Our Recovery College website is now live www.recoverycollegecentralalberta.ca .
You can register online through the website or call us at 403-342-2266 and register over the phone.
Using an educational-based approach, Recovery College offers courses to help people recognize and develop their own resourcefulness and awareness in order to support themselves or their loved one’s recovery journey. All our courses are co-developed and co-delivered in partnership with people who have their own personal experience of a mental health or addiction concern or are supporting a loved one.
Some people will take the classes at CMHA because they have a specific mental health concern or diagnosis and they are hoping that our recovery and peer focus can add that something special they are missing. Other people will become part of Recovery College because they are on a personal journey to improve their emotional wellness in much the same way that people go to gyms or rec centres to improve their physical well-being.
Regardless of why someone takes a Recovery College Central Alberta course, you can expect to learn and grow in a compassionate and respectful environment while having fun with interesting people who might even become your good friends.
Everyone – family, friends, caregivers, professionals and the general public – are welcome to attend our free courses on recovery and well-being. No previous experience or education level is required. Our courses are open to the community-at-large. We have found that some people have a better learning experience when CMHA staff can talk to them about their expectations and specific needs. We can help people choose the right course, make recommendations, and answer questions. You can call us at 403-342-2266.
Recovery College courses are interactive and create positive learning experiences, emphasizing connection, hope and belonging. An emphasis is placed on an individual’s talents and strengths. Our courses inspire optimism, encourage students to consider future opportunities, and move people towards personal empowerment. Recovery is a journey, not a destination.
In order to prepare to launch Recovery College in September in Red Deer, over a dozen CMHA staff and peer volunteers have gone through intensive training and are preparing to facilitate six courses specific to our Recovery College. During the summer, we are doing what we are calling a soft launch of all six programs during which time our new facilitators will work together to be ready for the fall.
These are the courses that will be offered in the next few months. Not all of them are on our schedule yet.
- Art of Friendship: Strong friendships give us the power to be our true selves; when we have strong friendships, we feel respected and valued and we work hard to find ways to show our friends that we respect and value them. Strong friendships take work! This course will help you learn about yourself – what you say, the way you act, and how all of your actions can affect relationships with others. Focusing on these aspects, helps us gain confidence in our relationships and we will be more likely to achieve our friendship goals. We have offered Art of Friendship before, and in fact, you can register for an 8 week Art of Friendship course this summer here: http://reddeer.cmha.ca/events/art-of-friendship-7/
- Building Better Boundaries: Boundaries aren’t just for maps! Building better boundaries involves learning how to set boundaries, talking to others about your boundaries, and showing others you respect their boundaries. This course will help you build better boundaries, so you can feel happier and healthier.
- Shades of Disclosure: Sharing is tough! Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to share, or who to share with. Throughout this course you will learn how to be open, yet remain cautious about self-disclosure – leading to a practice of self-disclosure that makes you feel comfortable when interacting with others.
- Confront the Discomfort: Whether we like it or not, anxiety is a normal part of life. Anxiety can also get in the way of us enjoying life. In this course you will learn how to value, recognize, and react to important anxiety warning signs, and confront the discomfort in a positive and healthy way.
- Conversations that Matter: Sometimes it is hard to get a conversation started, and even harder to keep the conversation going! Throughout this course you will learn about communication tools which help create meaningful relationships and friendships.
- Road to Recovery: The road to recovery is not an easy path. It is a journey of reinventing how you think about yourself, your mental health or substance use, and your recovery can be a challenging one! Throughout this course you will explore how to think and act in ways that move you towards a more meaningful life.
- Living Life to the Full: Living Life to the Full is an eight week course designed to help people face and overcome the problems that are bothering them. Living Life to the Full is for people experiencing depression or anxiety and also benefits anyone seeking to worry less and live a happier life, starting now.
- Wellness Recovery Action Planning: Thousands of people, world-wide, have successfully used what they learned during an 8 week WRAP course to live happier and more satisfying lives while improving connections to their families, their friends, and their community. And although it was initially designed for people with mental health concerns research has shown that WRAP is also effective for just about anyone who struggles with the day-to-day management of their lives at work, at school, or at home.
Coming this spring…
- Finding Your Balance: Often times caregivers put their own needs last. In this course you will learn to take care of yourself by finding your own balance, creating a network of support, learning personal coping strategies, and gaining useful tools to support yourself with hope and acceptance. This course is open to all who are looking for support: siblings, children, parents (of a youth or adult child), friends, partners, grandparents or aunts and uncles.
- Adulting 101: Some of us have not been taught how to deal with adult related topics such as finances, health care, dating, and relationships – to mention just a few! Join this course and learn about how to handle the world of adulthood! This course is recommended for individuals between the ages of 16 to 24 years old.
Our upcoming course offerings:
See www.recoverycollegecentralalberta.ca for more details
or to register online!
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