Youth from across the region gather for mental health symposium in Melfort

She said the day was simply epic.

“Being able to have a platform to use their voice, we had a tremendous reaction/response from the kids,” Lawrence said.

Following the day, Lawrence said that she heard from some of the youth who also voiced that they would like to start up their own groups to just talk about mental health.

“It moved you to the core, I think. Pushing us out of our comfort zones to talk about things that matter,” Lawrence said.

Not only did the youth have takeaways from the day but so did Lawrence herself.

“You never know how it’s going to hit you and Chris Beaudry said it right, ‘Someone’s story is going to resonate with you,’ and that’s why it’s important to talk about these things,” Lawrence said.

Former Assistant Coach of the Humboldt Broncos Chris Beaudry was on hand for the day to speak with the youth and was also part of the panel discussion during the evening portion as well.

Chris Beaudry shares his mental health journey with crowd at the Kerry Vickar Centre. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

Beaudry said the goal he had in his mind for the youth was to help them feel they can talk about how they are feeling.

“It’s ok to feel because those emotions are real,” Beaudry said.

He said a big thing for him is also being able to relate to other people’s stories whether it be through his struggles with addictions or the trauma of the bus crash in 2018. Following the crash, Beaudry began a support group in Humboldt where people came together to talk about how they were feeling.

“When I can hear someone else tell a story of their own pain, I hear my own story in their words and that helped me heal,” Beaudry said.

The impact of having that group is what has pushed Beaudry to tell his story in hopes that it will have the same impact for someone else.

“How can I not come to an event like this and share my story so that some kid may hear their own story in my words,” Beaudry said. “That creates a circle of unstoppable healing.”

Lawrence also noted other speakers’ messages from the evening portion including Corey Nelson, Bailey Strachan, Alexis Epp, Ruby Powder and Shelley Enns, “They all had something to say that really spoke to your soul, I believe.”

Shelley Enns is from Carrot River and shared her story and struggles with mental health in an effort to provide three specific things to the youth.

“Knowing that they are not alone and that how they feel is ok, and then having some tools to deal with that,” Enns said.

Mental health issues began for Enns at a young age and the struggles intensified after tragically losing her son Carter in the May 2015 construction zone crash near Spalding. Three teenage boys were killed when they were rear-ended by a semi.

“I think it’s getting conversations like this so that it’s not so taboo and it’s more talked about,” Enns said. “You can’t get through pain alone and without sharing.”

Enns owns and created Shell’s Fitness and Soul Centre in Carrot River for the same reason, to provide people with space and tools to work on their mental health.

Youth in attendance for the symposium included students from MUCC and also students who travelled from Kinstino, St. Brieux, Quill Lake, Wakaw, Bruno, Naicam, Tisdale, Zenon Park and Kinistin First Nation.

Youth at mental health symposium during one of the many break-out sessions for the day. (Facebook/Lakeland District for Sport, Culture and Recreation)

The privately funded event was thanks to the many businesses, and stakeholders within the region that found it important to be part of. Lawrence said it wouldn’t have happened without that community support that Melfort and area never fails to provide.

The event will become annual and Lawrence plans to host it each year on world mental health day, which is observed on October 10.

–

angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser

by Angie Rolheiser

Youth from across the region gather for mental health symposium in Melfort

What's Trending