Family Ties

Fall/Winter 2023

Hello, Spring
 

Happy holidays! We hope you enjoy a safe and healthy holiday season. 
 

Save the Date

Our next FMRG Virtual Interactive Event will be on February 14, from 12pm-1pm EST. Stay tuned for the topic and keep an eye out for the link to register!

RESOURCES

Introducing Garnet Families!

For the past year, we have been working to find a name that does justice to the lifestyle that shapes defence and public safety families. Through a series of consultations and competitions, we landed on Garnet, a deep red gemstone, because of its historical associations with love, loyalty, healing, protection, and safe return to family.

The G’s in our logo represent the four occupational lifestyle dimensions that shape defence and PSP families - logistics, mobility, identities, and risk. Each of these dimensions can affect any family, but for defence and PSP families, they experience them all at once, intensifying the impact of each. The dimensions load differently onto different families across different occupational sectors and across each family’s life course, making it an ongoing and evolving experience.

In January we will launch our Garnet Families website alongside our Families Matter Research Group. Please watch for the roll out.
 

PSPNET Families

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Tailored to Spouses and Significant Others of Public Safety Personnel: Formative Evaluation Study is available to read on the PSPNET website. The study was conducted to assess the initial use and perceptions of a self-guided internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) course designed for Canadian spouses and significant others (SSOs) of public safety personnel (PSP) and to identify opportunities to further tailor ICBT for SSOs. The findings from this study provide initial evidence for the use of tailored ICBT to support the mental health of SSOs in Canada. Click the link below to read the summary of the study. 

Visit PSPNET to learn more
 

We have a number of family-focused give away items that we have been bringing to events! Some are sector-specific, like these animal designs that we have made into stickers and temporary tattoos. We are happy to send our swag items to your events, or attend in person with them. Please contact us at families@queensu.ca!

SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Linna Tam-Seto

Dr. Linna Tam-Seto is Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Science (Queen’s), Master of Science, Post-Professional Occupational Therapy (Dalhousie), Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy (Queen’s), and Bachelor of Arts, Women’s Studies (Queen’s). She is a registered occupational therapist with experience working in child, adolescent, and family mental health and supporting evidence-based professional practice. Dr. Tam-Seto was the inaugural Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Canadian Defence and Security Network completing her work at the Centre for International and Defence Policy (Queen’s) developing a mentorship program aimed at supporting women in the Canadian Armed Forces. She led the Military Health and Wellbeing Research Group in the Trauma and Recovery Research Unit (McMaster) and a Research Scientist with the Families Matter Research Group. Dr. Tam-Seto’s research interests include understanding the health and well-being of Canada’s military members, Veterans, public safety personnel, and their families with a focus on life transitions and changes.

Read more about our team

HIGHLIGHTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lauren Roberts (PhD candidate) received the Release Point Education Student Award at CIMVHR Forum for her research "Considerations on the application of family theories, models, and frameworks within adult rehabilitation and recovery following acquired injury or illness". 

Dr. Ashley Williams received the Student Research Award at CIMVHR Forum 2023 for her research "What do civilian healthcare providers need to know to care for Veterans with chronic pain? A qualitative study".

 

READING

I AM FAMILY: Understanding the adapted sport experiences of family members of military personnel with physical and psychological illnesses and injuries through the lens of the Invictus Games

Duong, A., Roberts, L., Cramm, H., Evans, M. B., Mayhew, E., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., Aiken, A., Shirazapour, C. H. (2023). Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

Read more

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Spouses and Significant Others of Public Safety Personnel: Formative Evaluation Study

Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Reiser, S. J., Beahm, J. D., McCall, H. C., Dena, I., Phillips, A. R., Scheltgen, M., Sekhar, S., Cox, M., Cramm, H., & Reid, N. (2023). JMIR Formative Research.

Read more

Workers at Risk: Families Serving Alongside

Cramm, H., Cox, M., Norris, D. (2023). Open Access Government October 2023, p. 204-205.

Read more

EVENTS

We had the pleasure of attending CIMVHR Forum 2023 in Ottawa/Gatineau in October. Several of our team members presented research, and we got to connect with many colleagues.

Families Matter Research Group hosted the Families Roundtable, which was extremely successful! Stay tuned for a summary of the findings. 
 

Garnet Families and Families Matter Research Group team members have been happy to be invited to a wide range of events over the past several months, where we have had the opportunity to meet many of you! Please keep the invitations coming. Here are some of the events we have attended since the summer:

RCMP NHQ Wellness Tradeshow

Ottawa Police Association Spousal Evening Event

Toronto Police Association Family Day

Sarnia Jail and Sarnia Probation & Parole Wellness/Educational Day

Canada Border Services Agency Family Session

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Fire Rescue Canada Companion Workshop and Plenary

Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs Event

Corrections Service Canada Wellness Day

Helping The Helpers

Mental Health Awareness: Nurturing Minds, Building Resilience 

Be Well Serve Well

Grey County First Responders Family Day

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

PAST VIRTUAL EVENTS:

Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives of Parents of Defence and Public Safety Personnel

(September 27, 2023)