North-Central Alberta (Westlock, Athabasca, and Beyond)
WELLBEING RESOURCES
THERE IS HOPE!
Below are some numbers, links, and books on topics concerning Wellbeing. They offer information, insight, and emotional support. Although no means complete, this list can be the kickstart of the life you deserve and resilience you require. Our planet's healthy future needs our healthy selves!
If, by the way, you're aware of additional esources of value, please drop me a line and I'll add them right here.
White spruce budding in May
**** IMMEDIATE HELP ****
- 911: When there's a life-threatening emergency
- Nearest Hospital Emergency Department: When significant addiction or mental health problems requires immediate attention OR when there's great risk of harming yourself or others
**** SUPPORTIVE CONVERSATION ****
- Addiction and Mental Health Helpline: 1 (866) 332-2322
- Canada Drug Rehab Addiction Services Directory: 1 (866) 462-6362
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: 1 (204) 784-4073
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): 1 (416) 646-5557
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) - Alberta: 1 (780) 482-6576
- Centre for Suicide Prevention: 1 (833) 456-4566
- Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention (24/7): 1 (833) 456-4566).Text: 45645
- Distress Centre Crisis Line: 1 (403) 266-4357
- Distress Line: 1 (780) 482-4357
- eMental Health.ca
- First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line: (24/7): 1 (855) 242-3310
- Health Link Alberta: 811
- Kids Help Phone: 1 (800) 668-6868
- Mental Health and Wellness, Government of Canada
- Mental Health Commission of Canada: 1 (613) 683-3755
- Mental Health Help Line - Alberta Wide, Alberta Health Services: 1 (877) 303-2642
- National Eating Disorder Information Centre: 1 (866) 633-4220
- Native Youth Crisis Hotline: 1 (877) 209-1266
- Rural Distress Line: 1 (800) 232-7288
- Seniors’ Abuse Help Line: 1 (780) 454-8888
- Talk Suicide Canada: 1 (833) 456-4566,
- Talk Suicide Canada: 45645 Text (4pm-midnight ET)
- Wellness Together Canada: 1 (866) 585-0445
**** INFORMATION ****
1. ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH: WEBSITES
- Addiction and Mental Health Webinars, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
- Active Minds: Changing the Conversation about Mental Health
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
- Foundation for Addiction and Mental Health (FAMH)
- HelpGuide: Mental Health and Wellness
- Mental Help
- Mind & Mood: Harvard Health Publishing
- National Alliance of Mentally Ill (NAMI)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- PsychCentral
- Stigma-Free Zone
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMSHA)
- Supporting Someone Struggling with their Mental Health
2. ADDICTION: ABC'S
- Addiction Education Society
- Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, by Anna Lembke, MD (book)
- How Addiction Affects Your Body and Mind (podcast)
- The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity―and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, by David A. Lieberman and Michael E. Long (book)
- Pleasure Unwoven, by Kevin McCauley, MD (video exploring addiction as a disease)
- Types of Addictions and Compulsive Behaviors
- Young Women and Addiction: Why Young Women Face Unique Challenges
3. ADDICTION AND ABUSE: ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ("Substance Abuse")
- Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (CCSA)
- Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines UPDATE (CCSA), August 2022
- Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction (CCSA)
- CBC Nature of Things - Wasted (video)
- Covid 19, Alcohol and Cannabis Use (CCSA)
- Knowing Your Limits with Alcohol: A Practical Guide to Assessing Your Drinking (CCSA)
- National Council of Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD)
- National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Neuroscience Pathways to Alcohol Dependence: NIAAA
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: MEDICAL-ASSISTED TREATMENT
- Medications and Counselling Treatment: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA)
- Medications for Addiction Treatment
- Medications for Alcohol Addiction
- Medications Table for Alcohol Use Disorder (01/24/2019)
- NBC Meds for Alcohol (video)
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: RECOVERY
- Addiction Recovery for Moms: 5 Tips for Long-Term Sobriety
- Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Guide
- The Essence of Twelve Step Recovery: Take It to Heart, by Damian McElrath, Ph.D. (book)
- Get Smart About Drugs: New Tools to Help Those in Recovery
- The Little Book: A Collection of Alternative 12 Steps, by Roger C. (book)
- One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps, by Kevin Griffin (book)
- The Spirituality of Imperfection: Storytelling and the Search for Meaning, by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham (book)
- A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps, by Stephanie. S. Covington, Ph.D. (book)
- Women, Addiction and Recovery: Unique Challenges of Women
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: SUPPORT
- Addiction Helpline: Alberta Health Services (AHS)
- Alberta Health Services (AHS) Addiction and Mental Health
- Aventa Centre of Excellence for Women with Addictions
- Catholic Social Services: Addictions, Recovery, Support
- Detoxification Centres - Edmonton
- Edmonton Street Survival Guide
- National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACA)
- Support for Mothers of Addicted Children
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: TOBACCO REDUCTION
- Alberta Quits
- Health Canada: On the Road to Quitting
- Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
- Quit Lines and Websites by Province and Territory
- Smoker’s Helpline Online: Canadian Cancer Society
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: TREATMENT CENTRE POSSIBILITIES
- Aventa Center of Excellence for Women with Addiction
- Choosing an Addiction Treatment Center
- Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
- The Meadows
- Treatment Centres in North America: A listing of Some
4. ADDICTION: FOOD (See "Mental Health - Eating Disorders") . . . more to come--please check back
- Diet Survivors Group Newsletter
- Food Addiction: Causes, Symptoms, Signs & Treatment Help
- How to Overcome Food Addiction
- The Diet Survivor's Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care, by Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel (book)
- What is the Evidence for "Food Addiction?" A Systematic Review
5. ADDICTION: GAMBLING AND GAMING ADDICTIONS
- British Columbia Responsible and Problem Gambling Program
- Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling
- Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling
- Gambling Therapy
- Game Quitters
- GamTalk
- My Recovery from Gambling Addiction
- National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)
- Problem Gambling, Centre of Mental Health and Addiction (CAMH)
- Responsible Gambling Council
6. ADDICTION: INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY ADDICTIONS
7. ADDICTION: SEX AND CYBER SEX ADDICTIONS
8. AGING
- Active Aging Canada
- Aging, Harvard Health Publishing
- Alberta Resources to Help Seniors Age in their Community
- Healthy Aging
- Healthy Aging: Beyond 50 (Mayo Clinic)
- Healthy Aging Guide (WebMD)
- Live Younger Longer: Six Steps to Prevent Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzhiemers, and More, by Stephen Kapecky, MD (book from Mayo Clinic Press)
9. BODY IMAGE (See "Mental Health - Eating Disorders")
10. BULLYING
11. COUNSELLING AND THERAPY
12. FAMILY AND PARENTING SUPPORT
13. FAMILY VIOLENCE
- Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS)
- Alberta Family Violence and Prevention: Activities, Resources, and Support
- Alberta Women's Shelters
- Calgary Domestic Violence Collective
- Calgary Family Violence Helpline
- Edmonton Violence Prevention Centre (EVPC)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- WIN House (an Edmonton women's shelter)
14. HOUSING (See "Family Violence")
Housing: EDMONTON
- Bissell Centre: Housing Services
- Capital Regional Housing (also offers rent subsidy programs)
- Edwardson Place (housing through Hope Mission)
- Home Ed: Mixed Income Housing Edmonton
- Homeward Trust
- Melcor YMCA Village: Affordable Housing
- Oxford Housing
- Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS)
Housing: WESTLOCK
15. MEDICATIONS
16. MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION: WEBSITES
- Addiction and Mental Health Webinars, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
- Active Minds: Changing the Conversation about Mental Health
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
- Foundation for Addiction and Mental Health (FAMH)
- HelpGuide: Mental Health and Wellness
- Mental Help
- Mind & Mood: Harvard Health Publishing
- National Alliance of Mentally Ill (NAMI)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- PsychCentral
- Stigma-Free Zone
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMSHA)
- Supporting Someone Struggling with their Mental Health
17. MENTAL HEALTH: ANXIETY (See "Trauma")
18. MENTAL HEALTH: DEPRESSION (See "Trauma")
19. MENTAL HEALTH: EATING DISORDERS (See "Body Image")
- Centre for Research on Eating Disorders at Oxford (CREDO)
- The Derm Review: Eating Disorder Guide
- The Eating Disorder Journal (journal about research, news, and treatment from EDReferral.com)
- Eating Disorders Support Network of Alberta (EDSNA)
- Referral & Information Center (EDReferral.com)
- National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
- National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
- National Eating Disorders Association
- Orthorexia: Signs, Risks, and Treatment
20. MENTAL HEALTH: GRIEF
- Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, by David Kessler (book)
- Gone Too Soon: Navigating: Grief and Loss as a Result of Substance Abuse (handbook)
21. MENTAL HEALTH: SUICIDE
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP)
- Centre for Suicide Prevention
- Suicide Awareness: Voices of Education (SAVE)
- Suicide Information and Education Services
- Suicide Prevention Resource Centre (SPRC)
- Suicide: Read This First
22. PERSONALITY TYPE (BRAIN FUNCTION (JUNG)). . . Embrace Who You Are!
23. PHYSICAL WELLBEING
- #1 Skill You Must Have So You Can Release Pain
- Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ, by Giulia Enders (book)
- Past Trauma, Mental Health, and Chronic Pain: Addressing the Underlying Concerns
- Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John J. Ratey, MD (book)
24. PREGNANCY AND FASD
- Alberta FASD
- Hope Terrace Edmonton and Area Fetal Alcohol Network
- National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS)
25. RELATIONSHIPS
- The Science of Love, Desire, and Attachment, Huberman Lab Podcast #59
- What Are Your Relationship Styles?
26. RURAL
- AgKnow AlbertaFarm Mental Health Network
- Rural Distress Line: 1 (800) 232-7288
- Rural Mental Health Network
- Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit
- Rural Minds (USA)
27. SAFETY
28. SEXUAL WELLBEING
- Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
- Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services
- Understanding Sexual Arousal in Women
- What Turns You On? A Guide to Living Your Best Sex Life, by Alexandra Katehakis (workbook)
- Women’s Health Options
29. SLEEP
30. TRAUMA: ABC'S
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk, MD (book)
- In an Unspoken Voice: How The Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness, by Peter A. Levine (book)
- The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, by Daniel Mate and Gabor Mate, MD (book)
- Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past, by Peter Levine (book)
- The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency, by Robert Scaer (book)
- Understanding the Brain, and What Happens in Stress and Trauma: Robert Scaer (video)
- Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma: The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences, by Peter A. Levine (book)
31. TRAUMA: BRAIN SCIENCE
- The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science, by Normal Doidge, MD (book)
- The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries From the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity, by Normal Doidge, MD (book)
- The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness, by Antonio Damasio (book)
- The Huberman Lab (podcasts)
32. TRAUMA: DEVELOPMENTAL
- Adult Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Trauma and Adult Health Consequences
- Brain Development and Life-Long Health - Resource Library
- Building Better Brains (information plus free online course from Alberta Family Wellness Initiative)
- Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University
- What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, by Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, and Oprah Winfrey (book)
33. TRAUMA: HEALING
- 8 Keys To Restoring Brain-body Balance, by Robert Scaer (book)
- Emotional and Psychological Trauma: Healing from Trauma and Moving On
- Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body, by Peter Levine (audiobook),
- Peter Levine's Secret to Releasing (Shock) Trauma from the Body (video)
- Polyvagal Theory and Trauma, by Deb Dana (a video)
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment, by Pat Ogden and Janina Fisher (book)
- The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Stress (video)
- Traumatic Stress: Dealing with (Shock) Trauma After a Disaster or Disturbing Event
34. WELLBEING (See "Rural")
- AHS Personal Wellbeing
- Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones, by James Clear (book)
- Happiness: TED talks (video)
- How a Daily 10-Minute Exercise Could Boost Your Happiness (BBC)
- How to Calm Your Racing Thoughts (video)
- The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness: A 4-Step Plan for Resilient Living, by Amit Sood, MD (book)
- One-Moment Meditation (video)
- Positive Psychology: Harnessing the Power of Happiness, Mindfulness, and Inner Strength (Harvard Medical School Special Health Report)
- Resilience: Build Skills to Endure Hardship
- Science of Well-being (free online course from Yale University)
- This is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down, by Deborah Collins Stephens Jackie Speier, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jan Yanchiro (book)
35. WOMEN WOMEN WOMEN!
- Canada Women's Federation
- Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW)
- The Syndrome Mag: Gender Equality Through Comedy (online magazine)
PHOTO ABOVE
White spruce buds in May
(Phantom River Refuge)
* Photo credit - Len Jorgenson