Bow Valley See the Signs

11/06/2025

Anyone else starting to feel the effects of the end of Daylight Savings time only a few days in? 😅

Check out this post from Recovery Alberta with tips and tricks to support your mental health during the dark winter months. For links to local resources to support these tips and tricks, visit www.seethesigns.ca

As the days grow shorter and darker, you may feel a shift. Less daylight can influence your mood, energy level, sleep, and even your heart rate and hormone levels.

Albertans can support their well-being this season by:

• Maintaining regular routines including bedtimes and wake times.
• Eating well and staying active.
• Limiting blue light from screens prior to sleep.

If you find yourself struggling with shorter daylight hours, please reach out for support. Call the Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-303-2642.

10/22/2025

This week is Patient and Family Centered Care Week. When healthcare workers are able to connect folks to the right resources in their communities, patients are more empowered to take greater responsibility for their health.

With See the Signs, we are honoured to be able to make connections between folks in the Bow Valley and all of the amazing community resources that are available. If you're looking to improve your mental health, check out www.seethesigns.ca to browse available services

10/09/2025

The current Alberta teacher's strike can be hard for the mental health of families and teachers alike. Here are some tips to support your mental health during this challenging time:

📱 Limit your screen time! Doom scrolling can cause feelings of anxiety and social isolation - consider activities like reading a book or drawing instead.

👯‍♀️ Keep connected with friends! Set up playdates during the week so kids can stay connected and parents can share childcare duties to help keep up with work and other obligations.

🍂 Get outside! The fall weather is only here for a short time, prioritizing outdoor activities can reduce stress and boost moods.

For other tips, check out www.seethesigns.ca/resources/ and browse the six pillars of wellbeing!

10/08/2025

This week marks Mental Illness Awareness Week, and this year's theme is mental health care is a right, not a privilege!

Thankfully, in the Bow Valley, we have a wealth of FREE mental health services with very minimal wait times. These services also offer translation and interpretation to help anyone in any language.

💚 Bow Valley Primary Care Network offers free, short-term mental health services for adults (18+) experiencing mild to moderate stress, anxiety, or low mood, including one-on-one counseling and workshops to learn coping tools

💙 Recovery Alberta offers free, goal-focused mental health and addiction counselling for all ages

💛 Free walk-in mental health clinics are offered every day from 2-9pm at both Banff and Canmore Hospitals

10/07/2025

Have you visited the Community Food Cupboard yet?! This initiative, based in Canmore, is one of many ways to access free or low-cost groceries in the Bow Valley!

For a full list of food supports, visit www.seethesigns.ca/resources/ and filter for "Eat Well". The list will include spots like the Community Food Cupboard, Banff Food Rescue, Banff Food & Friends, and more!

10/02/2025

Housing is an important factor that influences our mental health. Having a warm, safe, and affordable place to live can relieve so much daily stress from one's life.

If you are currently struggling with housing, or have struggled in our community in the past, please fill out this survey! It is a good way for service providers to see a snapshot of the current housing situation in the Bow Valley.

Calling all Bow Valley residents! Now is the time to let us know your thoughts on the housing and service needs in our community by filling out a survey.

Complete the survey online between now and October 31st to share your insights: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YBYMNVQ 

For further support with the survey, please reach out to one of the following project leads:
    •    HSBV
    •    Town of Canmore - FCSS
    •    YWCA Banff

Please share this survey with your friends, neighbours and network within the Bow Valley. The more responses we gather, the better we can understand and address local housing and service needs.

09/30/2025

Indigenous folks face the highest rates of mental health and substance use concerns in Canada, and doing work in truth and reconciliation is one step we can all take to help improve the lives of those whose land we live, work, and play on. 🧡

➡️In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, Calls to Action #19, #21, and #22 speak directly to closing mental health gaps, supporting Indigenous healing centres, and integrating traditional knowledge into care.

This Truth and Reconciliation Day, you can share the following mental health resources to support our Indigenous community members access safe, culturally-informed care.
📞 The Indigenous Hope for Wellness Helpline is available at 1-855-242-3310, 24 hours a day, for culturally competent help.
📞 The Alberta Mental Health Helpline offers interpretation/translation in 23 Indigenous languages and can also be accessed 24/7.

09/25/2025

There is a plethora of free helplines offered provincially or nationally, but did you know the Bow Valley has a helpline run locally?!

You can call the YWCA any day, any time, if you're struggling with housing insecurity or violence and receive support. They also offer supportive counselling for those who have experienced domestic or sexual violence 💜

lifeline, not silence. 🛟

Our 24/7 crisis line is the only local, round-the-clock service for people experiencing violence or housing insecurity in the Bow Valley.

YWCA Banff ensures that a qualified, trained professional is always on the other end, ready to listen, to act, and to provide life-saving support. Every single day. Every single night. 365 days a year.

If you need support, call 1-403-760-3200.

09/11/2025

Are you overwhelmed by the abundance of free mental health resources available in the Bow Valley? Are you looking to access mental health support but intimidated to do so in English?

New mental health resource info sheets are now available on www.seethesigns.ca/partners-toolkit/ to help break down when you should call or visit different services, and what languages are available at those services.

And even better, these info sheets are available in Chinese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ukranian as well!

09/10/2025

You asked, we answered! In Chinese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ukranian 🥳

Yes, that means that the See the Signs website is now available in seven languages beyond English to help more folks improve their wellbeing and connect with community resources in their first languages.

If you've never visited www.seethesigns.ca before, you can expect:
🧠 Tips and tricks to improve your mental health
👯‍♀️ Links to free or low-cost community resources to help you eat well, connect socially, stay active, and more
🏨 Information on free, in-person or online mental health supports in the Bow Valley

09/10/2025

Today is World Su***de Prevention Day. Su***de impacts everybody: whether you have had thoughts of su***de, know people who have thoughts of su***de, or have experienced losing loved ones to su***de.

There are so many places to reach out to if you are struggling with this, and please know you are not alone! Canada's national su***de helpline is 9-8-8, please call if you are thinking about su***de or are worried about somebody else.

Banff and Canmore hospitals also offer walk-in mental health clinics every day from 2-9pm, and any hospital Emergency Department is available to help you if feel like you or someone you know is in danger.

09/04/2025

Everyone has an important role to play in making the Bow Valley and more inclusive community! And the more inclusive a community is, the better our mental health fairs: reduced loneliness, strong social supports, reduced stigma, and culturally relevant supports are all products of inclusive communities.

Join BVIP's meeting next week to have your unique voice heard and have a hand in shaping the future of the Bow Valley.

Keep an eye on this space next week too for announcements of how we're making See the Signs more diverse!

We bring immigrant voices to local leaders and decision-making processes. This Open Meeting is your chance to help design the next IAG that better represents and supports our diverse community and BVIP’s goal of building a more welcoming and inclusive community. All are welcome to attend this free...