The holiday season is a time of joy and relaxation. However, for many reasons, the holidays can also be overwhelming or a source of stress. For some people, this time of year comes with feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Fortunately, there are simple strategies to help manage our mental health this holiday season. Mental…
Hendrik Albarda discovered what Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network has to offer after his family doctor referred him to a healthy aging nurse. He explains that his doctor, Dr. Sheela Duia, at Nova Medical Clinic thought that the PCN could help him with his aging. Mary Whale, the healthy aging nurse, visited Hendrik in his…
By Luc TherrienBehavioural Health Consultant What has convinced me to teach relaxation to everyone? I could tell you that relaxation and meditation have been studied extensively over the past 40 years and that we’ve even observed a change at the genes’ level after only one session of relaxation, but that may seem abstract. Instead, I…
Armed with resources from Edmonton Southside PCN, Brenna Frisby has stopped smoking and started exercising.Brenna heard about the PCN while listening to an interview about the Learn to Run for Smokers workshop on CBC Edmonton. “I had wanted to quit for a while. I was just struggling with it. I just decided this would be…
Scott Wood’s life was crashing until a visit to his family doctor brought him back on the right track. His spiral into a deep depression started in 2009 when he witnessed a head-on collision between a small car and a rig truck on Highway 33 between Swan Hills and Whitecourt during a spring storm. “The…
Robyn Couture is improving her life by achieving one small goal at a time. She decided to change the way her life was heading last year after starting a blog called, Edmonton Tourist, and talking to her niece who had bariatric surgery. In December, Robyn asked her physician to refer her to Weight Wise. “I…
When Gary Krutzfeldt started feeling so empty and helpless, he turned to his family doctor for help.Dr. Don Korzenowski of Millwoods Family Medical Clinic prescribed anti-depressants for Gary but told him this was only half the answer and he needed to see a behavioural health specialist from Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network. “I have to…
Anxiety has plagued Sheila Hilderbrandt for most of her life. She would lie awake all night worrying about her health issues. She wouldn’t leave her home except once a week to get groceries. Her mind wouldn’t shut off and she couldn’t control her thoughts. “It started with my diabetes. I had to go on insulin….
Larry and Louise Cousins are armed with more information after attending two Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network workshops aimed at educating seniors. They discovered the Housing for Seniors workshop after seeing a poster for it in their family doctor’s office. The couple, who have been married for 42 years, wanted to ensure they are prepared…
Bill Bedwin is motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle after eliminating severe leg pain and keeping his diabetes in check. He started off 2013 by being rushed to a medical clinic because his sugar levels and blood pressure shot up. Bill began experiencing pain in his legs the following month and was referred to several…