Family Ties - Summer 2023

Family Ties

Summer 2023

As the days become warmer, we hope you can spend time with your loved ones enjoying the sunshine!

We would like to acknowledge that this may be an especially difficult time for Public Safety families, as Canada faces an extreme wildfire season. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all those involved in fighting the wildfires, and we send our sympathy to all those affected by them.

Save the Date

Our next Virtual Interactive Event will be on September 27th, 2023 at 1pm-2pm EST (11am-12pm CST).

Stay tuned for more details!

If you have suggestions for what topic we should cover, we would love to hear them.

RESOURCES

PSPNET Families

Further revisions have been made to the Spouse and Significant Other Wellbeing Course. Version 3 of the course now includes the following:

A more flexible course timeline
Additional stories and examples
Addition of resources regarding improving the couple relationship, moral injury, and supporting your partner with their mental health

Visit PSPNET Families to learn more

Resources for Children & Youth

Here are a few resources we have learned about that may be of interest for children and youth. As a note, this is not a complete list, nor is it an endorsement of these resources.

Larry's Big Adventure by Jerris Popik, BA, Helena Hawryluk, PhD, & Lizette Duvanauge

Larry's Big Adventure - Understanding Operational Stress Injuries in First Responders is a children's book that “offers families an opportunity to gain knowledge on the importance of talking to kids on invisible injures associated with first responder work.” It is available to purchase through Families First: Supports for Occupational Stress.

Click here for more information

A Hero Lives in My Family - A Story for Kids of First Responders by Dr. Susan Hunt & Addie Storm

“This story is for kids and families of First Responders to learn about their Helping Hero’s job. In addition to being a parent and/or part of a family, the focus is on the positive feelings, kindness, and resilience of a First Responder.”

Click here for more information

The Wolf was Not Sleeping: York Regional Police Canadian Edition by Avril McDonald & Tatiana Minina

“An ideal bedtime read for young children whose parents are first responders, whether they be firefighters, police officers, ambulance crew, coastguards, or work in any other roles within stressful environments. Part of Avril McDonald's Feel Brave series - little stories about big feelings.”

Click here for more information

The Big Colouring Book: For Families With an Operational Stress Injury - Can Praxis

“This colouring book is meant to create an opportunity for you to ask questions and have safe conversations with your loved ones. Take time to colour and know that you are safe and loved Remember that all your emotions are normal in every way and the emotions of others are not your fault. Everyone deserves to feel safe.”

Click here to view

The Strongest Families Institute

The Strongest Families Institute (SFI) has been awarded a $1.05 million grant by Veterans Affairs Canada to provide mental health programming to Veteran communities (Military and RCMP) - and their families - across Canada. VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR CARE.

Click here for more information

Resources for Retirement

Thanks to all who attended our Virtual Interactive Event on May 25th where we discussed family life after PSP service. As a follow up, we are including a couple of resources below for those approaching retirement. Please note: this is not a complete list of resources, nor is it an endorsement of the listed resources.

We are grateful that Les Sylven has provided us with a written reflection after attending the event on May 25th. The reflection is titled Top 5 Take-Aways From the Family Matters Research Group Webinar - “What I wish I had known: Reflections on family life after PSP service.” You can read it by clicking the button below.

Click here to read the full reflection!

These are the top 5 take-aways included in the reflection:

1. Plan what you can.

2. Find your purpose, again.

3. Stay connected.

4. Get professional help.

5. Communicate, communicate...communicate.

We highly recommend that you read the full reflection, as it is exceptionally thoughtful. We send our heartfelt thanks to Les Sylven for writing it.

Les Sylven was a police officer in Canada for over 30 years, serving communities as a member of the RCMP, Victoria Police Department, and the Central Saanich Police Service on Vancouver Island. In 2011, he completed a M.A. in Leadership Studies at Royal Roads University where he studied police pre-retirement programs. In 2020, he retired from policing as the Chief of the Central Saanich Police Service. He is currently a PhD candidate in Leadership Studies at the University of Victoria where he is researching how meditation and contemplative practice can influence police leadership.

He can be reached at ljsylven@uvic.ca

Here are more resources that may be of interest to current and future retirees:

When the Calls Stop - a book by Mynda Ohs, PhD.

A Guide for Retirees - developed by BC First Responders Mental Health.

SPOTLIGHT

This issue's featured team member is Dr. Janette Leroux. Janette is trained in health promotion and social epidemiology and draws on a range of qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the social contexts of health experiences and issues. She is interested in bridging the theory-praxis divide on complex and seemingly intractable social problems. Janette works as a Research Associate with the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen's University, where she leads a project on families and suicide within special occupational groups.