Wellness Month at Meighen Health Centre

In October, The Salvation Army Meighen Health Centre launched its first Wellness Month under the theme “Taking Care of Mind, Body, and Soul.” This initiative was created to support the overall well-being of our staff through meaningful engagement, education, and holistic care.

Our Wellness Day, held on October 30, featured two impactful sessions:
Althea Fernandes, MC, RP, CCC delivered a powerful presentation on stress, burnout, and personal resilience, offering our team tools to recognize signs of burnout and strategies to protect their mental health while working in caregiving roles.
Kelley Curtis from the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division facilitated an insightful and interactive workshop on team communication in the workplace, introducing two simple and memorable tools to foster civility, respect, and connection at work:
SALSA: A framework to promote constructive communication by being:
Supportive – Show listening and helpfulness
Appropriate – Share relevant input at the right time
Leaning In – Create space for others to share
Sincere – Speak with genuineness and professionalism
Adding Value – Contribute meaningfully to the conversation

NACHO: A guide to building high-quality workplace connections (HQCs) through:
Non-Verbal Communication – Eye contact, smiling, and body language
ASK – Take interest in your colleagues’ lives
Compliment – Share positive feedback
Humour – Use laughter and levity to build morale
Offer Help – Support others within your capacity
These models highlighted the importance of empathy, active listening, and constructive communication in building a healthier and more respectful workplace culture.

Wellness Circle & Whole-Organization Engagement
The success of Wellness Month was made possible by our Wellness Committee—also known as the Wellness Circle—a diverse team representing every department in the organization. This committee ensured that the initiative addressed the 13 Psychosocial Factors essential for a psychologically safe and healthy workplace, including leadership, workload balance, recognition, psychological protection, and more.
Staff also participated in wellness-focused activities such as:
Zumba and a Sound Bath session
Wellness Jeopardy
Access to healthy snacks, affirmation cards, and wellness handouts