our university.

It’s a demonstration of the attention we pay to mental health at the University of Waterloo that the Waterloo Centre for Mental Health Research was launched on this campus three years ago.

Not only that, for many years we have been home to one of the most highly regarded clinical psychology training programs in North America.

But research and teaching are only part of the answer. The university is committed to directly supporting our faculty and staff, as well as our students, as they go about their daily lives, their work and their studies.

It is not always easy to balance the pressures of work with the demands of home and family. It’s very important to try to live a balanced life, including time to de-stress. It’s also important to have a support network of family and friends, because few us can manage these burdens on our own.

But not everyone is able to create a balance in their life, and not everyone has a support network. So it’s important to ask for help when you need it.

There is no stigma attached to being faced with these issues, or to seeking help in dealing with them.

By the same token, each one of us can be aware of the signs of distress in our colleagues. And remember that it’s never wrong to reach out, to offer help, direction, or just a listening ear.

Now I would like to introduce the keynote presenters for today. We are fortunate to have with us two of Canada’s leading experts on mental health in the workplace.

Dr. Ian Arnold chairs the Workforce Advisory Committee of the MHCC — the Mental Health Commission of Canada. In this capacity he oversees projects that aim to make mental health a priority in the Canadian workplace.

Among many other noteworthy qualifications, he is adjunct professor in occupational health at McGill’s Faculty of Medicine; Fellow of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine; and past senior medical consultant in occupational health for the Alberta government.

Mary Ann Baynton is an author and consultant in workplace mental health; program director for the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace; and a member of the MHCC’s Workforce Advisory Committee.

As the former director of Mental Health Works, an initiative of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario, she helped create an award-winning training program for management and unions.

So, enjoy this morning’s sessions, everyone — your time will be well spent.