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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.

Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Aging and Health by Dr. Alicia Thatcher, MD and Mandy Boersch, RPN, CDDN

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Redesigning Healthcare with Heart: IDD, Aging and Health

CBC Feature: The HELP Model – Redesigning Healthcare with Heart  – August 28, 2025

Mandy Boersch, Creative Options Regina’s Director of Health, joined CBC Morning Edition alongside Dr. Alicia Thatcher to share their passion for improving healthcare for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Together, they discussed the real-life gaps they’ve witnessed, how the HELP model is guiding their work, and why compassionate, person-centered care can make all the difference.

Listen to the full CBC interview.

On a chilly afternoon during the Gentle Teaching International Conference, something deeply human unfolded—not just a presentation, but a story of life, love, loss, and the urgent need to redesign how we care.

Dr. Alicia Thatcher, a physician passionate about inclusive health, and Mandy Boersch, RPN, CDDN, a psychiatric nurse whose life journey has been shaped by her sister Jill, brought us into a world where medicine meets meaning—and where care must be reimagined through the lens of relationship and Gentle Teaching.

Their session, “Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Aging and Health,” wasn’t just about diagnoses and data. It was about people. It was about what it means to grow older with a disability in a system that often overlooks you—and what we can do to change that.

From Family to Fieldwork: A Personal Journey

Mandy began by grounding the room in her own story. She grew up alongside her sister Jill, who was born with a rare chromosomal difference and lived with significant health concerns. Jill’s life was filled with hospital visits, blood transfusions, and barriers—but it was also filled with fierce love.

Mandy swore she’d never go into healthcare, but Jill’s journey quietly rewrote her future. She went from business school to psychiatric nursing, from burnout to purpose—and from a sister to a champion for health equity. Her story of following Jill into a group home job (and eventually across the province) added warmth and authenticity to the conversation.

Meeting in Mission: The Power of Connection

It was through the maze of healthcare advocacy that Mandy met Dr. Alicia Thatcher—an introduction sparked by a psychiatrist, emails, persistence, and shared values. What began as curiosity became collaboration. And what began as professional partnership became friendship.

Mandy described Alicia as the doctor her family had always been searching for—someone with deep knowledge, unshakable respect, and a drive to make inclusive health more than an idea.

Together, they’ve become a team that asks not “What’s the matter?” but “What matters?”

Aging with IDD: Gaps, Risks and the Call for Change

Dr. Thatcher laid out the stark realities. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face:

  • 30-day readmission rates and emergency visits are significantly higher than the general population
  • A 6.5x higher chance of being hospitalized unnecessarily
  • A 17.5x higher chance of living in long-term care
  • And nearly 4x higher risk of dying before age 75—often from preventable causes

As life expectancy increases, more people with IDD are aging into a system that is simply not prepared to support them.

The statistics are sobering. But Alicia brought clarity and tools to make meaningful change possible.

The HELP Model: A Framework for Understanding Change

Together, Alicia and Mandy introduced the HELP model—a simple, accessible tool to help teams assess when someone’s behaviour, health, or emotional state changes. Rather than jumping straight to medication or crisis response, HELP encourages us to ask questions about:

  • Health – Are there hidden medical issues (pain, infections, GI concerns, untreated conditions)?
  • Environment and Supports – Have routines shifted? Has a trusted person left? Is there sensory overwhelm?
  • Lived Experience – Could past trauma or life transitions be affecting today’s behaviour?
  • Psychiatric Concerns – Are mental health challenges emerging or shifting?

Each domain is approached not with judgment but with curiosity. Not “What’s wrong with them?” but “What’s going on for them?”

And always—safety first.

When Behaviour is a Clue, Not a Problem

One powerful example shared: a person experiencing outbursts and psychosis-like symptoms was later found to have a severe urinary tract infection, not a psychiatric crisis. Once treated, the behaviours resolved.

Another shared example involved dental pain, which presented as paranoia and confusion. These aren’t rare occurrences—they’re reminders that atypical presentations of common issues are, in fact, typical for many people with IDD.

Behaviour is communication. And when we listen well, healing becomes possible.

Proactive Tools: From Screenings to Stretching

Dr. Thatcher shared accessible resources like:

  • Nuts and Bolts RD toolkit for aging and syndrome-specific health guidance
  • NTG-EDSD Dementia Screener to identify early signs of dementia in people with IDD
  • Health Watch Tables and preventive care checklists for tracking concerns
  • Hypertension logs and even stretching as a powerful blood pressure intervention

Simple, consistent tracking—like bowel movements, pain, mood, or sleep—can give teams and clinicians the data needed to act early and appropriately.

The tools are available. The missing piece? Widespread training and awareness.

From Reaction to Relationship

One of the session’s most powerful takeaways was this: Crisis shouldn’t be the only catalyst for care.

So much of the current system waits for things to break down, then responds with medication or hospitalization. But relational approaches, early recognition, and team-based curiosity can reduce trauma and strengthen well-being before a crisis ever happens.

As Mandy put it, “If we’re not asking questions early, we’ll miss the chance to actually help.”

The Real Risk: Doing Nothing

For Dr. Thatcher, the work is about bridging the gap between what’s available and what’s needed—and about pushing back on ableist, ageist, or dismissive practices.

The Clinical Frailty Scale, for instance, is still widely used, but it often misrepresents people with IDD. A 50-year-old with disabilities might be denied access to geriatric services, despite having the same needs as someone twice their age.

It’s time to move from age-based cutoffs to needs-based care.

And when we talk about aging, we must do so with context, compassion, and clarity.

Carrying Jill’s Legacy Forward

The presentation closed with a quiet moment of vulnerability. Mandy shared that her sister Jill passed away due to several of the Fatal Five conditions often seen in people with IDD: aspiration, constipation, dehydration, seizures, and sepsis.

Her story is both a heartbreak and a call to action.

Because Jill deserved better, and so do the many others aging into systems still not built for them.

In Summary: Where Do We Go From Here?

  • Learn the HELP model – Use it not just to assess but to collaborate.
  • Champion routine health checks – Especially annual comprehensive reviews for adults with IDD.
  • Use simple tools – NTG screeners, symptom checklists, and monitoring charts make a big difference.
  • Track the small stuff – Sleep, stools, mood, appetite—they matter more than we think.
  • Trust the people who know the person best – Families, supports, and the person themselves.
  • And always lead with love and listening.

Dr. Thatcher and Mandy reminded us that the future of inclusive healthcare isn’t just about medical systems—it’s about relationships. It’s about seeing, hearing, and honouring every person at every stage of life.

And it’s about knowing that no one should have to fight alone to be understood, supported, or safe.

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.

Regina Leader-Post: Made-in-Saskatchewan sex-ed curriculum has global reach

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Made-in-Saskatchewan sex-ed curriculum has global reach

Tell It Like It Is is a comprehensive sex ed courses designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Published Jun 25, 2024
Heather Hynd wanted to learn more about relationships, dating and decision-making.

She had been in an abusive relationship that was “very, very hard to leave,” and wanted to build her confidence and feel empowered to speak up for what she did and didn’t want with a partner, she says.

But there weren’t a lot of comprehensive sexual education courses designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — courses that would cover the whole range of subjects Hynd was interested in, from safety and healthy relationships to navigating dating, breakups and identity.

So when Hynd found out about the Tell It Like It Is program five years ago, she was thrilled.

“I would tell everyone that you should take this class,” she says. “We learn about relationships and consent. We also talk about safe pregnancy — how to be safe — and the unwanted pregnancy, if you don’t want to have it.

“I could learn a lot about relationships. How to say yes. How to say no. How to consent.”

Over a 10-week course, Tell It Like It Is covers communication skills, body parts and body image, online dating, birth control and safer sex practices, understanding different kinds of relationships, sex and pleasure, consent and boundaries.

 

The programme booklet for the the 'Tell It Like It Is' program.
A booklet for the the ‘Tell It Like It Is’ program. KAYLE NEIS / Regina Leader-Post PHOTO BY KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

 

Natalya Mason, a sexual health consultant in Saskatoon, says research continues to show that sex-ed programs such as Tell It Like It Is are important safety tools.

“Providing a high-quality, comprehensive, evidence-based educational program to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities is the best way to help protect them from future abuse,” she says.

“That’s true for learners with disabilities, and that’s also true for learners without disabilities. And if they do find themselves in a situation where they’re uncertain or something bad has happened, it helps in being able to feel confident and capable to talk about these things.”

The Tell It Like It Is curriculum was designed and developed in Saskatchewan, and has become a shared project of Creative Options Regina, Saskatoon Sexual Heath and Inclusion Saskatchewan.

The curriculum is now being used all across Canada and far beyond.

“When you Google this topic, there are not a lot of resources out there — and ours is one of the first that pops up,” says Kristyn White, literacy facilitator for Creative Options Regina.

“At this point, I think we’ve connected with people in every province. We’ve also had several people in Australia download (the curriculum). People in Japan are downloading it. We’ve had people in India. We’ve had lots of people in Europe, and all throughout Canada and the States. It truly has a worldwide reach.”

White says this particular curriculum is helping fill a big gap in sexual health education: Disabled people, particularly intellectually or developmentally disabled people, often don’t get access to the information they want and need about sex, relationships and their own bodies.

“The general attitudes towards people with disabilities in relation to sexuality are pretty negative,” White says.

“Within society, there are so many assumptions — that disabled people are asexual, that they’re not interested in relationships. People have the idea that people with disabilities cannot consent, that they shouldn’t be allowed to consent, that they shouldn’t even be allowed to have relationships. So the opportunities for people to learn are few and far between.”

 

Kristyn White, Tell It Like It Is program facilitator, sits for a portrait at the Creative Options Regina offices on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 in Regina.
Kristyn White, Tell It Like It Is program facilitator, at the Creative Options Regina offices on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 in Regina. KAYLE NEIS / Regina Leader-Post PHOTO BY KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

 

Mason says Tell It Like It Is is all about creating those opportunities — a space for open conversations, rather than assumptions, silence or censorship.

“There is an intentional focus on creating opportunities for people with disabilities to have fulfilling relationships — and, on their own terms, without any kind of judgment about what those relationships need to look like,” she says.

For Hynd herself, the Tell It Like It Is program at Creative Options Regina has become a comfortable, safe place to ask questions and practise her strategies for navigating important talks with friends and partners.

“Tell It Like It Is, I’m a pro at it now,” she said. “It’s been really helpful in my relationship that I’m in now, that is a lot better than my old one. I’m happier.

“And there’s one thing I’ve been working really hard on: I have a hard time saying ‘no’ to different things and different people. If I say ‘no,’ people might get mad at me or swear at me or never talk to me again. But now, I’m working on my boundaries.”

Read the story in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post, published on June 25, 2024.

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.

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.

Prairie Sexuality and Disability Conference featured in SARC Update (Winter 2023)

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We are excited to share an article featured in the SARC Winter Update on the 2022 Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference. We are still beaming with pride when thinking back to the event made possible because of all our incredible partners, sponsors, presenters, caterers, and resource distributors! We look forward to seeing everyone at our 2023 conference in Saskatoon. Stay tuned!

COR Recognized by Excellence Canada as one of Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month Great Employers

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We are pleased to be recognized by Excellence Canada as one of Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month Great Employers!

Meet the 2022 Recipients 

Here are the 2022 winners of the Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month Great Employer Award.

Organization Name City Prov Website Year
AGS Rehab Solutions Inc. Mississauga ON https://www.agsrehab.com/ 2022
Artis REIT Winnipeg MB https://www.artisreit.com/ 2022
Your Neighbourhood Credit Union Kitchener ON https://www.yncu.com/ 2022
AudienceView Toronto ON https://www.audienceview.com/ 2022
CanmetENERGY-Ottawa, Natural Resources Canada Nepean ON https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/offices-labs/canmet/ottawa-research-centre/5753 2022
Cardata Oakville ON https://www.cardata.co/ 2022
CHEO (Pediatric health care and research centre) Ottawa ON https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/index.aspx 2022
Connecting Care & Points West Living Edmonton AB 2022
Creative Options Regina Regina SK https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/ 2022
Grand River Hospital Kitchener ON https://www.grhosp.on.ca/ 2022
Lethbridge College Lethbridge AB https://lethbridgecollege.ca/ 2022
Region of Peel Brampton ON https://www.peelregion.ca/ 2022