A message from Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor. 

When I was a child, I believed mental illness only meant the absence of health. In Manitoba, one of the moms down the street was periodically “sent to Selkirk,” where there was an intimidating institution where people were locked away or put on sedatives.

That experience, along with portrayals of mental illness in movies like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest reinforced the fear and stigma attached to those who suffer. We didn’t talk about it, and we certainly didn’t know how to help.

Today, our society is better at supporting mental health from a perspective of wellness, which is a profound shift. It creates a totally different view of what supports and services we need to invest in. We are becoming better at seeing the whole person –  physical, mental, spiritual and social – when we understand health.

Many of our students are in their 20s, a time of life marked by change and challenges. Many find themselves in a poly-crisis where they are juggling a variety of stressors such as finances, academic pressure, time management, accessible housing and loneliness.

Today’s youth also coped with the pandemic, during which they were isolated at a very important time of their lives. I think about when I was with Alberta Health and Wellness and we were tasked with planning for a potential pandemic. I remember going home and hugging my then-teenage kids, hoping they would never have to face such an awful event. Sadly, we all did.

It’s been a wild five years. The impact of the pandemic has been profound, particularly on the health and wellness of young people.

Amidst these circumstances, our students come here to create the future they dream about. This is a place of hope and excitement, but it is also a place that can cause stress and anxiety. Students come to challenge themselves and during their studies have new experiences and learn new ideas – some of which can be mind-blowing. This is good but can also be difficult, and providing our students with a variety of services to support their personal and academic success is critical. The time spent at MacEwan is formative and a pathway that helps set their futures. It is a privilege to be on that journey with them.

However, when we talk about providing mental health and support services the conversation often focuses on the need for “more” but what does that mean?

What are the right services, and how should they be provided? Do we call preventative programs –including MacEwan’s Community Nest program that helps students connect – mental health services? When we hire new counsellors, how many is enough? How do we define success? Though there aren’t easy answers to these questions, these difficult topics help us explore and identify innovative solutions.

We do know more is needed. Demand for psychological services is currently exceeding resources. The number of counselling appointments for students experiencing serious psychological distress increased by 148 per cent in the past three years. MacEwan has dedicated an additional $1.8M towards mental health support from our operating budget to try and address the needs.

We’re advocating for additional funding federally and provincially. Providing meaningful, accessible mental health and wellness services on campus is important – not just because we know that post-secondary can be a difficult time, but also because we know having these services on campus reduces barriers to access and can be the difference for students who are struggling to continue their studies.

This doesn’t mean we do things on our own. There are local and provincial supports available – replicating services is not the goal. Between our Student Affairs team and our partners at the MacEwan University Health Centre, our aim is to get our students to the right place at the right time to address their needs.

This coming Mental Health Week, I encourage you to take part in the workshops and activities on campus. Some are geared toward students, and others to support faculty and staff. Some focus on looking after your own well-being, while others provide guidance and tools for supporting others.

Also, please take time to look after yourself. Talk to somebody when you’re stressed and be intentional in doing what you need to feel better. During difficult times people tend to misread their own health and believe they’re better than they are, so reaching out can help.

We’ve all known somebody who seemed, on the outside, to be doing well, only to find out later was suffering. How did we miss the signs? How could we have been so unaware? Though we talk about mental health a lot more, many people still find it difficult to talk about their own health and may do a great job of covering up their pain. During Mental Health Week – and throughout the year – let’s commit to taking time to connect with our friends, our students and our colleagues and learn about how we can support one another.

Dr. Annette Trimbee
President and Vice-Chancellor