Love, Sex & Human Rights: Dr. Karyn Harvey on Why Connection Must Be at the Heart of Support

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As Featured On: CBC Saskatchewan Morning Edition – October 2025

The Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference – and Dr. Karyn Harvey’s keynote on love, relationships, and human rights – was recently featured on CBC Saskatchewan’s The Morning Edition with host Adam Hunter.

🎙 CBC Saskatchewan – The Morning Edition

“U.S. psychologist says Regina non-profit trailblazing sexual health approach for those with intellectual disabilities”

At this year’s Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference, day two keynote speaker Dr. Karyn Harvey delivered a deeply moving and hopeful message grounded in humanity, connection, and rights. Her session, Love, Sex, and Human Rights, invited attendees to re-examine the way support is structured and to centre something essential: every person deserves real love, real intimacy, and real belonging.

Dr. Harvey opened with a powerful reminder that loneliness is not simply an emotion – it is a public health crisis. Drawing on research highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General, she noted that chronic loneliness can pose a health risk comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. It increases the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Neuroscience shows that exclusion even activates the same part of the brain associated with physical pain.

“We are biologically wired to connect,” she explained. When people experience isolation, exclusion, or a lack of meaningful relationships, the impact can be traumatic – especially for those who have experienced lifelong marginalization or institutionalization.

Loneliness as Trauma and Why Safety Alone Is Not Enough

Throughout her decades of work, Dr. Harvey has seen how many people experiencing disabilities carry layers of complex trauma, often linked to rejection, segregation, or the loss of meaningful relationships. And while support systems often focus on protection and safety, she urged the audience to recognize that safety is the baseline, not the goal.

People deserve the opportunity to build friendships, explore dating, and form chosen family. Yet, for many, their closest connections are with paid staff – not because staff are unkind, but because the system hasn’t always created space for natural, unpaid relationships to develop.

Meaningful connection, she emphasized, is not a luxury. It’s a human right.

Stories of Connection, Grief, and Possibility

Dr. Harvey shared several deeply personal and memorable stories – real examples of what becomes possible when people are supported to build relationships, and what is lost when they are not.

Christine & Derek

After the death of both parents, Christine withdrew from daily life. With grief support, community programming, and renewed connection, she began rebuilding her confidence. When she joined the singles group, she ultimately gravitated toward Derek – not her “assigned match” – and the two found a relationship that became a central source of stability and healing in her life.

Hinton & Mary

Hinton and Mary spent 30 years sitting beside each other at their day program in a state-run institution. They were known to everyone as a couple – but had never been supported to go on a real date, spend an evening together, or share a weekend.

At the first formal singles event Dr. Harvey’s team organized – a lively evening with a party bus, formal outfits, dinner, and dancing – they finally had their first real date. Hinton arrived in a tux and top hat; Mary wore a beautiful gown. They danced, held space for one another, and radiated joy.

“It was their first date,” Dr. Harvey said. “Their first date in 30 years.”

Their story became a touchstone – a reminder of what happens when systems gatekeep love.

Dan & Maria

Dan and Maria met at work and fell in love, though family fears initially kept them apart. With compassionate persistence and support, their families eventually embraced their relationship. They dated for several years before marrying – fully, legally, with intention.

Dr. Harvey described how their relationship sustained them, even through job loss and the stress of the pandemic. And when Maria later developed early-onset dementia, Dan became her source of comfort and strength. “I’ll never leave you,” he told her at a medical appointment. “I’ll be here for you.” Their story illustrated the fullness and dignity of long-term partnership.

Tamika: Loneliness as Vulnerability

Dr. Harvey also shared the story of Tamika, a woman who survived sexual assault. The root vulnerability, Dr. Harvey explained, was not disability – it was loneliness. For years, Tamika had told her team the same goal: “I want a boyfriend.” When that desire wasn’t supported, she sought connection where she could find it, without the guidance or safety she deserved.

Her story underscored an essential truth: connection is prevention.

Identity, Autonomy & the Role of Supports

Drawing on the work of Andrew Solomon and Erik Erikson, Dr. Harvey explained how people develop identity through both their families of origin (vertical identity) and their chosen communities (horizontal identity). Many people with disabilities experience disrupted vertical identities and lack opportunities to build horizontal ones, leaving them without a clear sense of who they are or who they belong to.

This, she emphasized, is where support matters most. Staff should not be someone’s primary relationship or surrogate family. Instead, they can be coaches and facilitators of connection, helping people build skills for communication, confidence, boundaries, and relationships.

“We help people with daily living tasks every day,” she said. “We can also help them build the skills for love.”

Choice, Rights & Modern Connection

Dr. Harvey challenged the sector’s tendency to talk about “choice” while only offering limited, controlled options. Real choice means real possibilities – dating, friendships, online connection, and the ability to explore relationships freely and safely.

She encouraged embracing modern tools – including dating apps designed for people with disabilities – while also prioritizing safety, autonomy, and informed consent. “Why shouldn’t people with disabilities use the apps that helped my own children meet their partners?” she asked.

A Human Right — Not a Privilege

At the end of her keynote, Dr. Harvey spoke from her own life: love has healed her, sustained her, and shaped who she is. She reflected on how fortunate she was to have had opportunities for intimacy and partnership.

“I had that right,” she said. “I had that opportunity. And everyone deserves it.”

Her message aligns deeply with COR’s values: people flourish when surrounded by authentic relationships, natural supports, and opportunities to connect in ways that are meaningful to them. Love, intimacy, friendship, and belonging are not extras. They are human rights – and they must be central to how we support people, always.

Intersecting Identities: Understanding Disability, Gender & Sexuality with Natalya Mason

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At the 2025 Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference, keynote speaker Natalya Mason – consultant, social worker, and sexual health educator – opened day one with a deeply informative session exploring how disability, gender, and sexuality intersect in people’s lives. Her presentation invited attendees to rethink long-held assumptions and to approach identity with curiosity, humility, and respect.

Natalya began with a clear message: every person has a gender identity, a sexual orientation, and a way they express themselves – including people with disabilities. Yet social narratives often deny or minimize this truth. Cultural myths, ableism, and queerphobia shape the way people are seen, and these layered biases can deeply affect self-expression, autonomy, and well-being.

A Framework Rooted in Liberation, Justice & Sex-Positivity

Natalya grounded her keynote in three guiding frameworks: theory as a liberatory practice, reproductive justice, and sex-positivity.

She described theory as a liberatory practice as an invitation for everyone – not just academics – to examine the world around them and imagine something better. When marginalized people are given space to reflect on their experiences, she said,

“the closer we get to collective liberation and freedom for everybody – and to a world where they have the freedom to thrive, and the freedom to love who they want to love and love how they want to love.”

Reproductive justice, drawn from Black women’s organizing, reminds us that people have the right to have children, not have children, and raise children in safe and healthy communities. For Natalya, this framework naturally includes 2SLGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities, and links sexual health to broader struggles against racism, poverty, and state violence.

Sex-positivity, she added, means recognizing sexuality as an “enhancing part of life” and working not only to prevent negative experiences but to “produce ideal experiences for people, instead of solely working towards preventing negative experiences.”

Language, Power & Identity

A central theme of the keynote was language as a tool of power. Natalya noted that power “often maintains itself by keeping other identities or other experiences silent, and it will literally do that by not providing people the language to talk about something.”

Many of the terms used to describe gender, sexuality, and disability may feel new to some audiences – not because these experiences are new, but because people have been discouraged from naming them. Natalya encouraged participants to keep learning, ask questions, and follow the language people choose for themselves.

She walked through her “Identity Pal” tool, which helps break down identity into:

  • Gender identity (who you know yourself to be)
  • Gender expression (how you present to the world)
  • Sexual orientation (who you love or are attracted to)
  • Biological sex (chromosomes, hormones, anatomy)

These elements are related but distinct – and understanding that difference is key to offering respectful support.

Gender & Disability as Social Constructs

Natalya spent time unpacking the idea of social constructs – systems humans create, maintain, and can change. Gender is one of them. Using examples like the history of pink and blue clothing for babies, she showed how norms around “masculine” and “feminine” shift over time.

She also challenged the idea that biological sex is simple, noting that there are many intersex variations. “People tend to think that those conditions are really, really rare,” she said, “but there are about the same number of people in the world who are intersex as there are people who are born redheads.”

Disability, too, can be understood socially: rather than seeing a “broken body” that needs to be fixed, the social model of disability asks how environments, attitudes, and systems create barriers – or remove them. Curb cuts, Braille, and accessible design are all examples of how society can shift responsibility away from the individual and toward collective inclusion.

Intersections, Myths & Compounded Barriers

Drawing on the concept of intersectionality, Natalya talked about how identities combine and compound. Her experience is not just about being a woman, or Black, or queer, but about being a queer Black woman – and how those layers shape her life. Similarly, people who are both experiencing disability and part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community can face higher rates of discrimination, mental health challenges, and barriers to accessibility.

She named common myths about disability and sexuality – like the idea that people with disabilities are asexual, necessarily heterosexual, or unable to understand their own gender or orientation – and connected them to old, harmful narratives about queer people more broadly.

This isn’t theoretical: it affects who gets information, whose relationships are taken seriously, and whose rights are respected.

Allyship as Action

Natalya closed with practical guidance on allyship, emphasizing that good intentions are not enough. “All of us are accountable to both our intentions and the impacts of our actions,” she said. “Ultimately, the impact matters more than the intent.”

She encouraged participants to:

  • Use people’s chosen names and pronouns
  • Practice gender-neutral language
  • Avoid making assumptions about gender, sexuality, or disability
  • Correct themselves proactively when they make mistakes

“The term ally – think about that as a verb, not a noun,” she added. “You don’t just get issued an ally card and then you never have to renew it. Allyship is something that you should be actively engaged in and always working on.”

Natalya closed with a quote from bell hooks, reflecting on queerness as “being about the self that is at odds with everything around it, and has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live.” For many people with disabilities and queer people, that description resonates deeply.

Her hope – and the hope of the conference – is that we build communities where people no longer have to fight for a place to exist, but are supported to explore, express, and celebrate who they are with dignity and pride.

WorkSafe Saskatchewan celebrates workplace safety leaders

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Saskatoon, Sask., May 21, 2025 – Today, WorkSafe Saskatchewan recognized safety leaders from around the province at its 2025 Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards. WorkSafe Saskatchewan, an injury prevention and workplace safety partnership between the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, presented these awards in Saskatoon as part of the WCB’s Compensation Institute event.

“At WorkSafe Saskatchewan, we believe that creating safer workplaces starts with strong leadership and personal commitment,” said Kevin Mooney, the WCB’s vice-president of prevention and employer services. “This year’s Safe Worker and Safe Employer Award winners exemplify what it means to make safety a core value, not just a set of rules. Through their dedication, passion and innovation, our winners are setting new standards for safety and well-being in our province. We are pleased to recognize their outstanding efforts in making Saskatchewan a safer place to work.”

2025 Safe Worker Award winner

Sandee Jordon, a customer service representative at SaskEnergy, has been named the 2025 Safe Worker Award winner. Known as “Safety Sandee,” Jordon has spent 17 years championing a culture of safety at SaskEnergy, making safety engaging, memorable and a part of daily life.

“Safety Sandee started as a fun nickname, but it became so much more,” said Jordon. “Life is so precious and we cannot waste one minute of it. Working safely is something every person should do and I’m proud to help make that happen here.”

Beyond physical safety, she has also been a strong advocate for mental health initiatives, ensuring a holistic approach to workplace well-being. Her passion, leadership and community impact have made her a true role model for safety at work and beyond.

2025 Safe Employer Award winner

Creative Options Regina (COR) has been named the 2025 Safe Employer Award winner. COR, a Regina-based charitable organization supporting youth and adults experiencing disabilities and mental struggles, was recognized for its outstanding commitment to fostering a culture of psychological health, safety and belonging.

“Nurturing a culture of belonging is at the heart of our safety efforts,” said Michael Lavis, executive director of COR. “If we want the people we support to thrive, we must first focus on caring for the care providers.”

Rooted in the philosophy of gentle teaching, COR prioritizes caring for its nearly 400 employees through comprehensive mental health training, stress management support and initiatives that nurture strong relationships and a sense of community. By focusing on care provider well-being, COR ensures the people they support can thrive.

Each year, WorkSafe Saskatchewan recognizes individuals and organizations for the Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards who are nominated by their workplace peers and colleagues. The winners are chosen by two committees consisting of representatives from WorkSafe Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Saskatchewan Safety Council and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers. These awards are a testament to the ongoing efforts to cultivate a safer work environment across Saskatchewan.

 

For more information about the WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker and Safe Employer Awards and the nomination process for the 2026 awards, visit worksafesask.ca/resources/awards.

COR Receives HSLC Level 4 Certification – A National Standard For Health and Safety

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We are incredibly proud to have received our HSLC Level 4 Certification, a national standard for health and safety leadership! A HUGE thank you to Service Hospitality for their guidance throughout this journey. We are incredibly grateful for your support in strengthening our safety management system!

Read the below article published by Service Hospitality:

Crossing the Finish Line by Achieving HSLC Levels 3 & 4!

It is with great pleasure that we announce Creative Options Regina’s remarkable achievement inHSLC Levels 3 and 4! It is no small feat to achieve one HSLC level, and this organization completed two levels simultaneously—talk about something to celebrate!

Through determination, dedication, and wholehearted commitment, Creative Options Regina successfully completed a Health and Safety Scored Audit and established a comprehensive Health and Safety Management System. This system protects workers from physical and psychological hazards. Safety is not just a part of their organization; it is ingrained in their business operations.

Creative Options Regina leads by example in championing psychological health and safety, seamlessly embedding these values into its organizational culture. Understanding the direct link between employee well-being and the quality of care it provides, CEO Michael Lavis has placed a strong emphasis on promoting the health and wellness of its employees.

Service Hospitality is proud to have contributed to enhancing Creative Options Regina’s Safety Management System. We look forward to supporting their continued growth and retaining all levels of HSLC going forward.

🎉Congratulations to our Level 4 HSLC Recipient!

Link to Article on Service Hospitality Website.

Tell It Like It Is: A Compassionate Approach to Comprehensive Sexual Education

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In a world that sometimes tiptoes around important topics, Tell It Like It Is stands boldly as a revolutionary program. It’s not just sex-positive; it’s inclusive, comprehensive, and unapologetically honest. This program is on a mission to empower diverse learners, guiding them to make informed life choices that promote optimal health and wellness in all dimensions of life.

This isn’t your typical sex education program. It’s a compassionate journey through crucial life topics, offering a safe space where participants can explore, learn, and grow. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this program so remarkable.

Goals:

Accurate Information: The foremost goal of this program is to ensure that learners receive accurate and up-to-date sexuality education. In a world where myths and misconceptions abound, this program equips participants with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their lives.

Open and Safe Platform: Beyond just information, the program creates a platform where participants can open up. It’s a place to share stories, ask questions, explore curiosities, express fears, and gain knowledge without judgment or shame. This safe and open environment is a cornerstone of the program’s success.

Curriculum:

Tell It Like It Is consists of nine modules, each covering a range of topics related to sexual health and wellness. These modules are designed to cater to diverse learners, making the program accessible to all. Some of the topics covered include:

Communication Skills: Effective communication is the foundation of healthy relationships. Participants learn how to express themselves, listen actively, and navigate the complexities of human interaction.

Hygiene: Personal hygiene is not just about cleanliness; it’s about self-respect and self-care. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining good hygiene practices for overall well-being, but also as a way to improve relationships and connections with others. 

Building Healthy Relationships: Healthy relationships are an important part of a fulfilling life, and help us to reduce loneliness and isolation. This explores what constitutes a healthy relationship, and how to recognize what an unhealthy relationship looks like. 

Sexual Health: The program also covers life-saving information that is necessary to keep ourselves safe; including consent, abuse prevention, STBBI’s (Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections), private vs public spaces, and much more. It offers a safe and non-judgmental space for participants to learn about their bodies and sexual health.

Tell It Like It Is doesn’t shy away from challenging topics. Instead, it approaches them with empathy and compassion, recognizing that every participant is unique and has their own lived experiences. The program’s interactive learning activities make the experience engaging, ensuring that the knowledge gained is not just theoretical, but practical.

In a world that often stigmatizes conversations about sexuality and disability, Tell It Like It Is recognizes the necessity of these conversations. Everyone has the right to education, relationships, and pleasure, and upholding the rights of people with disabilities is vital. 

So, the next time you hear about Tell It Like It Is, remember that it’s more than just a program; it’s a movement towards a more informed and inclusive world. It’s about breaking down barriers and fostering a culture of openness and acceptance. Tell It Like It Is – because knowledge is power, and everyone deserves to wield it. Learn more about this program here!

2nd Annual Prairie Sexuality and Disability Conference

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COR is proud to host the 2nd Annual Prairie Sexuality and Disability Conference, in partnership with Saskatoon Sexual Health and Inclusion Saskatchewan. Join us in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on October 18-19, 2023.

For more information, visit: https://nevertmi.ca/psdcon/

 

 

An Empathetic Approach to Workplace Wellbeing: Our Interview with Creative Options Regina

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An Empathetic Approach to Workplace Wellbeing: Our Interview with Creative Options Regina

Updated: May 1

CMHA Mental Health Week is all about sharing stories. At Headway, we love sharing stories of how others are making strides to improve mental health in the workplace. Throughout the week, we will be sharing best practises from interviews with experts and leaders working to champion mental health in their organizations. We hope it inspires your team to take action!

In our latest blog, we sat down with Casey Sakires from Creative Options Regina (COR) to learn more about their mental health initiatives and how they are creating a culture of balance and wellness by leading with empathy.

 

Founded in 2009, Creative Options Regina (COR) is a for-impact, charitable organization that develops personalized support services for people experiencing disabilities. They recognize the unique and often emotionally draining circumstances their employees can work under when caring for vulnerable populations day-to-day, leading them to a “care for the caregiver” approach to employee well-being.

We became familiar with COR as a fellow recipient of a Canadian Workplace Wellness Award for excellence in mental health and wellness initiatives. Through our own Headway initiative, we look to shine a spotlight on businesses championing mental health and share best practices to inspire other leaders to take action. We sat down with Casey Sakires, Employee Experience Advisor with COR, to learn more about his company’s balanced approach to wellness and why open, honest dialogue is key to creating a mentally safe environment.

According to Casey, these are some of the initiatives they’ve seen success with:

Judgment-free debriefs.

If someone has had a challenging day, a judgment-free conversation will help them make peace with the emotions inside. Casey mentioned that team members can debrief with anyone they desire from the CEO to directors to coordinators, all judgment-free. This enables a strong support system so employees will not have to suffer in silence and bottle up their emotions which we know can put a strain on our physical and mental health.

Collaboration with community professionals.

COR understands that stress can come from anywhere and prioritizes caring for the caregiver so that they can provide the best care possible for those they serve. This inspired COR to consult with experts in various areas to focus on the holistic health of their supports. For example, finance experts from CPA Saskatchewan, RBC, CIBC, and Leipert Financial conducted sessions to help ease the financial stress that employees were burdened with. It better equipped the teams with financial know-how, and people made real community connections that lived on beyond the sessions, enabling more trust and rapport.

Enabling personal initiatives.

COR takes it upon itself to facilitate well-being in the workplace and enable employees to fulfill their well-being journeys outside of work. To round out the body element of their holistic approach, COR offers employee discounts on gym memberships, yoga classes, and spin classes in collaboration with local businesses. These are done as a fitness bursary everyone can take advantage of to improve their physical health which we know can help ease mental health struggles as well.

When it comes to new learnings, Casey says the shift from in-person to virtual was a learning experience for their team:

When the pandemic hit and the world became unfamiliar, COR learned to rely on its central purpose to guide them. Their central purpose is to ensure people experience connectedness, companionship, and community. They acted through intentional listening and learning directly from employees to better understand their needs and the needs of their loved ones. Knowing what was uniquely important to each member allowed them to respond meaningfully to best support COR employees as they continued to endure the pandemic. During the pandemic and still today, success to COR is knowing that their workforce feels safe and valued, making psychological safety paramount. And while COR managed to stay connected during the pandemic, their employees are glad to be back to interacting more in-person today, as this improves the impact of their wellbeing initiatives that much more.

We want to thank Casey and Creative Options Regina for sharing the ups and downs of their well-being journey. We hope these learnings will inspire your company to consider new ways of working and create a mentally healthier workplace.

Read the full article here.

Designed to inspire action, our Headway Program helps business leaders take the next step toward creating mentally healthy workplaces. Navigating this complex topic can be tough. Our team can help with resources, tools, and a tailored plan based on your unique needs. Email us at headway@sklarwilton.com.

Sexuality and Disability Conference featured on CTV News Regina

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‘Healthy, loving relationships just like the rest of us’: Talking sexuality for those with intellectual disability

Sexuality and Disability Conference 2022

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Creative Options Regina, Saskatoon Sexual Health, and Inclusion Saskatchewan are pleased to announce an upcoming conference supporting sexual health and wellness for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their networks.

Date: October 7, 2022

Time: 9-4pm

Location: University of Regina College Ave. Campus

 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! (Click to Register)

Space is limited, so register early to secure your spot.

This is an exciting opportunity for support workers, caregivers, family members, community-based organizations, researchers, students, health care professionals, self-advocates, or anyone interested in learning more about sexuality and disability.

 

Proudly supported by the Community Initiatives Fund and the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute!

Constructing Community: A Collaborative Bench Project

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Samantha Jones (BA, DTATI-thesis pending)
Regina, SK

From November 2020 to May 2021, a group of individuals embarked on a journey, facilitated by art therapy student Samantha Jones, of creating a bench to be displayed in their community. Group members are part of the Creative Options Regina (COR) community, who embrace the philosophy of gentle teaching when providing support for their members. Individuals collaborated in person and online as changing COVID restrictions repeatedly restructured the project, but still found the space to build community and strengthen connections through creating unique pieces of their art.

Originally published at canadianarttherapy.org