Faces of CMHA: Katrina Burch, Team Lead Mental Health Promotion and Education

I am proud of the work we are doing to encourage more psychologically healthy and safe workplaces in Waterloo and Wellington. I feel that building mental wellness into our workplaces, we’re building a community that is more understanding and welcoming of diverse needs which leads to decreased stigma.

1. What is involved in your role?

I am the Team Lead for The Mental Health Promotion and Education Team here at CMHA. I work with our team to find ways to engage with the community to share knowledge about maintaining positive mental health, understanding mental illness, supporting a loved one, suicide prevention and workplace and corporate wellness.

2. Why did you become involved in the mental health field?

I lost a friend to suicide when I was in high school. I was motivated to find ways to support individuals and their families and this is what lead me to the field of mental health.

3. What brought you to CMHA?

I had recently completed my BA as a mature student.  I was looking for the right organization to bring my experience with developmental and mental health services and CMHA seemed like the right fit! It’s a great place to work!

4. Have you always worked in mental health?

I have spent most of my career working and volunteering in the mental health field. I did work for a number of years with children with autism providing IBI therapy.

5. How do you support people at CMHA in your role?

I provide guidance and support to a team of busy educators. This includes creating efficient processes to ensure the delivery of training and workshops, delegation of work, collaboration with community partners, budget management and creating future opportunities to engage with the public about mental health.

6. What are you proud of during your time at CMHA?

I am proud of the work we are doing to encourage more psychologically healthy and safe workplaces in Waterloo and Wellington. I am a CMHA Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor and I have team member who are trained to deliver the nation-wide CMHA program Mental Health Works. I feel that building mental wellness into our workplaces, we’re building a community that is more understanding and welcoming of diverse needs which leads to decreased stigma. I recently had the opportunity to be part of a panel on Wellness in the Workplace for the 13^th Annual Inspiring Women in Business event with the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce. I was proud to represent CMHA WW as a panelist and share what we are doing internally as an organization as well as how we can provide support to businesses on this topic.

If you are interested in learning how to implement a wellness plan and/or mental health training in your workplace, email education@cmhaww.ca to learn more!

If you are in crisis or wish to discuss whether CMHA has the right service for you, call Here 24/7: 1-844-437-3247 (HERE 247).

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Follow the ‘Faces of CMHA’ series for a glimpse into the lives of the people who spend each day at the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington working to inspire and support people to achieve the quality of life they desire. Join our team, click here to view current employment opportunities at CMHA WW.