In 2020, Qualia Counselling Services is teaming up with Run Waterloo to bring a new, impactful run to Waterloo Region.
We’re thrilled to launch the inaugural Qualia’s Steps Forward for Mental Health on June 27. We’ve been working with co-owner Charity Fleming, MSW on this race and here is what you need to know about Qualia, the run, and the three charities.
Who is Qualia?
Qualia Counselling Services is passionate about mental health and wellness. We are comprised of an incredible team of mental health treatment clinicians, leaders, and teachers/trainers. We are deeply committed to our core value of authentic community and try to foster this within our four clinics (Kitchener, Waterloo, Six Nations & Brantford) and the communities they are in. As such we wanted to host an event that both promoted general health and mental health wellness but also a sense of community, and raise funds for the services that promote and treat mental health to some of our most priority populations – children & youth in mental health crisis, and the indigenous population.
Where did the idea come from?
At Qualia Counselling we practice from a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) model which helps people make connections between their mind – body – spirit, or thoughts, emotions, actions/reactions and physical selves. CBT empowers people to connect with more happiness, hope & confidence in their lives, fighting mental illness and embracing mental health and wellness.
CBT is one of the most evidence based models for treating mental illness, but has also been widely used for health outcomes like decreasing obesity & chronic pain and smoking cessation. Recognizing the powerful connection that physical health and wellness has on mental health, and also wanting to increase awareness of mental health we decided a perfect venue for combining the powerful effects of both physical and mental health would be a Run Waterloo / Run Love run and walk.
Having some runners in our staff community we had a vision of filling a trail or street or social media with people inspired by and committed to mental health and wellness for the community. We have a vision of people willing to step forward or use their steps forward to increase awareness and change for mental health.
Who are we raising money for?
Mental health and wellness is a lifelong need and quest for us all. Some people begin experiencing their first mental health challenges very early in life and this can be overwhelming, frightening and a source of real suffering not only for the person but their family and friends. Qualia’s Steps Forward for Mental Health will be raising money and awareness for these two foundations and one charity that closely align with our mission.
For children and adolescents who have their first onset of mental illness and more acute mental health struggles, having a safe place they can go to and receive premium care is paramount to their recovery and mastery of their mental wellness. The Grand River Hospital child and adolescent inpatient unit (CAIP) and the McMaster Children’s Hospital 3G Unit provide a safe place, assessments and treatment for children and adolescents in mental health crisis in the communities which we serve.
Further, in our desire to recognize and promote mental health in the indigenous communities we serve, we are raising money for Woodland Cultural Centre’s Save the Evidence campaign. In our work with indigenous and non-indigenous people often we encounter those who want to know how to contribute or what they can do for recovery, repair and truth and reconciliation with indigenous populations. We know that historical trauma in the form of residential schools, the sixties scoop, and systemic discrimination has left a legacy of historical trauma and resulting mental health struggles impacting First Nations communities and people. The Truth & Reconciliation Calls for Action ask that indigenous culture and history be promoted and persevered and so within that aim Woodland Cultural Center is raising funds to preserve one of the last standing residential schools and its history, the Mohawk Indian Residential School in Brantford. Funds raised will go towards audio and video documentation of survivors.
That’s it for now!
Stay tuned this spring as we launch t-shirt designs, courses, contests, etc!
CTA
