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New ‘Shift Your Mind’ Program Promotes Mental Fitness

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CMHA Waterloo Wellington and Running Room are collaborating with a new program to help companies increase their mental health fitness

The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington and Running Room are launching Shift Your Mind, a new initiative to help companies improve the mental fitness of employees. Shift Your Mind is a mental fitness training program that develops healthy thinking habits to improve resilience and increase employee energy in the workplace.

“Resilience is the most important life skill we need right now, as we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Helen Fishburn, CEO of CMHA Waterloo Wellington.  “We spend the majority of our time at work, so the workplace is the new ‘front line’ of our mental health care.  The strategies to develop healthy thinking habits are the foundation of resilience. Healthy thinking habits drive focus, perspective and improve employee interactions. We can help companies attract and retain talent because this training helps employees thrive in what has become a challenging work environment.”

During the eight-week program, employees learn tools like positive self talk, mindfulness, learning from failure and reframing life’s challenge. Employees also learn about the power of physical fitness as a stress reliever. The results are strong, with nine out of 10 participants saying the program taught them helpful strategies to improve mental wellness and they would recommend it to colleagues.

“We know exercise helps us improve our mental health,” says John Stanton, founder of Running Room.  “For over 35 years, Running Room has been offering running clinics that bring people together to accomplish exercise goals and have fun.  Shift Your Mind offers a combination of the benefits of mental health management strategies with a group exercise experience.  It’s a winning formula.”

The pressures of living and working during the COVID-19 pandemic are contributing to a burnout epidemic and forcing companies to rethink their business models.  Prioritizing a mentally healthy workplace culture helps attract and retain employees, reduces absenteeism and improves productivity. Shift Your Mind also offers companies an opportunity to ‘plug and play’, as CMHA Waterloo Wellington manages all communication and coordination with participating staff.  The program is already producing positive results at organizations in Europe, India, Japan and Canada, including at Health Canada, Kinaxis Canada, and Guelph-based manufacturer Linamar.

“We are always looking to create a healthy workplace. Shift Your Mind is helping our employees gain a different perspective and we strongly recommend others consider this program,” says Frank Cesa, Director at Health Canada. “Integrating mental wellness programming is a key part of our interest in keeping our employees happy and thriving at Health Canada.”

Shift Your Mind is changing the conversation around mental health in the workplace by helping teams work together, move together and shift together, to feel the energy they need to be their best again.

For more information, please visit shiftyourmind.ca.

 

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ABOUT SHIFT YOUR MIND

Shift Your Mind is an employee mental fitness program that develops healthy thinking habits. These habits improve resilience and increase our energy in the workplace. In Shift Your Mind sessions, employees learn about positive self talk, mindfulness, learning from failure and reframing life’s challenges. Participants also learn the power of exercise to improve mental health. Shift Your Mind is an eight-week group program providing one facilitator-led, 45-minute session per week. Shift Your Mind has been used in Canada, the United States, Europe, India and Japan.

 

ABOUT CMHA WW

The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHA WW) is a non-profit organization that provides a full care system for those with addictions, mental health or developmental needs.  CMHA WW serves everyone from children to adults to seniors and helps individuals and families to lead lives filled with meaning and promise.  CMHA WW offers a number of programs and services as well as crisis support through Here 24/7, 1-844-437-3247.  Visit www.cmhaww.ca/events to access free webinars to increase your mental wellness and visit www. Here4help.ca for resources for coping with mental health during COVID-19.

 

ABOUT RUNNING ROOM

Running Room is a proudly Canadian family-owned company.  It originated in 1984 out of founder John Stanton’s wish to purchase quality running shoes from someone knowledgeable about the sport.  New to the sport of running, John had a thirst for knowledge as well as a desire to buy the right product.  This entrepreneurial retailer decided to fill a niche in the marketplace by opening a small one-room store in the renovated living room of an old house in Edmonton, hence the name “Running Room.”  The concept was highly successful, and the stores have expanded to over 110 locations across Canada and the United States.  Running Room is a store for runners, by runners.  All team members are runners whose philosophy is that if you’re out there running on the same roads as the customers, you can better relate to them.  For more information, please visit:  www.runningroom.com

 

 

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