'It's okay to talk about': Chantal Kreviazuk on ending the stigma around mental health
Winnipeg-born singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk is speaking out about the importance of ending the stigma around talking about mental health.
“The reality is all of us, every one of us, even on a good day, we have to work at our mental well-being,” she said.
“I’ve always believed we’re only as strong as the person who’s having the most challenging time in our immediate family, in our community. So, I think it's okay to talk about our mental health.”
Kreviazuk is leading by example as she’s set to be the keynote speaker at the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba’s Women’s Speaker Series on Sept. 29 – an event that supports women’s mental health.
“It’s hard to be a person today on any level because the demands are pretty overwhelming at times,” she said.
“In particular for women, we are the mothers in our world, and a lot is required of us, demanded of us, and sometimes it can be really challenging.”
Kreviazuk said one thing that has helped with her mental well-being is her creativity.
“We have to be creative. We have to remember our joy and how can we do that. How can we make a joke? How can we make someone else laugh and see our reflection in that person’s smile or in their happy, joyful eyes? We have to think of ways of resetting,” she said.
She noted that ‘resetting’ is easier for some than others, but it’s okay to reach out for help if you need help figuring it out.
“Some of us require, literally, a script sometimes, or we need to learn a skill for how to [do it] – the same way that you might want to learn how to put together a new barbecue or fix your sink or your garburator, and you might Google it and find out how,” Kreviazuk said.
“Well, it’s the same with any other aspect of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with trying to figure out.”
Kreviazuk added that there’s nothing wrong with reaching out for help, but that people don’t always know who to reach out to.
This is where the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba comes in, as it is dedicated to providing support, education and advocacy for those living with mood disorders, co-occurring disorders, or mental illnesses.
“The amount of service that has gone into the community from this organization is humbling to consider,” Kreviazuk said.
“So I’m so proud to support Mood Disorders [Association] of Manitoba and the programs that they have in place for women.”
Tickets to the Women’s Speaker Series fundraiser are $25 and can be purchased online.
- With files from CTV’s Michael Hutchinson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.