Mental Health Society of Greater Victoria

Mental Health Society of Greater Victoria We’re here to connect Greater Victoria with mental health services & resources. Replacing stigma and barriers with access and compassion since 2018.

05/04/2026

May is mental health awareness month💛

A reminder that what someone carries internally isn’t always visible.
Struggles can be quiet, healing can be messy, and both are valid.

Check in, speak kindly, and remember: mental health matters every day, not just this month.

Before we get into how to use Urge Surfing, let's quickly go over why it might be a helpful technique!There are many pot...
04/30/2026

Before we get into how to use Urge Surfing, let's quickly go over why it might be a helpful technique!

There are many potential benefits to urge surfing, including:
- Increased self-awareness
- through developing a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and
physical sensations surrounding cravings, which can help with understanding
triggers
- Non-reactivity
- Acceptance
- Breaking automatic response patterns
- Increased self-control
- Enhanced coping skills
- Increased emotional regulation
- learning to manage the unpleasant feelings surrounding cravings can decrease
reliance on potentially damaging coping mechanisms
- & long-term behavioural changes.

Stick around for more posts in our series diving into Urge Surfing!



Sources:
- Positive Psychology - Urge Surfing: How Riding the Wave Breaks Bad Habits
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock - Urge Surfing

It's National Volunteer Week 2026. If you're looking to give back, have a passion for mental health access, and want to ...
04/21/2026

It's National Volunteer Week 2026. If you're looking to give back, have a passion for mental health access, and want to help build a real community, we want to meet you!

We're currently seeking a Director of Development, a Website Manager, and a Graphic Designer. Link in bio to apply!

Happy National Volunteer Week ✌April 19-25 is all about celebrating the people who give selflessly to make the world a b...
04/20/2026

Happy National Volunteer Week ✌April 19-25 is all about celebrating the people who give selflessly to make the world a better place 🫂

Thank you to all the volunteers, not just at the MHS, but everywhere 🌎 There is no community without people willing to sacrifice time and effort to build connections 🔗

Urge surfing is a mindfulness-based technique used to help manage cravings, which is typically part of a larger preventi...
04/16/2026

Urge surfing is a mindfulness-based technique used to help manage cravings, which is typically part of a larger prevention plan.

Craving management is done through developing an accepting, non-reactive, non-judgmental outlook towards them.

When using urge surfing, it is encouraged to picture the urges as real waves that we can surf.

Picture riding over the waves as they ebb and flow, instead of fighting them or giving in. Remember that just like real waves, urges gradually build, peak, and then fade.

It is important, when working on urge surfing, to pay attention to any urges that come up, and any sensations that arise along with them.

Stick around for more posts in our series diving into Urge Surfing!



Sources:
- Positive Psychology - Urge Surfing: How Riding the Wave Breaks Bad Habits
- Therapist Aid - Urge Surfing: Distress Tolerance Skills

Urges can be difficult to manage. Before we're able to do that, we need to have an understanding of what urges are and h...
04/09/2026

Urges can be difficult to manage. Before we're able to do that, we need to have an understanding of what urges are and how they're reinforced.

All of us experience cravings of different severities; from chocolate and coffee to more serious cravings like gambling or substances.

Urges are calls to action within us. Which many psychological factors contribute to, such as:
- Conditioning; When we consistently connect a cue with a rewarding factor, the cue can trigger an urge for the reward.
- Reinforcement; When we experience pleasure from a behaviour, it strengthens the association between it and the reward.
- Emotional/cognitive factors; Negative emotions can trigger urges to alleviate how we feel in the moment.

Stick around for more posts in our series diving into Urge Surfing!



Source:
- Positive Psychology - Urge Surfing: How Riding the Wave Breaks Bad Habits

👂go to mhsvictoria.org/peer-support 👂It’s hard to deal with mental health issues alone.🫂 The Mental Heal Society of Grea...
04/04/2026

👂go to mhsvictoria.org/peer-support 👂

It’s hard to deal with mental health issues alone.

🫂 The Mental Heal Society of Greater Victoria offer free peer support calls to those in need 🫂

Just fill out a form 📝 get matched with one of our local peer support volunteers 👥 and schedule a phone call 📲 It’s that easy.

Our volunteers can help you:
- find a counsellor/therapist 🛋
- get a diagnosis 🔎
- access recovery/substance use support 💪
- create a safety plan 🗓
- support a loved one 🫂
- set boundaries 🔒
- learn more about mental health 🎓

No commitment required. Talk to us just once or once a week, depending on your needs. Receive regular check-ins from someone who cares. Build a connection and learn from each other ✌

04/02/2026

April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day💛

Today we recognize different ways of experiencing the world 💙

A reminder to listen, learn, and create spaces where everyone feels seen, respected, and supported!

Thank you Tanishq! You are our Volunteer of the Month for March!Tanishq has been hard at work behind the scenes balancin...
03/31/2026

Thank you Tanishq! You are our Volunteer of the Month for March!

Tanishq has been hard at work behind the scenes balancing the books and building the budget. We couldn't do it without him!

Our team of dedicated and talented volunteers is our driving force. Want to be a part of our mission?

We're looking for a director of development, graphic designer, and website manager. Apply now through or Volunteer Connector. Details at mhsvictoria.org

Learning from the past is a key element to building resilience.It can be helpful to reflect on: - what has helped you...
03/29/2026

Learning from the past is a key element to building resilience.

It can be helpful to reflect on:
- what has helped you through tough times
- what triggers stress for you
- and your patterns of behaviour

This can help to anticipate future problems, and help find the best way to move forward.

It can also be beneficial to write about past events, and dig further into them, to continue searching for patterns, and how things may overlap.

For example:
- issues that come up regularly that you worry about
- both one-off & ongoing events that are often on your mind
- things you are worried about happening again

You may be surprised to discover how much you're juggling at one time, and how these different stressors can overlap.

Be sure to give yourself credit for all that you've accomplished and are dealing with.

This is the final in our resilience series here, thank you so much for joining us. For a more in depth read on the topic, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming blog post from us. 💕



Sources:
- Mayo Clinic - Resilience; Build Skills To Endure Hardship
- Mind. Org. UK - Managing Stress and Building Resilience

Perspective largely impacts our resilience.It is important not to view crises as entirely unbearable or unchangeable, bu...
03/22/2026

Perspective largely impacts our resilience.

It is important not to view crises as entirely unbearable or unchangeable, but focus on a more helpful perspective.

Some tips for this include looking for any learning or positives, taking things one step at a time, and focusing on what is within your control.

This can help you feel less powerless, more self-confident, and more opened to seeing your progress and abilities.

It can be beneficial to keep a long-term perspective and look at things in a wider context. This will allow you to better evaluate and understand the situation as a whole.

Once you have this understanding, it can be applied to future challenges.



Source:
- Centre For Addiction And Mental Health - Building Resilience

As of March 2026, British Columbia has increased the compensation for digital abuse victims from $5,000 to $75,000.Wheth...
03/21/2026

As of March 2026, British Columbia has increased the compensation for digital abuse victims from $5,000 to $75,000.

Whether it's a leaked photo, "sextortion," or an AI-generated deepfake, the law now recognizes the deep psychological impact of these acts.

How to take action:
Visit takebackyourimages.gov.bc.ca for fast, private take-down orders.
No lawyer is needed.

Visit us at mhsvictoria.org/peer-support
We provide the safe, confidential space to heal from the emotional aftermath and find the resources you need

Address

Victoria, BC

Website

http://linktr.ee/MHSofGreaterVictoria

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