How do I Talk to my Doctor about Mental Health?
If you want to talk to your family doctor about your mental health but you’re not sure where to start, here are a few ideas for before, during, and after your appointment.
Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Behavioural Health Consultant… What’s the Difference?
Your family doctor may refer you to a Behavioural Health Consultant, Registered Psychologist, or Psychiatrist… but what are the differences between these options?
Happiness Basics: Invest in yourself
Sharon came to the Happiness Basics following success in other Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network programs. She had just been to an exercise workshop, and was looking into more classes, when Happiness Basics was mentioned. Happiness Basics was new at the time, as a program to teach individuals what happy people do differently, and she…
Why I teach relaxation
By Luc TherrienBehavioural Health Consultant What has convinced me to teach relaxation to everyone? I could tell you that relaxation and meditation have been studied extensively over the past 40 years and that we’ve even observed a change at the genes’ level after only one session of relaxation, but that may seem abstract. Instead, I…
Minimizing stress is key to a healthier life
At 97, Henry Schroder isn’t worried about his health. He still lives at home, shovels his own driveway and builds his own airplanes. Henry still remembers growing up during the Russia Revolution and can outline specific details of his childhood and his time in the Canadian Air Force during World War II. He was married…
Patient finds a way out of the dark hole of depression
Scott Wood’s life was crashing until a visit to his family doctor brought him back on the right track. His spiral into a deep depression started in 2009 when he witnessed a head-on collision between a small car and a rig truck on Highway 33 between Swan Hills and Whitecourt during a spring storm. “The…
Patient candidly describes battle with depression
When Gary Krutzfeldt started feeling so empty and helpless, he turned to his family doctor for help.Dr. Don Korzenowski of Millwoods Family Medical Clinic prescribed anti-depressants for Gary but told him this was only half the answer and he needed to see a behavioural health specialist from Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network. “I have to…
PCN workshop helps calm anxious patient
Anxiety has plagued Sheila Hilderbrandt for most of her life. She would lie awake all night worrying about her health issues. She wouldn’t leave her home except once a week to get groceries. Her mind wouldn’t shut off and she couldn’t control her thoughts. “It started with my diabetes. I had to go on insulin….
Medical experience gives patient insight
A traumatic medical experience forced Beverley Anne McAmmond to change the way she approached her life.After recovering from five surgeries involving diverticulitis, a severe fungal infection and hernia, Beverley was dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Her family doctor referred her to Crystal Degenhardt, a mental health specialist at Edmonton Southside Primary Care…
Workshop eases patient’s stress
Peter wasn’t sure how to handle the stress he was facing from work and his personal life. As a pharmacist, he was used to solving other people’s problems. The 57-year-old was fighting depression and bladder cancer when he turned to Dyan Eybergen, a behavioural health consultant at Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network, for help. Dyan…