Coming together for Men's Health: Shedstock '25
Coming together for Men's Health: Shedstock '25
Reverend Mark Kleiner explains the concept of Men's Sheds, and how the one being built in Saskatoon will help men with their mental health
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Silver Light Psychotherapy Expands Services to Support Parents and Families Across Ontario
Silver Light Psychotherapy has expanded its services to offer specialized family and parenting therapy across Ontario. Led by Erika Silveira, the practice provides compassionate, trauma-informed support to help families improve communication, navigate conflict, and strengthen emotional bonds. With virtual and in-person sessions, flexible hours, and creative techniques for children and teens, the practice offers accessible care tailored to each family's unique needs. In today's increasingly complex world, families are facing challenges that extend well beyond the dinner table. From communication breakdowns and emotional disconnection to the daily pressures of parenting in a digital age, the strain on family relationships is palpable. In response to these growing needs, Silver Light Psychotherapy is expanding its services to offer specialized support for parents, caregivers, and families throughout Ontario. Based in Ontario and led by Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) Erika Silveira, Silver Light Psychotherapy is a client-centered mental health practice committed to compassionate, trauma-informed care. While the practice has long supported individuals and adolescents, this expanded focus on family systems aims to meet a critical gap in mental health care - offering a respectful, inclusive space where families can heal, reconnect, and grow stronger together. 'Family is where we first learn how to relate, trust, and communicate,' says Silveira, who brings over a decade of experience working with children, teens, and parents. 'But it's also the place where deep wounds can form. Our work is about helping families move beyond blame and toward understanding - so they can feel safe, supported, and connected again.' Family sessions at Silver Light Psychotherapy are tailored to meet the unique dynamics of each household. Whether navigating co-parenting after separation, addressing conflict between teens and parents, or repairing relational ruptures after trauma or hardship, therapy sessions are grounded in empathy and collaboration. Silveira uses a trauma-informed lens to help families recognize and disrupt harmful patterns while building skills in communication, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution. Rather than focusing solely on individual behavior, sessions explore the relational dynamics at play—what's being said, what's being missed, and how each member can feel more heard. 'Often, families come to us feeling stuck - like they're repeating the same arguments or missing each other emotionally,' Silveira explains. 'Therapy gives them the space to slow down, notice what's happening beneath the surface, and find new ways of responding with care instead of reactivity.' This work is especially vital for parents who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain in their role. Parenting challenges can bring up feelings of guilt, inadequacy, or frustration - emotions that are often difficult to voice. Silver Light Psychotherapy creates a nonjudgmental space for parents to process their experiences, gain insight, and develop parenting strategies that reflect their values and goals. Sessions are available for individuals, parent-child dyads, or entire family units, depending on the situation. For younger children, creative techniques like play and art therapy are incorporated to foster expression and engagement. For teens, Silveira blends structure with flexibility, helping adolescents articulate their feelings while guiding parents in how to respond with empathy and boundaries. Crucially, the practice remains deeply committed to accessibility. Virtual and in-person sessions are available across Ontario, with evening appointments offered to accommodate busy family schedules. Limited sliding-scale spots ensure that cost is not a barrier to care. 'At the end of the day, most families just want to feel close again,' Silveira says. 'They want to laugh more, fight less, and trust that they can get through things together. Our job is to help them find their way back to that.' With this expanded service offering, Silver Light Psychotherapy reinforces its belief that families don't need to be perfect to be healthy—they just need the tools, support, and space to grow.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Past blue-green algae blooms in Halifax have not been dangerous to humans, research finds
Blue-green algae can be a real buzzkill for those looking to cool off with a dip at one of Halifax's 20 supervised beaches, but new data from researchers at Dalhousie University suggests the risk to humans who go swimming when the algae is present has been limited over the past few years. The team monitored eight recreational beaches over three years and found that though the genes that produce blue-green algae were present at each site, the toxins detected were well below Health Canada's acceptable levels for toxins in drinking water, let alone recreation. "We don't know that that's the conditions all the time, but through our research, it's looking really promising that even where we're seeing these blooms, we're not seeing toxins that would be considered a risk to people who are swimming," says Elizabeth Montgomery, a water resource specialist for the municipality's environment and climate change team. The sites monitored include Lake Banook, Kearney Lake, Penhorn Lake, Chocolate Lake, Cunard Pond and several spots in Shubie Park. Cunard Pond, in particular, has seen many beach closures due to blue-green algae blooms in recent years. Blue-green algae occurs in all parts of Nova Scotia and once it appears in a body of water, it will bloom again when the conditions are right. The algae produces toxins that can cause illness in humans and be fatal to pets. All Halifax Regional Municipality supervised beaches are monitored for blue-green algae from July 1 to Aug. 31. As per the HRM's current policy, if blue-green algae is spotted at one of the city's supervised lakes, the beach is shut down until further testing can be completed. On Tuesday, Montgomery told CBC News the research gives the municipality a better picture of what's happening in city lakes and may help them make faster decisions around reopening beaches. "We're looking at being more reactive, using the information we're getting from this research, and testing more quickly, and depending on what those test results say, opening the beach," she said. Overall, Montgomery sees the results as encouraging. "It's a relief because we advise people not to swim at our beaches when they're closed but we know that they do anyway," she said. She said people still shouldn't let their guard down while swimming, making sure to avoid drinking the water and to dry off vigorously and shower when they're done. But dogs face more of a risk, she said, though not typically from accidentally drinking lake water when blue algae is present. They can be harmed by accidentally eating benthic blue-green algae mats — slimy sheets that can wash up on shore and are often fatal when ingested, as was likely the case when two dogs died at Shubenacadie-Grand Lake in 2021. The only way to make sure you're swimming in water that has been tested, Montgomery said, is to visit one of HRM's supervised beaches. "If you're looking for that extra level of precaution, I do recommend coming … they're really nice," she said.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
‘Potential for this to spread is huge': Parvovirus outbreak alarms pet owners in London housing complex
Exterior 349 Wharncliffe Road North community housing building where there have been confirmed cases of parvovirus. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London) Pet owners in two community housing buildings on Wharncliffe Road North are on edge after at least two dogs contracted parvovirus and were euthanized. 'I'm a little bit more worried,' said Carol Roots, a dog owner who lives in one of the buildings. 'But my plan is to get Dane vaccinated very soon.' Dane is among roughly 100 dogs living in the two buildings managed by London & Middlesex Community Housing. Progressive Animal Welfare Services (PAWS), a local animal welfare charity, is calling for immediate action to prevent further spread of the highly contagious virus. 'It's so concerning. There is a large number of dogs in the building. Most of them are unvaccinated,' said Emily Birkner, fundraising initiatives manager at PAWS. 'The potential for this to spread is huge.' Parvovirus is a highly infectious disease that spreads easily from dog to dog, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, it can be fatal. In January, an outbreak in Windsor killed 25 dogs. 'Ultimately, we're looking at about $250 to get your dog vaccinated,' Birkner said. 'As this is a low-income housing area, that makes it inaccessible to the majority of the residents.' 062425 Exterior of 345 and 349 Wharncliffe Road North community housing buildings where there have been confirmed cases of parvovirus. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London) Linda Armstrong, board chair of PAWS, said the key issue is accessibility. 'The issue is that we really need someone to come on site to do the vaccinations,' she said. 'Transporting all these people and their possibly infected pets in a vehicle to another vet to potentially infect that clinic, it's not a great plan.' In the meantime, London & Middlesex Community Housing has posted notices in common areas and on every floor of the two buildings, urging tenants to take precautions. 'Treatment outside on the pavement, in the hallways... if we read the material, they want us to bleach the site,' said Paul Chisholm, CEO of the housing authority. 'We know that's not practical, so we're trying to figure out how do we respond to this.' Armstrong said she is now working with local veterinarians to coordinate on-site vaccinations as time remains critical.
