All things eventually come to an end, and for various reasons, it is time for our 30-year run of Open Mind articles to come to an end.
Our team would like to share some final reflections. In doing so we hope to achieve a type of closure with our readers, the partnership with the Wellington Advertiser and the Orangeville Citizen, contributors and the editorial team.
Closure is a term that has a psychological meaning of being able to find peace and understanding when a significant relationship is ending. All of us at Open Mind have felt that this has been an important and supportive relationship. Our current members, as well as two former partners, would like to share what Open Mind has meant to us.
Janet began her journey with Open Mind in 2001 while working with public health. She is still part of us today after 21 years of retirement. She has found it a rewarding experience. Janet reflects that the intent of Open Mind was to decrease the level of stigma faced by those seeking help with their mental health and to increase awareness that the impact of stigma could be worse than the illness. “We have been privileged to bring ideas, insights and anecdotes promoting mental health and wellness to our community,” said Janet. “We hope these articles helped those who needed support and encouragement as they faced difficult times in their lives, and also increased the understanding of others who care”.
Angela from the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo Wellington feels the column “reflects the community, in particular the willingness and need to talk about mental health.” She added, “In the beginning of my career, stigma loomed heavier, and it was a topic that was avoided. Now, that has very much changed. It is wonderful that individuals and communities are engaged and supportive around mental health.
“The Open Mind column has been one way to support these conversations … I also experienced the joy of working with smart, caring and funny community partners on the committee. I am proud of what we have done and look forward to carrying the spirit of Open Mind into future efforts.”
Elaine works for the Alzheimer Society in Orangeville and has been part of Open Mind for 15 years. She said the group “began as a meeting and then became a passion, a place of growth and a family. The purpose of this group was to create an open perspective toward mental health and bring thought provoking articles to readers across Wellington and Dufferin Counties.
She added, “Through this group, I met like-minded people with a passion for improving mental health. Friendships were formed and partners were respectful, encouraging and flexible as we navigated deadlines to ensure that we offered a polished product. I take great pride in knowing we made a difference across our counties and hope our readers enjoyed the journey with us.”
Libby, who has a private practice supporting people in life transitions, is a former Open Mind editor. She said the column “has been more than a positive mental health column. It was a community of creativity and support. I remember the first day I sat with all the beautiful souls on this committee. Little did I know that this group would be a breath of fresh air in some of the most challenging years of my life. It provided a safe place to overcome limiting beliefs about writing for the public. Since my first article was published in 2017, it opened my desire to continue writing. Now, as a published author, I want to thank all the members of the Open Mind committee for their love, support, confidence building, and the opportunity to contribute.”
Our newest member is Alba, our youth contributing editor. “Open Mind has been a meaningful experience, because it has allowed me to connect with the community,” said Alba. “Seeing such a positive response to my article, and pieces I’ve helped edit, has provided me motivation to other projects in my life. Having a platform to share my thoughts has been really cool. I am sad to see it come to an end after being a contributor for the past two years. I am glad for the time I have spent with these amazing editors. Thank you for reading our work.”
Sandy, who was foundational in the creation of Open Mind and chaired the committee for many years, said, “Beginnings and endings, to borrow from a famous saying, ‘what’s most relevant is what happens in between.’
“The Open Mind column began to find a voice for mental health and wellness that could reach a broad audience. We wanted people to access stories of real life mental health experiences in order to gain knowledge and information about local supports available to help. As with all stories, it took many characters to keep making it happen, the dedicated group members and a genuine partner commitment from The Wellington Advertiser. Endings are inevitable, thank you for all the years!”
Paula, the current chair of this group, who works for Homewood Health Centre, said, “I have always been amazed by the passion and dedication our group has brought to this important work. The countless community members we have asked to contribute were always eager to help and submit meaningful and insightful articles for us to share.
“Personally I have learned and grown and am very grateful for the relationships made and proud of the articles we’ve developed together. I have envisioned our readers sitting at their kitchen table reading the Wellington Advertiser/Orangeville Citizen, and being inspired by the Open Mind article.
“I hope it has created good conversations and encouraged people to share experiences and ideas enhancing understanding, compassion and access to supports.”
Thank you to everyone involved over the years. From the comments above, we hope you see that producing these articles was as beneficial to us as we hope it was to the readers.
We are grateful for our readership community and our partnerships with the Advertiser and the Orangeville Citizen.
We wish you all open-mindedness towards mental health in the pursuit of wellness.
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The “Open Mind” column is sponsored by community partners who are committed to raising awareness about mental health, reducing stigma and providing information about resources that can help. For local mental health resources/information, visit mdsgg.ca or call 1-844-HERE247.