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Welcome to the latest edition of the Reaching Families Project Aboriginal Resources Newsletter. Notices of aboriginal family resources relating to mental health can be sent to onlinesupport@bcss.org so we can help spread the word.

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The Reaching Families Project is funded by BC Mental Health and Addictions Services as part of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.

Fraser Health launches new Aboriginal Mental Health DVD
9/15/2008

Fraser Health: “It should have been the happiest time of my life,” a young woman shares of the early days with her new baby. “But I cried all the time – even when I did the laundry. I always felt alone even when I was in a room full of my family – people who loved me.”

This personal story is among those courageously shared by six young Aboriginal women from the Stó:lô Territory and their families for a new DVD, ‘Aboriginal Journeys in Mental Health – Surviving the Fall’. The DVD was produced by Fraser Health’s Health Promotion and Prevention and Mental Health and Addiction Services, Stó:lô Nation Health Services and Bear Image Productions as an educational and awareness building tool to benefit Aboriginal women, their families and health care providers.

Their stories speak to the grief and loss of miscarriage and stillbirth and of the loneliness and isolation experienced with Perinatal (Post-Partum) Depression. They speak to the mental and emotional struggles, the pain, the frustrations, the sadness, and as well, to the recovery and hope gained from reaching out for help.

And in the telling, their emotional and heartfelt words continue an ancient tradition of the Aboriginal people – to share learning and wisdom through stories passed on through the generations.

“I’m very pleased to see Fraser Health develop a tool that is culturally sensitive and relevant to our Aboriginal population,” said Mary Polak, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport. “This DVD brings hope. It will serve as a powerful vehicle to encourage Aboriginal women struggling with perinatal depression to reach out for help and ultimately improve their quality of life and that of their babies and families.”

“In the Aboriginal culture, learning is relational,” said Brian Muth, Fraser Health’s Aboriginal Community Engagement Coordinator and a DVD project lead (former Mental Health Liaison for the Stó:lô Nation Health Services). “It comes from connections with others, from listening to stories and attending gatherings. This has been the way of the Aboriginal people since earliest times.”

The women’s compelling stories are bolstered by commentaries by a number of health professionals from public health, mental health and Aboriginal health, including Dr. Shaila Misri, Director of Reproductive Mental Health at BC Women’s Hospital and a provincial expert in this field. The DVD also speaks to the importance of weaving mainstream medicine and practices with traditional Aboriginal healing.

Depression is the leading cause of disability for women in their childbearing years. As many as one in five women in B.C. may experience depression related to pregnancy and childbirth. And research indicates that perinatal depression can significantly affect the health of both mother and child, and if left untreated can lead to chronic depression.

Leslie Schroeder, Project Director for Fraser Health’s Aboriginal Health Services believes the DVD is extremely valuable. “It will help people in many ways by building greater understanding of mental health challenges associated with pregnancy and childbirth, promoting early identification of symptoms, and encouraging women to be pro-active about their health and wellness,” she said.

The public can order copies of ‘Aboriginal Journeys in Mental Health – Surviving the Fall’ by calling 604-851-3087.

Pro Dada